EE/ESD Program

Title of EE/ESD project

Sustainable Drinking Water Programme

Created : Oct 18 2007 / Modified : Oct 18 2007

Type of the Project

National / Community Level: Community
Main contents and field: Advocacy / Agriculture / Community Development / Conservation / Ecology Biodiversity / Forestry / Nature Awareness / Network / Poverty Alleviation / Public Health / Research / Training / Waste Pollution / Water / Women Gender / Other (Soil)

Financial resources (Granted, sponsored by or partnership with)

Organization/Institution

India Canada Environment Facility, New Delhi

Name of Grant

Sustainable Drinking Water Supply in rural watersheds of the humid tropics in Kerala

Amount

51,400,000 INR per year
(1,257,800 US Dollar)

Target area and people: Highland -(Karunapuram)
Karunapuram the Project area in the Idukki district (High land) is spread over Chakkupallam, Vandanmedu and Karunapuram Grama Panchayats in Idukki district.
Though the area was rich with forests and other natural resources, it lost most of its wealth over centuries by human exploitation. Soil erosion, uneven rainfall, water scarcity, leaching of soil nutrients and deforestation are the major problems in Karunapuram.

Midland -(Panackachira)
It is a remote village in Mundakkayam Panchayath in Kottayam district is the project area, which falls in the midland. It is a resettlement colony of people evicted from various parts of the district. The evicted people are settled in an extrinsic situation and are facing severe water scarcity and drastic depletion of natural resources. The issue is getting worse year by year due to pressure of population growth and related human interventions

Lowland- (Kuttanadu)
Kuttanad, located in the low land area of Alappuzha district, is reclaimed from the Vembanadu lake and is surrounded by marshy and waterlogged area. Most parts of Kuttanad is below sea level and is prone to flood and salination every year. It is a densely very populated area and suffers from a host of problems mainly due to its typical geography and ecology. The development projects implemented in the area and the lifestyle of the people are also supplementing to the ecological problems of Kuttanad.

Background/Problems of the project: *Frequent droughts and flood.
*High rate of sedimentation and debris slides.
*Salinity intrusion into the rivers and ground water aquifers.
*Lack of flushing and concentration of pollutants, especially in the lower reaches of rivers.
*Pollution of surface and ground water sources.
*Changes to the different phases of the hydrologic cycle due to large-scale reclamation of wetlands.
*Deforestation.
*Short Steep Monsoon-fed Rivers dry up in summer.
*Industrial growth and increase in agro-chemical application.
*Limitation of Government schemes.
*Lowering of ground water table due to over-exploitation caused by population pressure and enhancement of irrigation for plantation crops.
*Pollution of surface and ground water sources.
*Faecal Pollution of Water sources.
*Population pressure (820 per sq.km)
*Low per capita availability of land.
*High density of wells.

Objectives/Significance of the project: The goal of the project is to enhance the quality of life of people living in the selected project sites by improving the quality and the quantity of water supply and contribute to the knowledge and capacities of the project stakeholders. The project is also expected to provide models for integrated resources management for the highland and midland physiographic zones and integrated drinking water management model for the lowland zone of Kerala.

Description of the project: Project approaches:
*Demonstrate application of integrated low cost modern and traditional technologies to solve drinking water scarcity.
*Eco restoration through natural catchment area treatment measures.
*Strenghten Participatory water shed management model in the context of Kerala State
*Capacity building of project implementing agencies and community organizations

Strategy of the Programme:
*Strenghtening the existing SHGs and forming new SHGs
*General Capacity building at all levels to address the problems of drinking water
*Evolving appropriate management plans compaining modern and traditional technologies
*Ensuring participatory implementation of the management plan
*Demonstration and extension of technologies suitable for humid tropical area
*Setting up a revolving fund and arrangement to recover betterment payment

Materials/equipments used in the project:: Developement of Drinking Water Sources and Technologies:
*Development of new wells
*Rejuvenation of well
*Spring Development
*Rain water Harvesting System with FCT
*Sanitary Latrine for water Quality improvement

Soil and Water Conservation
*Check Bund
*Stone Bunding
*Contour Terracing
*Soil bund
*Vegetative measures
*Gully Plugging
*Water Collection Pits
*Gabbion
*Community Pond
*Stream side protection with vegetative measures
*Agro forestry
*Contour Trench

Capacity Building Programmes:
*Water literacy Programmes
*Exhibitions
*Environmental Education in schools
*Publication of leaflets and handout and video films
*Mason training in rain water harvesting systems

Result/Self evaluation (success or failure) including its reasons: *Provided safe and adequate drinking water to 94% of the households in midland project area and 76% of families in Highland project area.
*Reduced soil erosion and increased ground water recharge.
*Made innovations to make RWHS cost effective and user friendly
*Rainwater harvesting system made cost effective and made accessible to the people and development practitioners.
*Successfully implemented Bidimensional approach in addressing the issues. Short term measures for intensive problems and long term measures for sustainable solutions.
*Developed SHGs as an effective social platform for interventions and these micro level people's structures proved themselves as an effective mechanism for sustaining participatory watershed management practices.
*Developed the concept of community sharing of water resources.
*Created positive environmental impact