Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is a method to capture and store rainwater for various uses, and also to recharge groundwater aquifers. It is a low-cost and eco-friendly technique that preserves every drop of water by guiding rainwater into borewells, pits, and wells.

This technique increases water availability, checks the declining groundwater table, and improves groundwater quality by diluting contaminants like fluoride and nitrates. It also prevents soil erosion and flooding, and in coastal areas, it arrests saltwater intrusion if used to recharge aquifers.

Traditional and Modern Practices

Rainwater harvesting has been practised through various methods by different communities in India for a long time. In rural areas, traditional methods use surface storage bodies like lakes, ponds, and irrigation tanks. In Rajasthan, structures called Kund or Tanka — covered underground tanks — are built near or inside houses or villages to store harvested rainwater.

There is wide scope to use rainwater harvesting to conserve water. It can be done by harvesting rainwater on rooftops and open spaces. This practice decreases community dependence on groundwater for domestic use. Besides bridging the demand-supply gap, it also saves energy used to pump groundwater, because recharge raises the groundwater table.

Urban and Large-Scale Adoption

These days, rainwater harvesting is being taken up on a massive scale in many states. Urban areas can especially benefit, as water demand has already outstripped supply in most cities and towns.

Other Remedies for Water Problems

Apart from rainwater harvesting, other important remedies for India's water problems include:

• Desalination of water, particularly in coastal areas and for brackish water in arid and semi-arid regions.
• Transfer of water from water-surplus areas to water-deficit areas through inter-linking of rivers.
• Pricing of water, which is the most important issue from the point of view of individual users, households, and communities.

Highlights of India’s National Water Policy 2012

The objective of the National Water Policy 2012 is to assess the existing situation and propose a framework for a plan of action with a unified national perspective. Its salient features include:

• Emphasis on the need for a national water framework law and comprehensive legislation for optimum development of inter-State rivers and river valleys.
• Water, after meeting pre-emptive needs for safe drinking water and sanitation, achieving food security, supporting poor people dependent on agriculture, and high-priority allocation for minimum ecosystem needs, should be treated as an economic good to promote its conservation and efficient use.
• Adaptation strategies in view of climate change for designing and managing water resources structures, and review of acceptability criteria, have been emphasised.
• A system to evolve benchmarks for water uses for different purposes — i.e., water footprints — and water auditing should be developed to ensure efficient use of water.
• Removal of the large disparity in stipulations for water supply in urban areas and rural areas has been recommended.
• Water resources projects and services should be managed with community participation.

Jal Kranti Abhiyan (2015–16)

Water is a recyclable resource, but its availability is limited, and the gap between supply and demand will widen over time. Climate change at the global scale will create water stress conditions in many regions. India has a unique situation of high population growth and rapid economic development with high water demand.

The Jal Kranti Abhiyan was launched by the Government of India in 2015–16 with the aim of ensuring water security through per capita availability of water in the country. People in different regions of India have practised traditional knowledge of water conservation and management to ensure water availability. The Abhiyan aims to involve local bodies, NGOs, and citizens at large in creating awareness regarding its objectives. …