why is there a drought of rainwater harvesting in mumbai
TRANSCRIPT
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS ...................................................................................................................................... 3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 4
PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 7
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................................. 8
3. WHAT LED TO THIS REPORT? .......................................................................................................................... 8
4. MEDIA AND SOCIAL AWARENESS ON RAINWATER HARVESTING ............................................................................ 10
5. CURRENT GOVERNMENT POLICIES ................................................................................................................ 10
6. HOW GOOD IS THE FUNCTIONING OF MCGMげS RWH CELL? ............................................................................. 11
6.1. Observations on the functioning of the RWH Cell in MCGM ......................................................................12
6.ヲ. E┝Ieヴpts fヴoマ MCGMげs Hooklets oミ a┘aヴeミess aHout water resource .....................................................13
7. A FEW RWH SUCCESS STORIES IN THE CITY ..................................................................................................... 14
8. SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS FOR EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING (RWH) CELL ...................... 15
9. RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE ADOPTION OF RAINWATER HARVESTING ........................................................... 16
10. CHENNAI SERVES AS A PRECEDENT ............................................................................................................... 17
11. OTHER CITIES IN INDIA .............................................................................................................................. 18
12. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................... 20
ANNEXURE 1 - MCGM CIRCULAR, 2002 .......................................................................................................... 21
ANNEXURE 2 - MCGM CIRCULAR FOR IOD CONDITION FOR RWH, 2003 ............................................................... 22
ANNEXURE 3 - MCGM CIRCULAR, 2003 .......................................................................................................... 23
ANNEXURE 4 - WATER CONSERVATION AND RAIN WATER HARVESTING FOR BRIHANMUMBAI, 2003 ............................. 24
ANNEXURE 5 - MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT URBAN DEVELOPMENT NOTIFICATION ON RWH, 2007 ......................... 35
ANNEXURE 6 - RAINWATER HARVESTING BROCHURE, MCGM ............................................................................... 40
ANNEXURE 7 - CASE STUDIES OF RAINWATER HARVESTING IN MUMBAI .................................................................... 41
Sealine CHS, Khar (W) ........................................................................................................................................41
Sea Crown CHS, Charkop, Kandivali (W) ............................................................................................................42
Sea Hill CHS, Union Park Road, Khar (W) ...........................................................................................................43
Model Town, Mahakali Caves, Andheri (E) ........................................................................................................44
Vasant Valley Complex, Dindoshi, Goregaon (E) ................................................................................................45
Patliputra CHS, Four Bunglows, Andheri (W) .....................................................................................................46
HARVEST TO HARNESS (H2H), 2004 ................................................................................................................ 47
ORF MUMBAIげS PUBLICATION ON WATER ......................................................................................................... 48
Ten key recommendations made by ORF Mumbai ............................................................................................49
ABOUT OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION MUMBAI .......................................................................................... 52
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 3
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Rishi Aggarwal
Research Fellow, Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
Rishi is a social and environmental activist engaged in researching and creating
discussion around various public policy matters. His areas of interest are urban
governance and sustainability.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 9820640324
Janki Pandya
Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
Janki is a post graduate in Political Science from the University of Mumbai. She is
interested in working on issues of urban governance and sustainable development.
She is also a citizen journalist, committed to making a difference to the society.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 9867271753
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We extend our gratitude to Mr. Navin Chandra of Sealine CHS, Khar, Mr. Bobby Clement of Model
Town CHS, Andheri, for sharing their experience and helping us learn the benefits of rainwater
harvesting in their respective societies. We would also like to thank Mr. Gurjeet Singh Bedi of Osmosis
Pvt Ltd, for arranging a personal visit to all the places studied in the report, which helped us get a first
haミd ┗ie┘ of peopleげs e┝peヴieミIe oミ iミstallatioミ of rainwater harvesting system in their societies.
We offer heartfelt thanks to Ms. ‘oshミi Ud┞a┗aヴ foヴ shaヴiミg heヴ さHaヴ┗est to Haヴミessざ data.
We thank Satyajeet Shobha Shriram and Dr. Sumedh, Programme Coordinator at ORF Mumbai for
designing the cover. We would also like to thank Aparna Sivakumar, Associate Research Fellow at ORF
Mumbai and Dhaval Desai, Programme Coordinatora at ORF Mumbai for proofreading the report.
We owe sincere thanks to Mr. Sudheendra Kulkarni, Chairman, ORF Mumbai, for his support and
encouragement throughout.
Finally, we would like to thank team ORF Mumbai for their constant support and encouragement.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 5
PREFACE
MuマHai ┘astes マore ┘ater ─ 9ヰヰ MLD daily ─ thaミ Puミe’s total ┘ater supply of aHout ヶヵヰ MLD every day!
Over the last 50 years, water supply in Mumbai has increased by 192.7% but water availability per
persoミ has reduIed Hy ヲン.ヶ% due to the Iity’s iミIrediHle populatioミ gro┘th. Many residents of the illegal slums in Mumbai are forced to pay more for their daily quota of water
thaミ ┘hat the Iity’s riIhest pay for their municipal water supply.
We pay Rs. 15 or more for 1 litre of bottled water. In contrast, BMC charges merely Rs. 4.00 per
ヱ,ヰヰヰ litres of ┘ater ─ that is, less thaミ ヱ paisa (ヰ.ヰヰ4 paisa, to be precise) for 1 litre of potable
municipal water!
Ironically, the consumers of water in rural Maharashtra pay nearly double the rate that BMC, which
is the richest corporation in the country, charges Mumbaikars.
Mumbai has a fleet of around 10,000 private water tankers, which make an annual profit of Rs.
1460 crore.
International cities like Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong and London all get
24x7 water supply. In Mumbai, water cuts are normal in summer months.
These, and many more startling revelations, find place in a landmark report that the Observer
Research Foundation Mumbai published last year. Authored by my colleague, Dhaval Desai, it was
titled けTIME I“ ‘UNNING OUT – Does MuマHai Ha┗e Eミough Water?げ It remains the most
comprehensive study of the problems afflicting water supply in Indiaげs IoママeヴIial Iapital, undertaken
by a governmental or non-governmental organisation. In addition to bringing out stark inefficiencies in
the municipal management of water supply iミ MuマHai ─ ┘hiIh is foヴtuミatel┞ Hetteヴ eミdo┘ed ┘ith sources of water than マaミ┞ Iities iミ Iミdia ─ the stud┞ also highlighted se┗eヴal Haffliミg aミoマalies iミ the water economy in the city.
