Handbook on
Water Conservation
A joint project of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) & Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC)
Eco City Project A unique program-based approach for integrating environment friendly concepts for making Navi Mumbai an Eco City of India.
Why and How to Conserve Water?
http://img.sccnn.com/bimg/322/885.jpg
Very little water is available for consumption… Water available for consumption (0.3%) Freshwater (3%)
Saline water (97%) http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.html
So let’s value it….
We get water only once in a year during monsoon
8 months are dry
4 months of monsoon
So let’s value it….
Water is purified through a tedious & energy consuming process to reach our homes Flocculation and Coagulation
Sedimentation
Storage and distribution Filtration
So let’s value it….
Water we get is HIGHLY subsidized Cost of water in the market
INR 20 / litre
A family of 4 consumes about 540 litres* per day of water So, the commercial worth of this water is
~ INR 10,800 / day But for municipal water we pay only
~ INR 1.6 / day Note: Water consumed per day by family of 4 people (135 LPCD) = ~ 540 litres* Average water bill = INR 600/ year So, average water bill per day= INR 1.60
OR
Just 2 paise/ litre
We get a subsidy of
99.99% So let’s value it….
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/NMMC-households-enjoy-water-at-cheaper-rates/articleshow/23239518.cms
Water is our life line 10 litres – Drinking & cooking
10 litres – Washing utensils
55 litres – Bathing
30 litres – Flushing 135 litres per day per person 20 litres – Washing clothes
10 litres – Mopping the floor
So let’s value it…. Source: http://www.cseindia.org/userfiles/01%20WHY%20GREEN.pdf
However, water resources are always taken for granted & wasted.
We waste a lot of water due to leakages 60 drips/ minutes
3600 drips / hour = 0.8 litres / hour
~ 20 litres / day
Now, there is an urgent need to save water….
Source: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/activity-drip.html
But the truth is….. We still think water scarcity won’t reach us....
………in spite of India being categorized as one of the ‘high water stressed’ countries. Source: www.wri.org/our-work/project/aqueduct
And, the general attitude of people is….
Why should I be concerned?
My city gets rainfall of 2500 mm every year !!
I always get water for 24 hours !!!
Is there any urgency to save water???
However, the present situation is more serious than it appears…. SEVERE WATER CUTS.
Caption of the newspapers (2015-16) say it all……
Citizens respond differently to this situation. Some are responsible and some are NOT.
Miss A is usually not concerned about her water usage.
Miss
Her neighbor – B is very cautious and uses water judiciously.
Washing utensils Miss A washes utensils one by one under the running tap.
Miss B soaks utensils in a soap water tub.
More Efforts More Water
Less Efforts Less Water
Water used = 60 litres
Water used = 30 litres
Miss B saves 30 litres of water as compared to Miss A.
Washing fruits and vegetables Miss A washes vegetables and fruits one by one under the running tap.
Miss B soaks vegetables and fruits in a vessel full of water.
More Efforts More Water
Less Efforts Less Water
Water used = 30 litres
Water used = 5 litres
Miss B saves 25 litres of water as compared to Miss A.
Usage of Stored water Miss A always throws away the stored water. Water wasted = 50 litres
Miss B uses the water she had stored the previous day.
You still don’t believe that Water never gets stale. In urban area, we get processed water through tap and in villages, people fetch water from wells, rivers and ponds.
Washing clothes Miss A washes clothes directly under the tap. Most of the time the tap is left open even when the bucket is full.
Miss B soaks clothes in soap water. She uses water from tub instead of tap water for washing clothes.
More Efforts More Water
Less Efforts Less Water
Water used = 200 litres
Water used = 100 litres
Miss B saves 100 litres of water as compared to Miss A.
Bathing Miss A enjoys tub bath !! Even in water scarcity months.
Water used = ~ 100 litres
Miss B, instructs her daughter to fill up bucket of water for bath. And while taking the shower, she insists to minimize wastage.
Water used = 20 litres
Miss B saves 80 litres of water compared to Miss A.
Flushing system Miss A has not bothered to change her old flushing system.
Miss B has installed water efficient flushing system at her home.
Water used: 12 liters/ flush ~190 litres per day
Water used: 6 litres / flush ~ 100 litres per day
Assumption: Family of 4, on an average flushes 16 times per day.
Miss B saves 90 litres of water per day compared to Miss A. Source: www.cseindia.org
Gardening Miss A uses a hose pipe to water the plants.
Water used = 40 litres
Miss B uses bucket and mug to water the plants.
Water used = 20 litres
Miss B saves 20 litres of water per day as compared to Miss A.
Whenever Miss B goes outstation, she uses innovative drip irrigation methods to water the plants.
Car washing Miss A insists the cleaner to use hose pipe for washing her car.
Miss B advises the cleaner to use wet cloth and mug of water for cleaning her car.
Water used = 45 litres
Water used = 2 litres
*A running hosepipe uses 9 litres of water per minute
Miss B saves 43 litres of water as compared to Miss A
RO water purifier Miss A let allows the unfiltered water from RO purifier in the drains directly.
Miss B collects this unfiltered water for secondary applications.
