Deepening Crisis

in Riparian Drinking Water:

Can IFBRM stall it?

Pranab R Choudhury
Context
‘Pani bihune sarbanasa; Pani bahule sarbanasa’
“Water, in excess or in absence leads to mass destruction”

Climate Change poise towards the Both!

Among all the Waters, Drinking Water seems to be more threatened

‘Mitha Pani’
Has already become Major Election Issue in Rajasthan

Among all communities, Riparian Communities seem to be more Vulnerable

(with their dependence on surface flows & shallow aquifers)
Organization of Presentation

Riparian Drinking Water Crisis
 Ongoing changes
 Climate Change threats
 Riparian Vulnerability Contexts

Adaptation Strategies
 Scientific Adaptation Strategies
 IFBRM as strategy

Strength of Approach

Situational Advantage
Riparian Water Crisis

Ongoing changes in quality & quantity
 Seasonal Flow variations & water availability
 Pollution from Mining, Industrialization, Urbanization

Climate Change threats
 Significant changes to stream-flows, water quality,
groundwater recharge and discharge, increased water
temperatures

Competition, conflicts & vulnerability Contexts
 Who are going to suffer more in Upper, middle and
lower catchments
Ongoing Changes
Orissa’s Water Endowments
 Storage fresh water resource is
175 BCM
 Mahanadi, Brahmani–Baitarani
basin are estimated as surplus
basin in terms of water and food
( Cluster 5 of IWMI River basin
clusters )
 Replenishable GW resources is 20
BCM/Yr
 84% of villages have GW at less
than 10m depth & 97% within
15m (MI Census, 2001)
Ongoing Concerns : Quantity

Dwindling
Environmental flow in
rivers in Summer

Water sources drying
up in summer across
riparian belt

Mine blasts drying tube
wells in upper
catchments

More frequent and
high intensity floods Hirakud
Reservoi
Rengali
Reservoir

during monsoon r

Baitarani

Competition from
agriculture use – Brahmani

deepening wells Mahanadi

Bay of Bengal
 Ongoing Concerns : Quality

Orissa stands 4th in India in terms of water pollution load (Pandey and Ghosh, 2002)

‘C’ Class water in Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani ( OPCB, 2006)

Branded as highly polluted (MoEF) & brought under NRCP

Direct discharge of effluents by Industries and urban bodies

Community waste (domestic sector) about 4-times the industrial effluent

Less voluminous flow in rivers like Baitarani constrains dilution effect

Elementary enrichments in downstream of the Baitarani (Konhauser et al , 1997)

Very high concentration of Cr (VI) in seepage water; Range of hexa -valent chromium between
0.05 to 1.12 ppm (permissible limit 0.05ppm). Cr+6 also detected during the analysis of sediment
samples collected from river mouth, more than 100 Km from mines (Samantroy et al,1998 &
Tiwary et al, 2005)

Deltaic river water show higher concentration of TC, FC and higher values for EC, nitrite and also
Cr (VI) (CPCB, 2004)

Metal pollution from mine waste

C – Class : Drinking water source with conventional treatment followed by disinfection)

Industrialization Impacts!
Key negative impacts of the energy-intensive, industrial
development unleashed by massive exploitation of coal and other
mineral resources are

 Rising in Pollution

Dead rivers carry toxic effluent through villages where people still rely on
the blackened rivers for bathing, drinking and washing their clothes.

 Destruction of subsistence communities

Called "an industrial drain", the Nandira tributary, which feeds into the
Brahmani River, once life-sustaining river, is dead. The black water is
poisoning and slowly killing people, animals, fish and plants as far away as
50 miles downstream.

http://www.islandnet.com/plethora/mai/orissa.html
Water Quality in the Baitarani
85° 15' 85°30' 85°45' 86°0' 86°15' 86°30' 86°45' 87° 0' 22°
15'
JHARKHAND
BAITARANI BASINE MAP
IR A
N. SHOWING WATER QUALITY
NG
22° Joda
¤ Champua
KO
22° MONITERING STATIONS
0'
Raruan
Jashipur
0'
Average Trends from 1988- 2005
SUNDARGARH Sukruli Bangirposhi REFERENCES :
Koira
Jhumpura MAYURBHANJ STATE BOUNDARY :

DISTRICT BOUNDARY :
.
AN

Karanjia BASIN BOUNDARY :

9000
LD

21° 21° BLOCK BOUNDARY :

HA

45' Lahunipada Samakhunta

MO

45' RIVER & NALA :

