Presented by:
Venkatachalam H

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Water Conservation
Water Scarcity
 Water shortage is used to describe an absolute shortage where levels of available water do not meet certain defined minimum requirements. The actual quantity that determines a per capita minimum may differ from place to place.
 Water scarcity is a more relative concept describing the relationship between demand for water and its availability.
 Water stress is the symptomatic consequence of scarcity which may manifest itself as increasing conflict over sectoral usage, a decline in service levels, crop failure, food insecurity etc.. This term is analogous to the common use of the term "drought".
Causes of water scarcity
 Population growth
 Climatic change and variability
 Land use
 Water quality
 Political realities
 Sociological issues
Overdevelopment of hydraulic infrastructure for irrigation
 The concepts of water stress and water scarcity are relatively new. Fifty years ago, when there were fewer than half the current number of people on the planet, the common perception was that water was an infinite resource.
 Now, the situation has changed. Water crisis has grown into an issue of global concern.
 The total amount of available freshwater supply is also decreasing because of climate change, which has caused receding glaciers, reduced stream and river flow, and shrinking lakes. Many aquifers have been over-pumped and are not recharging quickly. Although the total fresh water supply is not used up, much has become polluted, salted, unsuitable or otherwise unavailable for drinking, industry and agriculture.
The Average Home Uses More Than 200 Gallons of Water Per Day!
 An average of 8% of all home water use is wasted through leaks.
1 US gallon = 3.7854L
So, 200 gallons = 757.08L !!!
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.
Other Definitions
Any beneficial reduction in water loss, use or waste as well as the preservation of water quality.
A reduction in water use accomplished by implementation of water conservation or water efficiency measures; or,
Improved water management practices that reduce or enhance the beneficial use of water.
Goals
 Sustainability. To ensure availability for future generations, the withdrawal of fresh water from an ecosystem should not exceed its natural replacement rate.
 Energy conservation. Water pumping, delivery, and wastewater treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy. In some regions of the world (for example, California ) over 15% of total electricity consumption is devoted to water management.
 Habitat conservation. Minimizing human water use helps to preserve fresh water habitats for local wildlife and migrating waterfowl, as well as reducing the need to build new dams and other water diversion infrastructure.
History
 Indus Valley Civilization
 Drainage System
 Rain Water Harvesting
 Egyptian (Nile Valley) Civilization
 Canals and embankments for irrigation
 In ancient times, houses in parts of western Rajasthan were built so that each had a rooftop water harvesting system. Rainwater from these rooftops was directed into underground tanks. This system can be seen even today in all the forts, palaces and houses of the region.
 Underground baked earthen pipes and tunnels to maintain the flow of water and to transport it to distant places, are still functional at Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Golkunda and Bijapur in Karnataka, and Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
New Strategies
Social Solutions
Water conservation programs are typically initiated at the local level, by either municipal water utilities or regional governments. Common strategies include public outreach campaigns.
One fundamental conservation goal is universal metering. The prevalence of residential water metering varies significantly worldwide. Recent studies have estimated that water supplies are metered in less than 30% of UK households, and about 61% of urban Canadian homes (as of 2001). Although individual water meters have often been considered impractical in homes with private wells or in multifamily buildings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that metering alone can reduce consumption by 20 to 40 percent.
Household Applications
 Low-flow shower heads sometimes called energy-efficient shower heads as they also use less energy,
 Low-flush toilets and composting toilets. These have a dramatic impact in the developed world, as conventional Western toilets use large volumes of water.
Rainwater harvesting
 High-efficiency clothes washers
 Weather-based irrigation controllers
 Garden hose nozzles that shut off water when it is not being used, instead of letting a hose run.
 Using low flow taps in wash basins
Commercial applications
 Pressurized water brooms, which can be used instead of a hose to clean sidewalks
 X-ray film processor re-circulation systems
 Cooling tower conductivity controllers
 Utilization of Lake Water and or Sea Water for Cooling Towers
 Water-saving steam sterilizers, for use in hospitals and health care facilities.
Agricultural applications
For crop irrigation, optimal water efficiency means minimizing losses due to evaporation, runoff or subsurface drainage while maximizing production.
1. Overhead irrigation, using center-pivot or lateral-moving sprinklers, has the potential for a much more equal and controlled distribution pattern.
2. Drip irrigation is the most expensive and least-used type, but offers the ability to deliver water to plant roots with minimal losses.