Oミe of the マajoヴ ヴeIoママeミdatioミs of Dha┗alげs stud┞ uヴges MuマHaiげs Municipal Corporation as well
as its citizens to take up, as a mandatory duty, (a) waste water recycling and (b) rainwater harvesting.
As a follow-up to Dha┗alげs ヴepoヴt, マ┞ Iolleagues ‘ishi Aggaヴ┘al aミd Jaミki Paミd┞a uミdeヴtook a stud┞ of the functioning of the Rainwater Harvesting Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC,
also known as MCGB or the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai). Their findings, which form the
Sudheendra Kulkarni
Chairman, ORF Mumbai
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 6
subject of this report, are quite disheartening. As the title of this report points out, there truly is a
さdヴoughtざ of ヴaiミ┘ateヴ haヴ┗estiミg iミ MuマHai.
While highlightiミg the Ioヴpoヴatioミげs failuヴe to eミfoヴIe ヴaiミ┘ateヴ haヴ┗estiミg, this ヴepoヴt also IeleHヴates the exemplary self-マoti┗ated iミitiati┗es of MuマHaiげs eミlighteミed Iitizeミs. The suIIess stoヴ┞ sIヴipted by one of them, Shri Navin Chandra, Secretary of Sealine Cooperative Housing Society, was featured
H┞ け“at┞aマe┗ Ja┞ateげ, Aaマiヴ Khaミげs iママeミsel┞ populaヴ TV pヴogヴaママe.
The IヴitiIalit┞ of suppl┞ of Ileaミ, safe aミd adeケuate ┘ateヴ to all Iitizeミs foヴ Iミdiaげs all-round socio-
economic development is well known. What is also HeIoマiミg iミIヴeasiミgl┞ Ileaヴ is that Iミdiaげs Iities and towns, many of which face acute water shortages each year, must do a far better job of managing
every available source of water. In particular, maximum rainwater harvesting locally by residential,
commercial and governmental buildings must be facilitated so that it becomes a universal practice. In
this Ioミte┝t, MuマHaiげs e┝peヴieミIe ─ Hoth its failuヴes aミd its suIIesses ─ as pヴeseミted iミ this ヴepoヴt, will surely prove helpful to the rest of urban India.
I am happy to note that this report is being released on the eve of March 22, World Water Day.
‘eadeヴsげ IヴitiIal Ioママeミts aヴe ┘elIoマe.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 7
1. INTRODUCTION
Published on the eve of World Water Day on 22nd
March 2013
The benefits of rainwater harvesting are well known and need no elaboration. With rapid
urbanisation and industrialisation it has been seen as one of the important ways in which water
scarcity can be dealt with. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has been recognised as one of the important
lifelines for human wellbeing by UNEP. It is a simple method which provides means to improve access
to water and sanitation at the local level, thus helping in achieving the UN Millennium Development
Goal 7, Target 7C1 - access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
At the very onset, it must be clarified
that all the water supplied to Mumbai
is through rainwater harvested and
impounded in dams in far off
catchment areas. The rainwater
harvesting stressed upon in this
inquiry is the one engaged in locally,
within the city limits of Mumbai and by
relevant methods of rooftop water
harvesting and ground water recharge.
Mumbai understands the importance of rainwater harvesting and there has been a lot of discussion
for more than a decade in the city about the same. Though blessed with abundant water, there is a
constant worry about assured supply. There has been progressive legislation at the level of the
Municipal Corporation and the State Government; awareness programmes and messages in mass
media are a regular feature. But there is no annual audit or report on the level of implementation or
compliance in the city. None of the key stakeholders can give an answer to the simple question of how
much rainwater is harvested within the city of Mumbai. Clearly what is not measured cannot be
managed.
Maharashtra is experiencing a major drought situation in 17 districts in 2013. This is bound to have its
repercussion on the economy and development of the state. In contrast, Mumbai will be enjoying a
relatively abundant supply of water, in spite of the water cuts that are likely emerge as summer
approaches. It stands to reason that if a certain percentage of water demand, especially for non-
potable needs could be met through harvested water, then the remaining water could be available for
potable needs of those in underserved areas. The water available thus could be utilised at least within
the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and extended areas that suffer from acute water shortage, if
not in the interior districts of Maharashtra.
1 http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/environ.shtml
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 8
The purpose of this inquiry is to understand how widespread or otherwise the practice of rainwater
harvesting is and the usage of harvested water during early monsoon and non-monsoon months. An
equally important purpose of this inquiry is to understand the functioning of the Rainwater Harvesting
Cell of the Municipal Corporation; we have used its functioning as a proxy for the subject matter. No
civil society body can match the resources available to the government for the purpose of information
compilation and hence it becomes all the more important to audit the functioning of government
departments. Even before we engaged in this study we were well aware of some excellent case
studies of buildings that utilised harvested water to serve 25-50 percent of their needs. During the
course of our study we were even more convinced that a widespread implementation of rainwater
harvesting can serve as a valuable insurance against the vagaries of weather.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To understand and analyse the implementation of rainwater harvesting schemes in the city.
To understand the prevalence of RWH in government buildings.
To understand the hindrances in policy implementation.
Study and analyse the fuミItioミiミg of the MCGMげs ‘WH Cell.
To provide suggestions to popularise the practise of rainwater harvesting in the city, which could
also be useful for urban India, in general.
3. WHAT LED TO THIS REPORT?
An earlier report published by Observer Research Foundation Mumbai titled さTiマe is ‘uミミiミg Out, Does MuマHai ha┗e eミough ┘ater?ざ authored by Dhaval Desai, our colleague at ORF, recommended
rainwater harvesting as one of the most important measures that needs to be adopted to meet the
Iit┞げs ┘ateヴ deマaミds. Additionally, we have been researching Mumbai on a number of sustainability
parameters that include the study of how Mumbai has fared in terms of rainwater harvesting over the
past decade as well as the fuミItioミiミg of MCGMげs ‘WH Cell. The last decade has witnessed a number
of bad monsoons leading to water scarcity as well as conversations and interest in rainwater
harvesting. We felt it was important to assess the extent to which interests and intentions have
translated into reality and identify scopes for improvement.
