Editorial»
Under the pump
AUG 17 -
The water table of the Kathmandu valley is estimated to be decreasing by an alarming 2.5 metres a year. The main reason behind the drying up of underground water is its unsustainable extraction. The valley population is increasing—3.5 million and counting, according to an estimate of Kathmandu Upatyeka Khanepani Limited, the valley water utility—and with it the need for potable water. As tapped water is a scarce commodity, people have had to rely on underground water to meet their needs. Shallow tube wells were traditionally relied upon for potable water for domestic consumption. But with a considerable dip in water table, household tube wells are dug deep these days. In addition, there are more than 500 commercial establishments extracting underground water—only 10 have the licence to do so.
KUKL has not been able to supply more than a third of the needed 320 million litres. (Running out of options, the utility itself pumps water from 50 deep tube wells, covering 20 percent of its supply.) Thus anywhere between 30-50 percent of the valley’s water need is being met through groundwater. Ironically, the proportion of those relying on groundwater for daily use is growing even as the water table is declining. It is to address this unsustainable imbalance that the government is now mulling a groundwater management policy. The policy, the first of its kind in Nepal, will restrict the extraction of groundwater in the “danger zones” with low water tables. With its focus on regulating the use of deep tube wells, it will tax individuals and institutions extracting groundwater for commercial purposes. Only licensed operators will be allowed to extract water according to set guidelines.
Such a policy has been a long time in the making. Only a decade ago, it was possible to extract water by digging up to 20 feet. Now, one would be lucky to strike water after digging down twice the distance. Another cause of concern is that the rate of contamination of underground water is increasing. In parts of southern Kathmandu KUKL has discovered high level of arsenic, a carcinogen, in groundwater, as well as leachate from septic tanks, agricultural fields and landfill sites. And unfortunately, there is no viable way to clean up underground water. But it remains to be seen how the new licence regime will be different from the old one. Even now, a licence is mandatory for commercial extraction of groundwater. But as monitoring is lax, few bother to get them. How will the government make the recalcitrant comply when the new policy comes into effect? It is also doubtful whether controlling only commercial users will be enough to save Kathmandu’s water table: the use of groundwater is increasing most rapidly among common households. The policy, to its credit, does suggest some sustainable solutions like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging to replenish the water table. It isn’t hard to see that emphasis should be on better water management and preventing wastage rather than stopping underground extraction outright.
Posted on: 2010-08-18 08:12
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