BLOCKS ALONG RIVER : 8000
Saharapada SURFACE WATER STATION :
¤ 7000
Keonjhargarh
Banspal
Pal Laharha Patana
Thakurmunda
6000
21°
30' KEONJHAR
21°
30' WA T E R Q U A L IT Y T R E N D –L A ST 5 Y E A R S.
5000
PAL-LAHARHA Ghatgan Kaptipada 4000
3000
21°
Harichandanpur
¤ 21°
2000
Anandapur
15' Khaira 15' 1000
Telkoi Ghasipura BALASORE
Hatadihi 0
BAIT

Dhangadi Bonta
ARAN

Sukinda Simulia

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96
97

98

99

00

01
02

03

04

05
RIV
I

21° DHENKANAL ER
Bhadrak Basudebpur
21°

19

19

19

19

19
19

19

19

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

20
0' JAJPUR Korai 0'
Tihidi
Bhandari
pokhari
KAMAKHYANAGAR
R.

KH
AR Dhamnagar BHADRAK
A

SU
RH

AN
BU

R.
¤
JAJPUR Dasrathpur BAITA
Chandbali Total Coliform Conductivity
20°
RA
¤
NI R. ¤
DHAMARA RIVER 20°
10 0 10 20 Kms Bari
45' Binjharpur 45'
ER

Raj Kanika
RIV

Aul
NI

SCALE
MA

KENDRAPARA
AH
BR

85°15' 85°30' 85°45' 86°0' 86° 15' 86° 30' 86°45' 87° 0'

Average Trends from 1988- 2005 Average Trends from 1988- 2005

12 700
600
10
500
8 400
6 300
200
4
100
2 0
0
88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04

05
19

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19

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19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20

20

20
88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

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05
19

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20

20

20

20

20

Sulphate Calcium Magnesium Total Hardness

pH DO BOD
Riparian Sufferings

Constant degradation in water 85°15' 85°30' 85°45' 86°0' 86°15' 86°30' 86°45' 87°0' 22°
15'
JHARKHAND
quality (C to D Class) GIR
AN
.
KON
22° Joda Champua 22°
0' 0'

Increasing trend in direct effluent SUNDARGARH

Raruan

Sukruli
Jashipur
Bangirposhi
Koira
Jhumpura MAYURBHANJ

discharge from mines, industry and

.
Karanjia

AN
LD
21° 21°

HA
45' Lahunipada Samakhunta 45'

MO
Saharapada

urban and rural habitations Pal Laharha Banspal

Keonjhargarh
Patana
Thakurmunda
21° 21°

Less voluminous flow in the river 30' KEONJHAR

Ghatgan Kaptipada
30'

PAL-LAHARHA

inhibiting natural dilution 21°

Harichandanpur
21°
15' Anandapur
Khaira 15'
Telkoi Ghasipura BALASORE

About 40% population of 2000 Hatadihi

BAIT
Dhangadi Bonta

ARA
Sukinda Simulia

NI
RIV
21° DHENKANAL ER
Bhadrak Basudebpur
villages in 16 riparian blocks depend 0' JAJPUR Korai
Bhandari
Tihidi
21°
0'
pokhari
KAMAKHYANAGAR KH

.
AR
AR
SU
Dhamnagar BHADRAK
upon surface flow for drinking water

RH
AN
R.

BU
JAJPUR Chandbali
Dasrathpur BAIT
ARA
10 0 10 20 Kms NI R.
20° Bari
DHAMARA RIVER 20°
45' Binjharpur Raj Kanika 45'
and one fourth of them on river

ER
RIV
Aul

NI
MA
KENDRAPARA

AH
BR
85°15' 85°30' 85°45' 86°0' 86° 15' 86°30' 86°45' 87°0'

water directly (Census, 2001)

Threats Overwhelm

Anthropogenic contribution of nutrients is responsible for
lowering DO and pH level in the Mahanadi. Different
magnitudes of BOD loading w.r.t total nitrogen and
phosphorus demonstrates the intensity of organic pollution
- Panda et al (2006) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V6C-
4KJ756X-
3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion
=0&_userid=10&md5=75ba913ff4566386bd7691d9bf543432

Sukinda Valley is now among world’s 10 most polluted areas

in the World. Approx 70% of the surface water and 60% of
the drinking water contains hexa-valent chromium at more
than double national and international standards (levels of
over 20 times have been recorded)
- Blacksmith Institute (2007)
http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2007/09/orissas_mines_v.html

“Drinking water is bad. When we bathe the skin itches.

