Water conservation
Water conservation refers to the preservation, control and development of water resources,
both surface and groundwater, and prevention of pollution.
Sources of water
There are two main sources of water: surface water and groundwater. Surface Water is
found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Groundwater lies under the surface of the land, where
it travels through and fills openings in the rocks.
Since water is more important because it is needed for life to exist. Many uses of water
include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually
all of these human uses require fresh water.
Need for water conservation
We cannot live without water. Saving water helps to preserve our environment.
It reduces the energy required to process and deliver water, which helps in reducing pollution
and in conserving fuel resources.
Saving water now means having water available in the future for recreational purposes, too.
Water conservation reduces energy use and can even save households money.
Strategies of Water Conservation
The key activities that benefit water conservation (save water) are as follows:
1. Any beneficial reduction in water loss, use and waste of resources.
2. Avoiding any damage to water quality.
3. Improving water management practices that reduce the use or enhance the beneficial
use of water
4. Reduce irrigation losses:
a. Sprinkling irrigation and drip irrigation conserves water by 30 – 40 %
b. Irrigation in the early morning or later evening reduces evaporation losses
5. Re – use of water
a. Treated waste water can also be used for irrigation.
b. Grey water from washings, bathrooms etc may be used for watering gardens.
6. Preventing wastage of water:
a. Closing the taps when not in use
b. Repairing any leakage from pipes
c. Using small capacity of taps
7. Avoid discharge of sewage into natural water resources
Methods of water conservation
There are so many methods available for water conservation, of which the followings
are important methods.
1. Rainwater harvesting
2. Watershed management
1. Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is a technique of collection and storage of rainwater into natural
reservoirs or tanks, or the infiltration of surface water into subsurface aquifers (before it is
lost as surface runoff).
How to harvest rainwater:
Broadly there are two ways of harvesting rainwater:
(i) Surface runoff harvesting
(ii) Roof top rainwater harvesting
Surface runoff harvesting:
In urban area rainwater flows away as surface runoff. This runoff could be caught and used
for recharging aquifers by adopting appropriate methods.
Roof top rainwater harvesting:
It is a system of catching rainwater where it falls. In rooftop harvesting, the roof becomes the
catchments, and the rainwater is collected from the roof of the house/building. It can either be
stored in a tank or diverted to artificial recharge system. This method is less expensive and
very effective and if implemented properly helps in augmenting the ground water level of the
area.
Need / objectives of Rainwater Harvesting
There are many reasons but following are some of the important ones.
To meet the increasing demands of water.
To reduce the ground water contamination from the interruption of saline water
To arrest ground water decline and increase ground water table
To conserve surface water runoff during monsoon
To reduce soil erosion
To minimise water crisis and water conflicts
Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting
Reduction in the use of current for pumping water
Increasing the availability of water from well
Rise in ground water levels
Minimising the soil erosion and flood hazards.
2. Watershed management
Watershed is defined as the land area from which water drains under the
influence of gravity into a stream, lakes, reservoir or other body of
surface water.
Factors affecting watershed
The watersheds are found to be degraded due to uncontrolled, unplanned use
activities.
Overgrazing, deforestation, mining, construction activities also affect and
degrade various watersheds.
Droughts may also affect the watershed.
Need of Watershed management
To minimize the risk of floods, droughts and landslides
To manage the watershed for the developmental activities like domestic water supply,
irrigation, hydropower generation, etc.
To protect the soil from erosion by runoff
To raise the groundwater level.