Water lost = 2 litres
Water saved = 2 litres
Note: It is essential to drain some amount of water before the filtered water is ready to be collected from the RO water purifier.
Miss B saves 2 litres (100%) of water as compared to Miss A.
One day the city experienced acute water shortage. Miss A was very worried about her daily chores. She was checking the water supply status with her neighbors.
She was wondering how come Miss B is comfortable with her chores, when there is no water supply??
Miss B explained variety of initiatives she undertakes to conserve water. She explains the simple filter pot she has assembled for recycling water.
“This collected water can be easily used for secondary applications. No energy or electricity is needed.” emphasizes Miss B.
Miss B has inculcated a simple habit of putting waste/ left over water into the bucket or filter rather than throwing it away.
Its easy to build your own water filter. Here are some options for you. Gravel
Charcoal Gravel Sand
Coarse Sand Gravel
Nylon filter Blotting paper
Raw Water Fine Sand Coarse Sand Gravel
See, what all goes in the filter pot…..
Water used for washing vegetables & fruits Water regenerated = 3 litres
Water used for boiling eggs Water regenerated = 2 litres
Leftover water from bottles & glasses Water regenerated = 1 litres
Water dripping from the drain pipe of Air Conditioning (AC) units “I have placed a bucket under the drain pipe of AC. Why should I waste even this quantity of good quality water?” When I can put it to good use.
Water regenerated by Miss B = 2 litres
Water drained from washing machine “I make it a point to collect water from 2nd and 3rd rinse of washing machine”.
Water regenerated by Miss B = 100 litres Note: i) Average washing machine has 3 cycles ii) 1 cycle of washing machine drains approximately 50 litres of water.
Source: www.waterwise.org.uk and http://www.nwu.ac.za/faculty-engineering-energy-saving-home-washing-machines
Miss A appreciated Miss B’s efforts.
Miss A was amazed to learn the ways in which Miss B was wisely collecting water. However, she was wondering where this recycled water can be used??
Miss B explained, that she uses this recycled water for the following activities.
1. Mopping “I use water collected in the bucket / filter for mopping” Fresh water saved by Miss B = 10 litres per day
2. Washing terrace and staircase “I wash terrace and occasionally also the staircase of the building with the recycled water.”
Fresh water saved by Miss B = 40 litres
3. Vehicle washing
“I instruct the cleaner to use the recycled water for washing the car using a small bucket full of water and cloth.”
Fresh water saved by Miss B = 2 litres per day
4. Watering the plants in the terrace garden
“I use the water collected in the bucket / filter for watering the plants and lawn.”
Fresh water saved by Miss B = 20 litres
Thus, 72 litres of fresh potable water can be easily saved by replacing it with recovered/ recycled water.
Also, I use washing machine only in full load, not otherwise. “I operate the washing machine only when the load is full. Washing machine consumes 120 -150 litres of water. Why should we waste so much water for few clothes”. Right??
“Excellent Miss B, this is really very much doable.” said Miss A.
Together, let’s value water and use it smartly !!
Miss A, learned the practical ways of recycling water at household level and most importantly this interaction changed her attitude towards water usage.
Like Miss A & Miss B
We have 50+ volunteers as of now to spread this message. Wondering how..??
Under the Eco City Forum…… We have launched a unique multi-stakeholder forum for undertaking outreach activities. Objective is to: • Create a platform for addressing concerns on topics like water conservation, urban farming, green building materials, waste management which is of importance at individual as well as corporate level. • Organize interactive workshops, seminars, hands on training, on site technology demonstrations, panel discussions and so on for sharing experience and best practices. • Disseminate technical information in simple language, implement technologies, assess the impact, and ultimately enable efficient resource management. • Bring together various stakeholders like the industries, residents, NGOs, and government authorities.
Focus Areas of Eco City Forum
1. Energy Conservation 3. Urban Farming
2. Green Buildings 4. Water conservation
Glimpse of the Pilot Exercise
Water conservation
Acute water scarcity in the state:
In response the forum organized “Hands on Training on Water Conservation for Volunteers’’ in Navi Mumbai
Stakeholder Engagement ~ 200 participants at NRI Complex, Navi Mumbai
Workshop on water conservation at NRI complex on 15th December 2015 – attended by more than 80 housekeeping staff and domestic help.
Local Media Coverage of the Workshop The Time of India, Navi Mumbai 10th January, 2016
The Time of India, Navi Mumbai 17th December, 2015
Be a part of this Eco City Forum
Let’s come together to orient people and use resources wisely !! Are you with us?
Handbook Credits Concept and Design Dr. Anjali Parasnis, Associate Director, TERI WRC Core Team Ar. Namrata Kaur Mahal, Associate Fellow, TERI WRC & Programme Associate, GRIHA Council
Mrs. Vrunda Sonawane, Associate Fellow, TERI WRC
Research Team Mrs. Swati Tomar, Associate Fellow, TERI WRC
Mr. Yatish Lele, Research Associate, TERI WRC
Mr Prathmesh Chourey, Associate Fellow, TERI WRC Sketch Artist Mr. Sagar Tandel, For more information contact: Tel: +91- 022- 2758 0021/22 Email:
[email protected]