AIIoヴdiミg to MCGMげs IalIulatioミ2, Mumbai receives an annual rainfall of 2,000 mm. Given that
Mumbai's geographical area is 437 sq km, the annual rainfall generates about 8,78,000 million litres of
water, which suffices to supply about 2,400 million litres a day. Theoretically, all this amount of water
can be harvested. However, assuming that 70 per cent of the city is developed and only 70 per cent
rainfall from this developed area can be conserved, the quantity of rainwater harvested would amount
to nearly 1,180 million litres a day. If we decide to resort only to rooftop rainwater harvesting,
2http://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MCGM%20Department%20List/Solid%20Waste%20Management/R
ain%20Water%20Harvesting/Water%20Conservation%20and%20Rainwater%20Harvesting%20EN.pdf
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 9
assuming only half the developed area is roofed, we can easily harvest water around 590 million litres
a day. This is still a significant amount of water, given that the BMC supplies 3,000 million litres a day
to the city.
The MCGM was the first Municipal
Corporation in the state to make RWH
compulsory for new buildings under the
Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) and as a
prerequisite for Completion Certificate
to buildings. RWH was made mandatory
for buildings of more than 1000 sq m in
2002, and the rule was amended to
make RWH mandatory for buildings of more than 300 sq m in 2007. However, most new buildings
flout this law and do not have rainwater harvesting systems in place.
DNA Mumbai (24 September, 2012) while reporting on rainwater harvesting in the city3 mentioned
that only 1850 building structures out of 4206 constructed after March 2002, that cover an area of
more than 1000 sq m have implemented rainwater harvesting systems, which makes it only 44% of
the total. The other 2356 buildings have blatantly violated the rules.
The report also evaluated buildings of more than 300 sq m to reveal similar findings – only 1158
buildings out of the 2649 constructed structures have implemented RWH systems. This is around 43%.
However, what needs special mention here is that there
is no record whether these buildings continue to have
functional rainwater harvesting systems. This violation
is more rampant in the city and eastern suburbs while
western suburbs have an implementation rate of
around 52%.
The last decade also saw enormous new construction in
Mumbai across all categories - residential, commercial
and leisure - providing the right opportunity to make
sure that new buildings followed the right practices
from inception.
3 http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_not-many-takers-for-rainwater-harvesting-in-mumbai_1744418
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 10
4. MEDIA AND SOCIAL AWARENESS ON RAINWATER HARVESTING
Print media has played a very positive role in disseminating the idea of adopting rainwater harvesting
systems. Newspaper articles have often highlighted the need to have strict rules for implementing the
s┞steマ. The マedia has Heeミ IヴitiIal of MuミiIipal Coヴpoヴatioミげs Iloud seeding proposal in 2012, and
instead urged the promotion water harvesting and storing technology.
More recently, the issue also gained recognition when the popular television show by Aamir Khan,
Satyamev Jayate4, highlighted the need for water management and RWH. The episode created a
nationwide discussion around the practice of RWH and its benefits. It emphasised on practising
rainwater harvesting especially in cities where there is no mechanism in place to harvest and store
rainwater which is otherwise lost.
Introducing the viewers to best practices, the TV show presented a case study of the RWH system
installed successfully and beneficially by Sealine CHS, Khar, Mumbai. Mr. Navin Chandra, the secretary
of the society was interviewed wherein he urged the people to adopt RWH. The detailed case study is
available in Annexure 7.
5. CURRENT GOVERNMENT POLICIES
2002 Maharashtra Government makes RWH mandatory for all buildings on plots more than 1000 sq m
2002 MCGM made RWH mandatory for buildings of plot more than 1000 sq m and granted water
connections of only 90 lpcd as compared to 135 lpcd supplied earlier.
2005 Directive by state government made RWH mandatory for all developers
2007 RWH under MCGM was also made mandatory for buildings coming to MCGM for additions/
alterations/ FSI TDR use.
In 2002, the Maharashtra Government made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all buildings being
constructed on plots more than 1000 sq m. A government directive was issued in March 2005 making
RWH mandatory for all property developers. By 2007, the same provision became mandatory to
buildings with plot area of 300 sq m.
4 http://video.lyricsmint.com/video/12th-episode-satyamev-jayate/
さPeople should start seeing money spent in installation of
rainwater harvesting as an investment which will yield them good
savings from huge water bills in future. It is important to start
iマpleマeミtiミg this systeマ iミ e┗ery Huildiミgざ.
Navin Chandra, Secretary, Sealine Co-op Housing Society, Khar
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 11
MCGM adopted the same policy making RWH compulsory for all new buildings in the city. Rainwater
harvesting was also made mandatory for properties which had been sanctioned before October 2002
but were due for Completion Certificate post November 2003.
Various circulars and notifications issued by the MCGM and the Government of Maharashtra can be
found in the Annexure section of this report.
6. HOW GOOD IS THE FUNCTIONING OF MCGM’S RWH CELL?
This stud┞ has マade MCGMげs RWH Cell the focal point of its inquiry. We sought access to
comprehensive data from the Cell on the number of buildings in the city having a functioning rain
water harvesting system in place - government as well as private. The functioning of the Cell itself
became a barometer of the success or failure of implementing RWH in Mumbai.
Our first interaction was with Mrs. Suprabha Marathe, Assistant Engineer in RWH Cell on September 1,
2012, followed by a letter seeking information on a number of details which was delivered personally
on October 18, 2012. We have not received any response to the letter, supplying us the information
requested.
The lack of response and co-operation from the RWH Cell regarding data prompted us to seek help
from the Hydraulic Engineer of MCGM. We sent an email requesting him to furnish the required
information. There has been no reply from him and his department till the time of publishing this
report.
In the meantime, we visited a number of self-initiated sites harvesting rainwater and documented
their success stories, collecting data on the cost of set-up and maintenance as well as benefits that the
building enjoys after the installation of the system.
Compiling data and preparing annual reports could be considered as one of the basic responsibilities
of the RWH Cell. Considering the seriousness and importance of augmenting water supply with viable
alternatives and demand side measures, one would expect the Cell to function as a single stop for all
technical and other requirements any building may have, for implementing rainwater harvesting in
Government of Maharashtra issued directives under Shivkalin Pani Santhavan Yojana
(G.R.NO.RPD/1001/CN/330/WS-07 DTD: 14/2/2002) to various Municipal Corporations for
taking up rainwater harvesting in their jurisdiction. MCGM held discussions with various
professionals and by the order of Municipal Commissioner, set up a study group under the
Chairmanship of Additional Municipal Commissioner (P). First meeting of the Study Group
was held on November 15, 2002, wherein it was decided to formulate a Rainwater
Harvesting Cell to study the various aspects of RWH and to initiate pilot projects in MCGM
premises.