When we drink water we get sores in our mouth. It is
difficult to breathe. Hair begins to fall. We get sores in our
throat. The body itches at night.”
- A tribal in Mukta Chhatrapur

OPCB confirms pollution of Vamshadhara by Vedanta’s
refinery
http://www.hiidunia.org/2008/08/orissas-ancient-tribes-look-likely-to.html
Upcoming Changes
Climate Change Predictions
WB-RMSI Study : Mahanadi Basin Scenario Annual Max Min
Rainfall Temp Temp

Will be wetter and warmer

More rain during winter/pre-monsoon

Increase in Min Temp is more than
Max Temp A2 23% 3.8 4.2

Surface water availability will be more

More floods are expected
B2 20% 2.4 2.9
Also Global Sweat Gland Concern
http://www.teriin.org/events/docs/wb_confer/73v_national.pdf

Run off

A2
B2
Following Mahanadi flows

Surface air temperature has increased @ of 1.1 C° per
century with slight decrease in precipitation. River flows
has gradually decreased (1926-1980)
– PG Rao (1995)
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2967171

Highest increase in precipitation, water yield and ET

predicted in the Mahanadi among 12 Indian rivers.
Flooding situation in Mahanadi and Brahmani will
deteriorate
- Dr Gosain (2003)

Modelling results indicates highest increase in peak

runoff (38%) in the Mahanadi outlet during September
(2075-2100) and the maximum decrease in average
runoff (32—5%) in April (2050-2075). Indication of
progressively increasing intensities of flood in September
and drought in April over the considered years
- Ashokan & Dutta (2006)
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117884507/abstract?

Reduction in occurrence of extreme high flow events in

future may be due to the effect of high surface warming
- Muzumdar & Ghosh (2007)
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2008/2007WR006137.shtml

http://ponnvandu.wordpress.com/category/mahanadi/
Upcoming threat : Quality

Salinity & Sea water intrusion
 Coastal pregnancy to get affected by drinking salty
water, thus affecting pregnant women and their
unborn children
- IPCC (2008)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/File_Climate_change_to_hit_coastal_pregnancies/art
icleshow/2918986.cms

 5.39 lakh hectares of the coastal alluvial tract is

beset with salinity hazard in Orissa. From
Chandeneswar in Balasore district in the north east
and extends up to Brahmagiri in Puri district in the
south west
Riparian Drinking Water Future

Reduced water quality
& quantity – surface &
GW

Increased frequency of
drying up of shallow
wells in rural areas

Increased water
treatment costs &
health expenditure

Increased vulnerability
of the poor and
marginalized
Threats to Food Security

Access to potable drinking water is a key
determinant of food security - absorption

2.17 lakh rural habitation affected by poor
water quality
 fluoride affected 31,306 villages, salinity affected 23,495, iron
affected 118,088, arsenic affected 5,029, nitrate affected
13,958 and multiple factors affected 25,092
Enhanced Competitions & Conflicts

Quality conflict
 Industrial and agricultural pollution

Watershed Externalities
 Deepening wells – poor suffers

Upstream Vs Downstream
 Open defecation and water quality

Urban Vs Rural water supply
Vulnerability Contexts & Water divides

The tribal poor in Upper catchments
 Tribal link to Forest-Mining-Hydro-Industrialization – Alienation
& marginalization
 Threat of access – topographical limitations
 Threat of quality

Deltaic (lower catchment) poor & marginal communities
 Victim of floods – water access
 Reliance on surface flows
 Victims of drying/pollution of shallow aquifer

Rural Communities Vs Urban
 Physical access - distance
 Insurance mechanism

Caste & Socio-economic divide
Adaptation Strategies
Present Adaptation Strategies

Tapping sources – surface flows & GW

Source protection & sustainability

Catchment Protection e.g. Shimla

Run off management & Recharge - WDP

Water treatment and purification

Water testing tool kits & Awareness measures

Decentralization

Seem to be inadequately prepared for CC situations

Basin Approach

Drinking water not in isolation of others – beyond
sectoral water divides

Looking Water in entirety - as an ecosystem resource –
integrating NR and interactions

Looking beyond the users and abusers -at Human
influences and interactions

Connecting waters, resources, users and interactions

Integrating riverscape, landscape and humanscape
along a logical natural water boundary at an optimal
scale
IFBRM Platform

Inclusive
 Water to NR to Policy & Structures to Livelihoods
 Institutions – Multistakeholders & multi-sectoral

Pro-active
 Planning for future & not only reactive

Innovative
 Business usual to business unusual
 Local/traditional strengths

Information-based
 Bridging information divide
 Enabling informed choices

Democratic
Civil Society Role in IFBRM

Cross-thematic Basin Resources Appraisal to understand
resources, management/ governance patterns and
interactions/ connectedness

Enhancing basin literacy, informed choices and options

Basin stakeholder dialogues/consultation – intra and
inter consultations among users/abusers, influencers,
competitors, decision makers

Developing and sustaining Inclusive Basin governance
structure
Situational Strength

Available and emerging information base

Increasing belief in integration and convergence

Focus on participation and community

Growing capability of CSO

Enhanced space for innovations

Resource limitations not a problem
Thanks!