With the planets second largest population at 1.3 billion, and expectant growth to 1.7 billion by 2050, India finds itself unable to serve the vast majority of that populace with safe, clean water. Supporting 16% of the world’s inhabitants is daunting enough, but it is even more so when recognizing that population is crammed into an area one-third the size of the United States. Then consider that India only possesses 4% of the world’s fresh water and the crisis can be more fully realized. The most disastrous case in focus is Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu and its capital Chennai are struggling to meet the water demands of its citizens. Chennai is facing a drought for the third year in a row. As of Thursday, Chennai’s four reservoirs together had only 31 million cubic feet (mcft) of water as against a total capacity of 11,257 mcft.
With the city fighting to meet its water demand Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) is almost completely dependent on alternative sources including water from desalination plants and stone quarries in Kanchipuram district.
As Chennai reels under a water crisis, the city’s IT hub is taking steps to conserve water. From letting employees work from home to implementing water-conservation methods, IT companies are going that extra mile to save water.
With the water crisis worsening, the Madras High Court has stepped in. On Thursday the court asked for details from the state government on the steps taken by it to fulfil the daily water requirements of the city. It asked the AIADMK government to submit details of steps taken to mitigate the scarcity on June 17.
The city has been grappling with water shortage and residents are mostly dependent on tankers to meet their daily needs.
The four reservoirs supplying water in Chennai are almost dry and residents have been suffering for at least two months now.
The Chembarambakkam lake, which has a full storage capacity of 3,645 million cubic feet (mcft) of water, at present, has just 1mcft water left. On the same day, last year, the reservoir had 1,108mcft water.While the Poondy reservoir has 34 mcft water, the Cholavaram reservoir has turned dry, according to official data.
Out of a total storage capacity of 11,257mcft of water, reservoirs feeding Chennai have only 36mcft water left.
Of the 32 districts in the state, 24 have been declared drought-hit. The major reservoirs in Tamil Nadu have a 26 per cent deficiency, even though live storage in six major reservoirs — Lower Bhavani, Mettur (Stanley), Vaigai, Parambikulam, Aliyar and Sholayar — is comparatively high than last year’s levels. As of May 16, 2019, live storage in these reservoirs was seen at 0.753 billion cubic metres (bcm) of the total capacity of 4.229 bcm, as against last year’s 0.419 bcm on May 17, 2018.
Impact on civil infrastructure
Speaking to reporters at Coimbatore, SP Velumani said that the state government is doing its best to tackle the ongoing water crisis in Tamil Nadu. “In Chennai, 4,092 infrastructure works have been done at a cost of Rs 2,635.42 crore. Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board also has completed 268 projects at a cost of Rs 5,346 crore. In Municipality level, 4,417 work are in progress at present at an outlay of Rs 196 crore. Similarly, at the Panchayat level, 1.08 lakh projects have been completed at a cost of Rs 1,929 crore,” he said.Adding that rainfall was deficient in 2017 after which the state government had allocated Rs 1088.99 crore for digging new borewells and cleaning the existing borewells, SP Velumani said that 41,464 works for reclaiming water bodies have been done since then.
Explaining that the government is making efforts to deal with the crisis, the minister said that the people are being advised to dig borewells where water source is there.
As Chennai is grappling with severe water crisis, the water-intensive real civil and construction sector is beginning to feel the heat. Many players have slowed down their activities and those in operation have found innovative ways to keep themselves going. Construction companies are now looking for innovative construction technologies to minimise water usage.
‘Water is needed in large amounts in the construction industry for various purposes. Water is pivotal for every modulation of construction work. Right from, mix mortars and to cement work it is needed. It is a very vital part of construction and work cannot be carried without it. For strengthening of a project, it is a primary element. Gallons of water are needed for the same depending on the volume of the construction project, but the situation is not correct at the moment in Tamil Nadu’ said experts from BUILDERS’ ASSOCIATION OF INDIA SOUTHERN CENTRE. Moreover, the inability of water for normal consumption of workers has made the situation worse. So, we have decided to put on hold all the construction projects in Tamil Nadu.
Suggestions for Way Forward:
Where there is a will there is away. Amidst these negative happenings, it is upon us to improve the scenario and preserve water. Given below are a few tips by which these can be achieved.
- Installation of Soil Moisture Monitoring System to Improve Productivity
- Installation of Soil Moisture Monitoring System to Improve Productivity
- Integrated Irrigation Modernization Project
- NEW – Basin based approach for groundwater management
- Judicious use of water through better management, improved maintenance, and appropriate tariff
- Use of better material and technology to reduce water losses
- Re-use of wastewater – as more wastewater will be generated from domestic use
- Rainwater harvesting not only in buildings, but also in parks and open spaces
- Recharge of aquifers should become a part of development of real estate
- New ways should be found to use flood waters – recharge aquifers
- Construction industry should promote better methods and technologies for using water efficiently
- Awareness creation across sectors to optimize and conserve water
Conclusion
According to construction sector sources, the Chennai Metropolitan Area covering the entire city and suburbs of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts is witnessing constructions of nearly 300 massive housing and office space projects. This apart, an independent house is being built on every second street in the city. Approximately 25,000 kilo litres of water is required for a construction on 10,000sqft. Water is used in different stages of construction such as mixing mortar, concrete, curing and consolidation.
Scarcity of water has hampered all industries in South India in some way or the other and this includes the construction industry as well.
Info- indiatoday, the newsminute, news18, times of india