Excerpt from brochure by MCGM
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 12
their premises. But, to our disappointment, the Cell does not even compile basic data on the number
of buildings that have functional rainwater harvesting systems in the city.
We inquired with a number of water harvesting experts and practitioners about their experiences with
the Cell and many shared our disappointment.
In our early interaction with Mrs. Marathe, we were informed that around 200 government buildings
in Mumbai have a functioning rainwater harvesting systems. Further queries have, however, not
yielded the names of buildings that could be visited for understanding the set-up.
The Cell gives the impression of not being in a position to even implement rain water harvesting within
BMC buildings, far less being able to assist private entities.
6.1. Observations on the functioning of the RWH Cell in MCGM
6.1.1. Physical Infrastructure
The first observation that strikes one in a visit to the RWH Cell is the completely uninspiring and
pathetic look of the office. The office of the Rainwater Harvesting Cell is a small room not well
provided for. The Cell has water leakages as well as no adequate place to structure files and papers
which makes it an ugly sight to look at. A lack of appropriate infrastructure affects the working
environment and does not motivate an enthusiastic visitor who would want to implement RWH in his
or her premises.
6.1.2. Human Resource
The RWH cell is visibly short of manpower. Though the total number of people associated with the Cell
is not known, one can easily surmise that the staff needs to be improved qualitatively and
quantitatively. A young, versatile person, preferably someone who has done exemplary work in water
harvesting and has very good communication skills needs to head the Cell. It is extremely
disconcerting that the Cell currently does not seem to be in any position to provide technical
information and support to potential implementers.
6.1.3. Use of Information Technology
Use of Information technology for the purpose of communication or dissemination of information is
very minimal by the Cell. MCGM site has one web page allotted to the Rainwater Harvesting Cell,
which neither matches up with any standard for information dissemination, nor is it user friendly.
Social media that could be leveraged for outreach and assistance appears to be a far cry.
6.1.4. Communication material
In our meeting at the Cell on September 2, 2012, we were provided with the communication material
prepared by the Cell on rainwater harvesting. There were 10 booklets in Marathi corresponding to the
ten standards of high school and a two-fold brochure in English, outlining the basics of rainwater
harvesting. The books in Marathi seemed to be a work of amateurs and not designed by creative
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 13
communication experts. We are not sure if any assessment about the efficacy of the materials was
ever carried out. The graphics are of very poor quality and some of the books are extremely text
heavy. Images have been borrowed from drawings made by children in drawing competitions.
The online presence on the website of MCGM is not helpful either. Good communication and
awareness material needs to developed by the MCGM if is it is serious about rainwater harvesting in
Mumbai. The communication material and campaign clearly cannot be handled by the current staff;
competent experts who have experience in environmental communication need to be engaged.
6.2. ExIerpts froマ MCGM’s Hooklets oミ awareness about water resource
Heヴe aヴe a fe┘ e┝Ieヴpts fヴoマ MCGMげs Hooklets oミ a┘aヴeミess aHout ┘ateヴ ヴesouヴIes foヴ studeミts from Standard 1 to 10. These have been initiated, produced and designed by the RWH Cell and Water
Conservation Department.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 14
7. A FEW RWH SUCCESS STORIES IN THE CITY
We also visited a number of buildings and housing societies that have successfully implemented
rainwater harvesting. Annexure 7 contains a few inspiring case studies that highlight how
implementation of rainwater harvesting has transformed tanker dependent societies to self sufficient
societies, in terms of water for non-potable purposes. The MCGM delivered water is primarily used
only for potable purposes, thus reducing its excessive and wasteful use.
On observing and interacting with various people who have implemented rainwater harvesting in their
housing societies we learnt that:
All housing societies were happy about the RWH installation, since it reduced their dependence on
MCGM water and helped them in facing water shortages. Water tankers were discontinued in
most buildings helping them save huge sums of money that was otherwise spent on tankers every
month.
Everyone we spoke to was annoyed with the unfriendly attitude of the BMC officials, from whom
they had to seek permission for installation of the RWH system, which they felt made the entire
process tiresome.
Another complaint was about the corruption of the officials who had to give permission for
rainwater harvesting installation.
さTheヴe is aHsolute h┞poIヴis┞ aミd douHle staミdaヴds of the BMC. Oミ one hand we hear ministers and officials talking and engaging in
rhetoric about alternative methods of water supply, even saying that
incentives will be given to housing societies that undertake such
projects and on the other hand we see just the opposite when we
need the required permissions for a rainwater harvesting or any
such project. We actually have to pay under the table charges to get
permissions.
Yes, we have heard that corruption has reached frenzy in India, but
in trying to make money out of projects that are at the root of
survival in this country is like spitting on the hand that feeds you.
When the government or those at the helm can stop this sad state
of affairs, then and only then will projects take off and water saving
alternative methods sees the light of day. Till then everything will
just be empty words and nothing マoヴeざ.
Robert Clements, Newspaper Columnist
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 15
8. SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS FOR EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING OF RAIN
WATER HARVESTING (RWH) CELL
1. Increase budget allocation
The budget allocation for the Cell should be increased. In the current scenario, every year, less than
one crore rupees is allocated to the Rainwater Harvesting Cell. In the financial year of 2010-2011, only
around Rs. 70,000 – 80,000, not even half a percent of the annual outlay for water and sewage was set
aside for this cell. 5
The 2013-14 budget for water and sewage works is Rs. 5961.31 crore.
2. Improved infrastructure
The cell should be provided better infrastructure if it is to work efficiently and should have better work
environment for the employees to perform well, which is not the case now.
3. Empowerment and Accountability
The Cell needs to be empowered to strictly enforce and implement rainwater harvesting, along with
the ability to penalise non-compliance. Simultaneously, the Cell should be made more accountable,
and result-oriented. It must maintain and publish all RWH data, and bring out a detailed annual report.
4. Transition from awareness to enforcement
The Cell should move beyond just running awareness campaigns and position itself as an enforcing
agency that also provides machinery and support for rainwater harvesting. It should have a dedicated
team for field visits and data collection to examine the authenticity and functioning of rainwater
installations, as well as to assist in new implementations and to support existing installations that may
have issues or could be enhanced.
