How water management should be done to overcome scarcity?

We should learn from the water management techniques in ancient India. Right at this moment, Indian states are facing water-deficient problems and if this scarcity has not been looked upon, many problems may occur in the future and, keeping in view, the failure of the modern techniques to deal with water scarcity, in my view, the ancient Indian way of tapping the run-off water from the monsoons across the country is the best way to deal with this problem.

Recycling the water by the Sewage treatment plants and using the water for the Landscaping, gardens, Toilet flushing etc.

Though the water treated is of potable standards due to our mentall illusion of sewage water doesn't allow our hearts / senses to accept the water for other usages other than mentioned above.

All the mention points such as reuse, recycle, tapping run-off etc. are based on certain basic design parameter of NBC (National Building Code) which itself have tons of loop wholes such as per day per person non-domestic water consumption in residential area 45 liter per day etc. Based on this calculation, entire STP and thus reuse is based and too linked with rain water harvesting directly or indirectly. 

If one not going to use so huge water as per NBC norm, then how in STP so much sewage shall enter and how one shall need to reuse.

All in all, basics of engineering design from the Government side need further practical approach instead of just copy and pasting the same 50 year bacj story in the NBC.

1. Rain water harvesting

2. Drip irrigation

3. Use water minimally
4. Desalination of sea water

These are the various methods that can be used to conserve water and also to make sure that the water scarcity is overcome.

considering the amount of wastage i have seen over the years - from supply system on the streets, taps at home, taps running when we shave and so on - we probably could double our available water supply by just eliminating such criminal habits.

We should follow the role model legislation of tamilnadu state govt. wherein rain water harvesting provision should be incorporated in to all the buildings of the country. Then only the approval for construction of the buildings should be made. Further, the different NGO's/VO's should bring in awareness campaign with regard to this.

Growing more trees will regulate rainfall.

Recycling ( Installation of sewage treatment and effluent treatment plants ), Reuse ( Use of treated water for landscape and washing purpose ) and Reduce ( sustainable use of water like avoiding shower for bathing and repairing leakages on priority basis )

Dont dig borewells.

Though this idea of supply of water in society is applied in districts other than mumbai where there is continuous supply of water .

In mumbai, hsg. society should follow this idea of supplying municipal water to its member for a schedule time like morning and night when people are at their house.

By this people will start saving water.

I am of the strong openion that conservation of available natural resources should be the primary concern for the state, engineers/ managers and the consumers. The augmentation of natural resource is a dangerous expensive proposition and should not be an alternative to poor conservation.

The state wants to please its masses by encouraging indiscriminate exploitation of this natural resource. The tarrif policy regarding power to tubewells and water supply to its poulation is the main culprit in poor conservation of the resource. If the political elite is not concerned about the conservation, only God can help us.

Manmohan Singh Sikand