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Abstract:
Women in rural India travel long distances to get water and this has adverse effects
on their lives. These walks average twenty kilometers a day where they carry a
volume of fifteen liters every trip. This not only increases their exhaustion, but also
creates a negative impact on one’s health. An efficient plan for managing the water
resources in a village and its robust storage will prove to be a crucial step in
improving accessibility, thereby reducing the travel time. This can be achieved by
integrating ancient practices with current technological advancements to improve
the quality of the women of rural India.
Background:
The world’s water scenario hasn’t seen a darker phase than it is in now. The crisis
for clean water is only going to keep increasing by the day and the need for water
harvesting methods is on an all-time rise. Even during the most acute crisis,
somehow the cities always find their way out of the problem with the help of all the
sophisticated equipment’s they possess, sucking out water in quantities more than
their limit. The groundwater has lost its dynamics, leading to the villages
surrounding cities facing all the problems. Water shortage is one problem that
prevails throughout the year in most villages. Looking at this scenario, we notice
the that the concept of Tragedy of the commons is prevalent in many ways. As a
part of our research on the crisis, we chose the district of Thanjavur, and following
are some of our findings.
“We walk around 12 km every day to get even the minimum supply of water we
need for our day to day activities. For the past three months we have had almost
no water supply. The water distribution system is unequal. Non domestic centers
just 5 km from here have adequate supply of water whereas our pipes have run
dry.” grieves Vaidehi, a female farmer from the village of Vallam Puthur, Thanjavur.
Statement of Problem:
Extending the research findings from the villages in Thanjavur district to all the
villages in the country, we observe a redundant pattern of water crisis prevailing in
almost every other household, which requires the women of the house to travel
long distances to fetch water from surrounding places with water availability, to
satisfy the house’s daily requirements. This is found to have a negative impact on
the mental and physical health state of these women.
b) Warka Water -
The Warka Water harvesting technique and construction system was inspired by
several sources. Many plants and animals have developed unique micro- and nano-
scale structural features on their surfaces that enable them to collect water from
the air and survive in hostile environments. By studying the Namib beetle’s shell,
lotus flower leaves, spider web threads and the integrated fog collection system in
cactus, specific materials and coatings are identified that can enhance dew
condensation and water flow and storage capabilities of the mesh. The termite
hives have influenced the design of Warka’s outer shell, its airflow, shape and
geometry. Also, looking at local cultures and vernacular architecture, traditional
Ethiopian basket-weaving techniques have been incorporated in Warka’s design.
Link to Warka Water - http://www.warkawater.org
Applications:
Development of wastelands which are spread over 80 million ha and accelerating
soil erosion and runoff surface water, as improving the productivity of these barren
lands, will help in conserving water while contributing to food production and
biodiversity enrichment. The short term solutions proposed are not just water
harvesting methods, but also dehumidifiers, that help keep the atmospheric
humidity low and comfortable.