Corrupt practices by civic staff in granting permission for RWH, inspecting installations etc. must be
dealt with punitively.
5. Effective communication strategy
The Cell should invest in creating better quality communication material and campaigns, which are
user friendly and educational. A correct and timely intervention in outreach can go a long way in
building awareness, educating the citizens and thus increasing the adoption of rainwater harvesting in
coming years.
5 http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_not-many-takers-for-rainwater-harvesting-in-mumbai_1744418
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 16
9. RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE ADOPTION OF RAINWATER
HARVESTING
Immediate time-bound implementation of rainwater harvesting systems should be mandated in
all government and municipal buildings of Mumbai. The public authorities should set a fitting
example for the citizens to follow. All such buildings should prominently display that they use
rainwater harvesting, and also provide the relevant statistics (for example data on amount of
water harvested, water consumption reduced/ saved).
All the 227 municipal corporators should champion action-oriented, exemplary initiatives towards
adopting RWH in their wards. If every corporator facilitated at least five systems per year during
their term then Mumbai would have 5675 active systems within the next five years.
A data collection, organisation and management system should be set up to map buildings with
planned and active RWH systems on an ongoing basis. This will help track and plan rainwater
harvesting implementations in a better way, while offering valuable insights that will assist in
understanding best practices and filling implementation gaps.
Special rainwater harvesting zones in open spaces and low lying areas should be categorised and
demarcated, so that a plan for rainwater harvesting in those areas can be chalked, for
implementation.
MCGM should be open to research and experimentation, and accommodate new innovative
methods for RWH, not just insisting on conventional, rigid and stereotypical methods. Existing
rules for water harvesting should be examined and modified for areas where it is not naturally
favourable.
The scope of rainwater harvesting should not be limited to large-sized buildings. The Municipal
Corporation policy of rainwater harvesting should include every potential catchment area in the
city from public parks and open spaces to places like under the flyovers, where water logging is
seen. Guidelines and policies should be drafted, with the larger scope and long term vision in
mind.
The Municipal Corporation should consider construction techniques that allow for percolation of
rainwater in our roads and footpaths thus helping recharge of groundwater. Concrete cement and
paver blocks that are currently used does not allow water to seep in, leading to manifold
problems – flooding, water logging in the city streets during a heavy shower and groundwater
recharge deprivation.
The Municipal Corporation should not make it mandatory to seek permission to implement RWH
in any premise. The current process that is onerous and time consuming should be made easy,
effortless and user friendly. A simpler process like online registration could be provisioned to
register the implementation of rainwater harvesting in a building/ complex. Best practices for
implementation, with pointers to agencies for implementation could be made available to the
citizens to ensure quality and standards.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 17
MCGM should also provide attractive incentives such as rebate in property tax for buildings which
have a functioning rainwater harvesting system in place. This will encourage more people to
implement the system.
The Rainwater Harvesting Cell should hold functions like award ceremonies, workshops, film
screenings etc. to acknowledge excellence, incentivise innovation and implementation, increase
outreach and keep the subject relevant.
We are aware that a ground water survey has been commissioned by MCGM and we hope that it
will give an accurate idea of the net extractable ground water available. Being a coastal city saline
ingress is an issue and RWH can considerably help in recharging groundwater supplies.
10. CHENNAI SERVES AS A PRECEDENT
Chennai city faced severe water scarcity during the year 2001
and that acted as a major stimulus for rainwater harvesting. A
special campaign was launched in July 2001 as a peopleげs movement to popularise rainwater harvesting by the
institutions as well as individual households. The programme
was successful partly because of the political commitment
sho┘ミ H┞ Taマil Naduげs Chief Minister Dr. J. Jayalalithaa.
The decentralised availability of drinking water saw a paradigm shift from a system wholly controlled
by engineers and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to a level of co-
management.
Technical assistance cells were established in various
government organisations. A campaign was launched through
mass media, seminars, exhibitions, rallies, mobile publicity vans,
etc. Vans demonstrating various methods of rainwater
harvesting, were parked in different parts of the city.
Today, Chennai is a benchmark for successful rainwater
harvesting in an Indian city. All the buildings, commercial as well as residential, are provided with
rainwater harvesting structures. This has helped in improving the ground water table as well as in
improving the quality of ground water. Moreover, during rainy season the dependence on the
municipal water supply has come down.6
Chennai serves as a model for other similarly water supply challenged cities. A city that was once
known for its acute scarcity of drinking water and exploitation of ground water started moving
6 http://www.auick.org/database/apc/apc044/apc04403.html
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 18
towards water security achieved by the diligent, Government-supported application of affordable and
environmentally sustainable solutions created in situ, with social benefits.7
11. OTHER CITIES IN INDIA
Most other big cities in the country have legislation on rainwater harvesting in place. However,
implementation has been a major problem like in Mumbai. Though there have been enough
legislation in place, the Municipal Corporations has not been able to direct its implementation to the
fullest.
There are several success stories in each city which offer great learning. Some of the initiatives of
these different cities also offer various means to make it a popular practise. Some of them have been
given below:
Bengaluru and Hyderabad have a penalty system in place, which has to a certain extent led to the
implementation of the system in plot areas which the legislations makes it compulsory.
Bengaluru Municipal Corporation has recently warned the citizens of discontinuance of supplied
water if RWH system is not implemented in the building.
Property tax rebate in Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh and in New Delhi has also acted as an
incentive for undertaking the system in buildings.
7 http://www.satyamevjayate.in/issue12/learnmore/detail/65/
Excerpts from a report in The Hindu on a study by Chennai Metro Water in 2009
o The Chennai Metro Water study of 759 RWH observatory wells shows that ever since the installation
of RWH structures in about 5 lakh consumer households was made mandatory five years ago, there
has been a 50 per cent rise in the water level.
o Following the drought period in 2003 when Chennai received only about 690 mm of rainfall as
against its normal of 1,200 mm, the water table had receded and, on an average, was at 7-8 metres
below ground.
o The condition of RWH structures in many government buildings is in bad shape and in dire need of
maintenance.
o PWD spends considerable amount on construction of RWH systems and a portion of the government
grant is spent on RWH maintenance.
o For instance, if Rs.1 crore is sanctioned towards a building, about Rs.50,000-Rs.1 lakh is spent on
RWH structures.
o Unless rainwater runoff in both public and private space in the city is harnessed, Chennai may lose
out on the precious resource and may end up with water problem during summer months, note
rainwater experts.
