GS Paper III
News Excerpt:
India aims to reuse half of its treated wastewater from operational sewage treatment plants (STPs) by 2025 and achieve 100% reuse by 2030 to address the urgent issue of dwindling freshwater resources.
Challenges related to freshwater resources:
- The current infrastructure is insufficient for this task.
- Many STPs are overloaded and can't treat wastewater to the high standards required for reuse.
- Additionally, inadequate wastewater collection systems hinder efficient delivery to treatment facilities.
- Public perception also poses a significant barrier.
- Concerns about the quality and safety of treated wastewater lead to resistance and reluctance to use it.
Social Factors Hindering Reuse:
- A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) identified several social factors impeding treated wastewater reuse:
- Perceived health risks: Concerns about potential health risks deter use despite meeting safety standards.
- Stigma and social acceptance: Social stigma views recycled water as "dirty" or "contaminated."
- Doubts about safety: Public doubts about the reliability and safety of recycled water.
- Perception of inferiority: Recycled water is seen as "second-rate," contributing to societal taboos.
- Aesthetic concerns: Negative reactions to the appearance, smell, or taste of recycled water persist even if it meets safety standards.
Innovative Methods Across India:
- Bengaluru: Secondary treated water is used to recharge shallow aquifers through natural percolation by filling lakes, increasing groundwater levels in nearby wells for irrigation and domestic use.
- Efforts at Jodikrishnapura and Narasapura Lakes have significantly raised the groundwater table, allowing drip irrigation on 20 acres.
- HN Valley Project: TUW is used to rejuvenate 65 lakes in the Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Urban, and Bengaluru Rural districts, increasing groundwater levels and revitalizing wells.
- Karhalli Village: Releasing TUW into Chikkasagarahalli Lake recharged aquifers, reviving wells and allowing farmers to grow a wider range of crops.
- Delhi: Treated wastewater from STPs is used to recharge lakes as part of the 'City of Lakes' program, facilitating natural percolation and recharge of shallow aquifers.
- This augmented groundwater source is extracted from constructed tube wells for drinking water supply after further processing.
- Nasapakkam: Tertiary treated water is blended with Porur Lake and sent to a Drinking Water Treatment Plant, supplying households with drinking and domestic water.
- Dhandupura STP: Initially resisted by local farmers, the plant demonstrated the agricultural safety of treated water through a showcase model, increasing acceptance and usage for irrigation.
- Prayagraj’s Naini STP: Farmers monitor the quality and quantity of treated water, increasing confidence and sense of ownership in using treated wastewater for irrigation.
- Haryana’s Kurukshetra District: The Micro Irrigation Command Area Development Authority (MICADA) established Water Use Association Committees (WUC) to disseminate information and maximize the use of treated wastewater for agriculture.
Way Forward: Addressing the above concerns and misconceptions is crucial for overcoming public resistance and can be done through following methods:
- Raising awareness about the benefits and safety of recycled water.
- Innovative and collaborative efforts to break societal resistance to treat wastewater reuse.
- Engaging local communities in decision-making and ensuring compliance and quality includes implementing wastewater reuse projects in a culturally sensitive and community-responsive manner.
