Water experts at the National conference on potential of water harvesting have recommended the setting up of a unified authority to promote water harvesting and protect existing water harvesting structures, with adequate representation from the civil society.

In the concluding session of the three-day conference organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the government was flayed for not having clear policy to conserve water to deal with the looming water crisis and protect the local engineering systems developed by the communities over the millenia to conserve every drop of rain to secure water. After assessing the potential and development of water harvesting systems in India and in other countries experts have drawn up policy recommendations to promote local water harvesting systems.

"It is time that the government stopped seeing its role as a constructor and maintainer of water projects, and distributor of water, and, be prepared to devolve power to local actors," the experts stressed. They called for a national campaign for water literacy to spread the message that conservation of water is everybody’s business. This included creating awareness amongst officials and political leadership there was a dire need to strengthen the water harvesting component in rural and urban development programme. Experts called for a shift in focus from large water supply projects.

Water professional are particularly unhappy as appropriate institutions do not exist to protect water bodies. Experts called for effective implementation of the 73^rd And 74^th Constitutional amendments and appropriate legal changes to enable community institutions to perform.

The participants were unanimous that it was equally important to protect and revive the full potential of existing water harvesting structures in both urban and rural India. They expressed deep concern at the state urban water bodies under severe pressure from polluting activities and steady encroachment by construction lobbies. Impressive case studies presented during the last three days from round the country have proved beyond doubt that only local efforts to conserve water can save towns and cities from the crippling water scarcity. The expert group recommended fiscal incentive and regulatory mechanism for promotion of water harvesting in the urban areas of India. Appropriate pricing of water can play an important role in encouraging households and institutions to meet significant part of their water needs through local water harvesting.

Water harvesting should be taken up on a priority basis in regions where ground water is the main source of drinking water and is contaminated with fluorides and arsenic or industrial pollutants with serious effect on public health.

The water experts further stressed on the need for research to assess the health effects of small water harvesting systems used for drinking purposes to allay doubts about the quality of water in these structures. Often unnecessary concerns are used to criticise the concept of water harvesting which militate against the concept. Research will help to alleviate fears and in areas where health concerns are valid, appropriate regulatory and technological solutions can be applied.

The conference revealed that even the mega cities of the world have become votaries of water harvesting. Outstanding efforts to promote water harvesting in other countries including the industrialised countries like Japan and Germany were highlighted in the earlier session today. Tokyo, Frankfurt, Singapore and many are steadily adopting sustainable systems of conserving water, as has Chennai.

According to the paper of Makoto Murase, director of urban Affairs at Tokyo’s Sumida city, numerous mini tanks have been built in the city to store rain water. This reduces pressure on the water supply. Large tracts of farm and forest land that are devoured by large dams are spared.

Also informed Hannah Buttner of Heidelberg university that in Germany, municipalities have developed a tax system to promote rain water harvesting.

Myriad experiences were narrated by the water experts from other countries in the south which have rich tradition of rain water harvesting. Said John Mbugua Kionga, former vice president, International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, Kenya, "In our approach indigenous traditional skills are fully integrated to harvest rain. Our approach apart from meeting local water needs has also led to poverty alleviation." Madhukar Upadhyay of Kathmandu informed that by building ponds to capture runoff from the hills they have solved the dual problem of water supply for irrigation and land slides.

The conference repeatedly stressed that traditional water harvesting systems could go a long way in alleviating the water needs of the country.

For more information please contact Anumita Roychowdhury, Shefali and Priti Kumar at 464-5335, 464-334