Rainwater harvesting yields rich dividends
http://www.hindu.com/pp/2009/01/31/stories/2009013150010100.htm
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 19
In terms of other assistance State Bank of Hyderabad provides personal loans up to Rs. 25,000
under the Varun Mitra Scheme for implementing rainwater harvesting. This is mainly to popularise
the practise and assisting implementation in case of financial limitations.
Legal, administrative and fiscal measures taken in selected cities of India for promoting RWH
Source: Rainwater Harvesting and Utilisation, Blue Drop Series, UN-Habitat
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 20
12. CONCLUSION
What has been learnt in the process of this inquiry is that there is a will among people to participate
and undertake rainwater harvesting; there are wonderful examples of implementation by self-
motivated individuals or by community effort. However, all this is to the credit of the citizens. The
municipal corporation as the governing institution in its capacity to be the ultimate policy maker and
change driver needs to take the lead in saving and managing rainwater but it is missing in action.
Serious attention has to be paid to implementing existing policies. Communication and awareness
creation needs to be sophisticated and in tune with the requirements of the people. The
administration needs to support a marketplace of solution providers and innovators and help them to
thrive.
A visionary political and administrative leadership is the need of the hour and a few long term
champions can make an enormous difference to the adoption of rainwater harvesting in Mumbai.
Just because Mumbai is blessed with abundant water supply should not take it away from showing
compassion and responsibility to less fortunate with the metropolitan region and nearby regions of
the State. The drinking water that is copiously flushed down the toilets for sanitation needs in Mumbai
could easily be made available to others in the region who are deprived of it currently. One should aim
to completely substitute the non-potable water needs at least, with locally harvested water.
The coming decades will see rapid urbanisation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. This will put
additional demand for supply of water to other corporations and councils in the region from the same
lakes which currently supply to Mumbai. While considerable capacity is being added, demand is also
rising from newer urban centers in the region. Rainwater harvesting and overall demand management
マeasuヴes マa┞ seeマ uミミeIessaヴ┞ fヴoマ toda┞げs peヴspeIti┗e Hut Iould HeIoマe a ミeIessit┞ iミ Ioマiミg years and the time to get prepared is now.
We hope this report will guide thinking in this regard and catalyse rapid implementation of rainwater
harvesting in Mumbai in the coming years.
t
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 22
ANNEXURE 2 - MCGM CIRCULAR FOR IOD CONDITION FOR RWH, 2003
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 24
ANNEXURE 4 - WATER CONSERVATION AND RAIN WATER HARVESTING FOR
BRIHANMUMBAI, 2003
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 35
ANNEXURE 5 - MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT URBAN DEVELOPMENT
NOTIFICATION ON RWH, 2007
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 40
ANNEXURE 6 - RAINWATER HARVESTING BROCHURE, MCGM
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 41
ANNEXURE 7 - CASE STUDIES OF RAINWATER HARVESTING IN MUMBAI
Sealine CHS, Khar (W)
Water situation before RWH No major water problem, but during the rains, water from
the adjacent road entered the building premises flooding the
ground floor and damaging the cars parked there.
Other Information ---
Type of RWH system installed Ringwell, 6ft deep 70ft long bare-bottom trench with a bed of
sand and pebbles for charging of groundwater
Areas included for RWH
Covers approx 700 Esq. of ground area and 220 Esq. of
terrace area and runoff from the adjacent road.
Water situation after implementation of
RWH
Estimated total charge into groundwater - 11,00,000 litres
per year (lpy)
Pumped out for non-drinking purposes - 1,00,000 lpy (9%
only)
Direct Monetary Benefits ---
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 42
Sea Crown CHS, Charkop, Kandivali (W)
Water situation before RWH
The supply of water does not meet the demand. Thus the
expense on BMC water tankers was Rs. 1 to 1.5 lakhs per
month
Other Information Site is on marshy land
Type of RWH system installed Ring well cum rainwater harvesting system
Areas included for RWH Roof tops and paved surface areas
Water situation after implementation of
RWH
24 hours water supply for non-potable purposes. Thus the
BMC water is used for potable purposes only. The society
no more calls for tankers to fulfil their water requirements.
Direct Monetary Benefits A saving of Rs.1 to 1.5 lakhs per month that was earlier
spent on tankers
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 43
Sea Hill CHS, Union Park Road, Khar (W)
Water situation before RWH
There was a shortage of water, mainly for non potable-
purposes.
They were using BMC water for flushing and other
requirements.
Sometimes they had to call for tankers to fulfil their water
needs for non-potable uses.
Other Information
Building is located at a height; therefore, rainwater
harvesting and the implementation technique to be
adopted was a challenging job.
Type of RWH system installed Ring well cum rainwater harvesting system.
Areas included for RWH Roof tops and paved surface areas
Water situation after implementation of
RWH
24 hours water supply for non-potable purposes from
saved rainwater.
Direct Monetary Benefits 40% saving in BMC water bill
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 44
Model Town, Mahakali Caves, Andheri (E)
Water situation before RWH
Experienced severe water shortage since the demand did
not meet the supply from BMC.
They were managing their water requirements with
difficulty, having to shift from one underground tank to
another for water supply.
Other Information
Site was very rocky
Drilling of Bore well was not allowed due to BMC tunnel
bed.
They have a big ground that could be used as catchment
area
Type of RWH system installed Ring well cum rainwater harvesting system
Areas included for RWH Terraces, paved surface areas aミd soIiet┞げs opeミ gヴouミd
Water situation after implementation of
RWH
Recharging the water table, 24 hours water supply in the
eight society buildings for non-potable requirements.
Direct Monetary Benefits ----
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 45
Vasant Valley Complex, Dindoshi, Goregaon (E)
Water situation before RWH
BMC water was used for flushing and other non potable
purposes.
In order to meet the water requirement for five
buildings, tankers had to be called for.
Other Information ----
Type of RWH system installed 1 Ring well cum rainwater harvesting system
Areas included for RWH Roof tops and paved surface areas
Water situation after implementation of RWH
24 hours water supply for all the five Buildings through
rainwater stored instead of using BMC water for flushing
and other non-potable uses.
Direct Monetary Benefits 40% saving in BMC water bill.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 46
Patliputra CHS, Four Bunglows, Andheri (W)
Water situation before RWH
Huge shortage of water for flushing and other domestic
needs.
The monthly expense on water tankers ranged from Rs.
50,000 to 60,000
Other Information Building is on marshy land
Type of RWH system installed Ring well cum rainwater harvesting system
Areas included for RWH Roof tops and paved surface areas
Water situation after implementation of RWH
At present, they get 24 hours water supply of harvested
water for non-potable requirements.
Tankers are no longer called for.
Direct Monetary Benefits A saving of Rs.50,000 to 60,000 that was earlier spent
on tankers.
All Systems implemented by Osmosis Pvt. Ltd., Kandivali, www.osmosisindia.com
Data for the same - partially provided by Osmosis and by visiting the site and engaging with people.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 47
HARVEST TO HARNESS (H2H), 2004
Harvest to Harness H2H, an award for rainwater harvesting systems was instituted in 2004 by Rachna
“aミsadげs Iミstitute of Eミ┗iヴoミマeミtal AヴIhiteItuヴe, Lotus “uites, aミd Euヴeka FoヴHes Iミstitute of Environment with the objective of creating awareness about conserving rain water and appreciating
buildings which had laudable RWH systems.
The H2H initiative did considerable work during 2004-07 in creating awareness and imparting
technical knowledge about setting up RWH systems and as a result a number of buildings adopted the
practice.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 48
ORF MUMBAI’S PUBLICATION ON WATER
ORF study urges 10 urgent reform measures to:
1. eliマiミate ┘astage, leakage, stealiミg aミd けuミaIIouミted ┘ateヴげ; 2. end corruption-ヴiddeミ けtaミkeヴ s┞steマげ; 3. ensure equitable water supply to every household, with
priority for the poor, and;
4. move quickly towards sustainable management of this
most precious natural resource
Delayed onset of monsoon has created a crisis situation in
Mumbai repeatedly and fairly regularly since 2009, driving
the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to
impose water cuts in varying degrees to tide over the
situation. Besides frequent across-the-board water cuts, the
MCGM has also embarked on massive projects aimed at
source augmentation. However, the recurring water crisis,
now almost an annual affair in Mumbai, has exposed a
deeper systemic malaise, which needs to be cured.
O‘Fげs ヴeIeミt ヴepoヴt けTiマe is ‘uミミiミg Out – Does MuマHai Ha┗e Eミough Water?げ, authored by Dhaval
D. Desai, Research Fellow, asks several tough questions about the manner in which MCGM has been
traditionally managing its water. It has analysed the current complexities and future challenges with
respect to water supply in the city. It has studied the supply and demand aspects, focussed on the
critical technical, financial and societal challenges, and used a number of local, Indian and
international case studies to recommend a series of short-, medium- and long-term measures to make
Mumbai a water sustainable city.
It is a shaマe that マaミ┞ people, espeIiall┞ iミ sluマs, iミ Iミdiaげs IoママeヴIial Iapital ha┗e to depeミd oミ tanker wateヴ, ┘hile MCGMげs distヴiHutioミ ミet┘oヴk leaks aミd ┘astes ┘ateヴ to the tuミe of 9ヰヰ マillioミ litres per day, which is more than the total daily supply to the entire city of Pune. Through this report,
ORF has attempted to throw light on the critical aspects ailing the water supply scenario in the city and
made recommendations that should help MCGM move away from being a wasteful utility to a water
sustainable utility. We believe that an understanding of reality should catalyse long standing changes
that will help the city achieve this difficult, but inevitable goal.
To ensure sustainable water management, MCGM has recently initiated a range of measures including
tunnelling of the water supply mains and installation of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) meters.
Simultaneously, it has also recently implemented an across-the-board water tariff hike for all
consumer categories. Certain long-term measures like sewage treatment and recycling are also being
claimed to be on anvil, but there is still little or no progress in that regard. These are steps in the right
direction, but are heavily and wrongly skewed only towards supply management. The MCGM will have
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 49
to focus equally on demand management of this vital natural resource. This is not possible without
engaging all the stakeholders, and through sustained and sharp awareness campaigns aimed at
bringing attitudinal changes in the people towards water use, the report states.
The ORF study acknowledges that, on several parameters of water supply, Mumbai remains one of the
better managed cities in India. This has largely been because of the fact that Mumbai enjoys the
immense natural endowment of having perennial and dedicated water resources. However, with
unacceptably high level of Unaccounted for Water (NRW) on account of leaks and theft, and with an
apathetic approach towards conservation of this precious natural resource, even by simple means like
rainwater harvesting, the lack of political will that has allowed city to be one large slum, and several
other such factors, the overall water management in the city is fast showing signs of long term
unsustainability. Simply going further and further away in search of new sources to augment water
supply is not going to be enough. It would be unwise to add any more water to poorly managed
system that leaks millions of litres of water in just a matter of four-hours unless all methods of water
conservation are first implemented systematically.
Ten key recommendations made by ORF Mumbai
Consumption Mapping: Currently, the MCGM is only able to assume the consumption levels in
different parts of the city owing to several shortcomings of the network like the absence of an
accurate pipeline map, lack of proper and accurate meeting etc. ORF recommends that the MCGM
must prepare a comprehensive and accurate consumption map of the city by doing a very exhaustive,
expansive and meticulous door-to-door survey. This exercise must be carried out in a transparent
manner with the sincerity and diligence of the Census of India and be repeated every 10 years with the
regularity of the Census. While such a survey – though a very daunting task – will give precise
conclusions, the MCGM may also look at international best practices and technologies which are
available currently to accomplish this urgent task.
Network Mapping: The MCGM has no idea about where many of its underground pipes actually are.
Even the existing knowledge about the network has been captured largely on the age old method of
preparing engineering drawings. An exercise to prepare an accurate map of these underground pipes
using the latest GIS-based technologies must be undertaken on priority. Sadly, there is very little
movement towards this in the current scenario.
Flow meters: The MCGM has no precise idea of how much water is going wheヴe oミIe itげs ヴeleased iミ the distribution network. The MCGM must first install reliable bulk flow meters at all major water
inlets and outlets to measure the exact inflow.
Minimising leaks and bursts: The MCGM must prepare a comprehensive and watertight 5-year-plan
focussing purely on controlling leaks and bursts. Instead of going in for hugely capital intensive source
augmentation schemes, the MCGM must focus sincerely on controlling the gross wastage of the
precious natural resource. This exercise must be undertaken in an absolute mission mode and become
the single most priority area for the MCGM over the next five years.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 50
Organisational reforms: The MCGM must immediately initiate organisational reforms to empower
and make accountable its Hydraulic Engineering department. It must also invest in training and
retention of its talent.
Recycling: Mumbai gets 3430 MLD of water daily. It also releases nearly an equal quantity of water in
its sewage system. Recycling even a fraction of this enormous of water to cater to some of the
principal water guzzling industries like construction, and for possible secondary or non-potable uses
like gardening and toilet-flushing etc. will go a long way in controlling the abuse of drinking water.
Pricing of water: Even after the water tariff hike implemented for all consumer categories by the
MCGM in July 2012, the poorest of the poor in Maharashtra pay more than the residents of Mumbai
foヴ ┘ateヴ. Besides eミsuヴiミg good health of the MCGMげs fiミaミIes, up┘aヴd ヴe┗isioミ of pヴiIes is urgently
needed to ensure sensible use and minimum wastage. ORF strongly recommends that the MCGM
must approve the proposal of annual eight per cent incremental water tariff hikes. Even with these
annual incremental hikes, the price of water in Mumbai will match the current tariff imposed by the
Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran in municipal councils across MMR, only the year 2020-2021.
Rainwater harvesting: If the MCGM is serious about pursuing rainwater harvesting, it must strengthen
the capacity of its Rainwater Harvesting Cell and support buildings which are willing to implementing
this measure. It must also develop a mechanism to conduct regular checks of rainwater harvesting
facilities, as water stored in anaerobic conditions throughout the year could be prone to bacterial
contamination. Further, it must show gumption and act against builders who initiate construction
schemes without incorporating comprehensive rainwater harvesting mechanisms in their plans.
Public awareness and engagement: Nowhere in the world have water reforms been possible without
a strong focus on public awareness and public engagement. The MCGM must forge a strong people-to-
people partnership through sustained and targeted awareness and education campaigns to achieve
the desired long-term results. Schools governed by various Education Boards must be encouraged to
introduce water use and conservation lessons to the children beginning with the primary section.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 51
The fulfilment of basic human needs, our environment, socio-economic development and poverty
reduction are all heavily dependent on water.
Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its unique characteristics: it is
unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydrological cycle is highly complex and perturbations
have multiple effects. Rapid urbanization, pollution and climate change threaten the resource while
demands for water are increasing in order to satisfy the needs of a growing world population, now at
over seven billion people, for food production, energy, industrial and domestic uses. Water is a shared
resource and its management needs to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This
provides opportunities for cooperation among users.
In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, the UN General Assembly
recognises that cooperation is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities
and share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace. Promoting water
cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing in cultural, educational and scientific
factors, as well as religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 52
ABOUT OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION MUMBAI
Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a leading non-partisan Indian Think-Tank that seeks to
influence public policy formulation. It was established in New Delhi in 1990 by R.K. Mishra, a widely
respected public figure, who envisaged it as a broad-based intellectual platform pulsating with ideas
ミeeded foヴ Iミdiaげs ミatioミ-building. In its journey of twenty years, ORF has brought together leading
Indian policy makers, academics, public figures, social activists and business leaders to discuss various
issues of national importance. ORF scholars have made significant contributions toward improving
government policies. ORF has produced a large body of critically acclaimed publications. Until recently,
O‘Fげs aIti┗ities ┘eヴe Hased マaiミl┞ iミ Ne┘ Delhi. Begiミミiミg ヲヰヱヰ, O‘F MuマHai has Heeミ estaHlished to puヴsue the Fouミdatioミげs ┗isioミ iミ Iミdiaげs Husiミess aミd fiミaミIial Iapital. It has staヴted ヴeseaヴIh aミd advocacy in six broad areas: Education, Public Health, Inclusive Development, Urban Renewal, Youth
De┗elopマeミt, aミd Proマotioミ of Iミdiaげs PriIeless ArtistiI aミd Cultural Heritage. Some of the recent
reports published by ORF Mumbai include:
さTiマe is ‘uミミiミg Out: Does MuマHai ha┗e Eミough Wateヴ?ざ
さDoマestiI VioleミIe as a Woマeミげs Health Issue: ‘ole of Pヴiマaヴ┞ Pヴe┗eミtioミざ
さMasked Ideミtities: “afeguaヴdiミg Iミdiaげs IミtaミgiHle Cultuヴal Heヴitageざ
さ‘efoヴマs iミ MediIal EduIatioミ- to Pヴoマote AIIessiHle aミd AffoヴdaHle HealthIaヴe foヴ Allざ
さMakiミg the “e┘eヴ a ‘i┗eヴ Again... Why MuマHai Must ‘eIlaiマ its Mithiざ
さMo┗iミg People: Wh┞ MuマHai Needs a Bus ‘apid Tヴaミspoヴt “┞steマ ふB‘T“ぶざ
O‘F MuマHaiげs マissioミ stateマeミt is: Ideas and Action for a Better India. It will champion the cause of
balanced socio-economic development and a better quality of life for all Indians. It will also work
to┘aヴds stヴeミgtheミiミg Iミdiaげs deマoIヴatiI iミstitutioミs to HeIoマe マoヴe ヴespoミsiHle, ヴespoミsi┗e aミd seミsiti┗e to Ioママoミ peopleげs needs and concerns, especially those of most vulnerable sections of
society. Besides conducting diligent research in its above six core areas, ORF Mumbai also pursues
wide-ranging initiatives like the Maharashtra @ 50 Study Centre, the Forum for India-Chiミa Citizeミsげ Dialogue, the Ceミtヴe foヴ the “tud┞ of Iミdiaげs AミIieミt Kミo┘ledge Tヴaditioミs, aミd the Guヴus of “IieミIe Series.
Why is there a DROUGHT of RAINWATER HARVESTING in Mumbai? 54
Observer Research Foundation Mumbai
Ideas and Action for a Better India
NKM International House, 5th
Floor, 178, Babubhai Chinai Marg,
Behind LIC Headquarters, Mumbai 400 020, India.
Tel: + 91 22 61313800 | Website: www.orfonline.org
Contact:
Rishi Aggarwal at [email protected]
Janki Pandya at [email protected]