Topic : Water Resources

By – Carol Elsa, X A.

Geography project

Our ancient religious texts and epics give a good insight into the water storage and conservation systems that prevailed in those days. Over the years rising populations, growing industrialization, and expanding agriculture have pushed up the demand for water. Efforts have been made to collect water by building dams and reservoirs and digging wells; some countries have also tried to recycle and desalinate (remove salts) water. Water conservation has become the need of the day. The idea of ground water recharging by harvesting rainwater is gaining importance in many cities.

This has become a very popular method of conserving water especially in the urban areas. Rainwater harvesting essentially means collecting rainwater on the roofs of building and storing it underground for later use. Not only does this recharging arrest groundwater depletion, it also raises the declining water table and can help augment water supply. Rainwater harvesting and artificial recharging are becoming very important issues. It is essential to stop the decline in groundwater levels, arrest sea-water ingress, i.e. prevent sea-water from moving landward, and conserve surface water run-off during the rainy season..

Rainwater harvesting

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation . In reflection of this declaration, the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, also will be dedicated to water cooperation

The objective of this International Year is to raise awareness, both on the potential for increased cooperation, and on the challenges facing water management in light of the increase in demand for water access, allocation and services. The Year will highlight the history of successful water cooperation initiatives, as well as identify burning issues on water education, water diplomacy.

The project Area 'Bunga' is a small hamlet in Ambala district of Haryana situated in the foothills of Shivalik range in North India. The Average rainfall of the area is about 1100 mm, 80% of which is received during June – August. Denudation of pastures and woodlands, low productivity of land and animals and poverty are some of the major problems of the area. Hence an Integrated Water Shed Management Project was taken up in the village.

The project comprised of construction of check dams for water harvesting, soil erosion control methods through planting of natural trees and grasses and digging of trenches at right angles to slopes for containment of sediment as well as promotion of concept of social fencing.

Water-shed management.

Topic : Water Resources

By – Carol Elsa, X A.

Political developement

project

According to the Delhi Jal Board’s website, their current water supply does not meet the calculated demand. As documented by a researcher with the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi is dependent on neighboring states for its water supply.Delhi has grown in size and population immensely within the last 25 years. A majority of the residents fall into economically backward classesThe issue of water has been taken up by a variety of groups within civil society in Delhi. These include but are not limited to NGOs, informal and formal sangathans or groups, Resident Welfare Associations, individuals, professionals, and students.

This slide focuses on peoples’ movements around water in New Delhi, the capital city of India. New Delhi is characterized by water “issues.” A majority of the city’s 18 million residents have to queue up for water supplied by the government or private tankers, as piped supplies are either defunct or unavailable. The water supplied by the Delhi authorities is discolored or odorous, and thus considered unsafe for drinking. Everyday conflicts around water are common.These realities, coupled with the fact that water is a basic need, makes it easy to talk to city residents about water. In one conversation, a lady said she was surprised to hear that the Yamuna River, Delhi’s primary source of water, is dead.

Movement in Delhi

•Environmentalists, NGOs and even Delhi’s current chief minister Shiela Dixit advocate putting water back into the ground and raising the groundwater table by rainwater harvesting. Others are focusing on pollution, toxics, industry and waste, or fighting legal cases and protesting to maintain the Delhi ridge as a groundwater recharge zone. Even more are working on awareness and campaigning to bring the Yamuna back to life. Since rivers are a spiritual entity within the Indian context, religious and spiritual groups form a large part of those working for the life of the river.•To a citizen who does not have access to water, dam-building seems integral to access water. At the same time, people who are protesting the negative social and environmental impacts of dams are asking for a more environmentally just alternative to dams.•Womens groups, NGOs, sangathans and activist groups are working in Jhuggi Jhompadis (slum clusters) to raise issues of womens’ safety and sanitation, access to water, and water quality.

Conclusion

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The Delhi government has attempted privatization of the city’s water supply since 2005. While a fierce peoples’ campaign defeated privatization efforts in 2005, the Delhi Jal Board has recently handed over parts of its water distribution and monitoring duties in South Delhi (the neighborhoods of Malviya Nagar and Vasant Vihar) to a private company affiliated with the Tata Group.The campaign to stop the privatization of water in Delhi in 2005 was initiated by Parivartan, an NGO run by Arvind Kejrival (who is currently bringing a new party into India’s politics).

Delhi is an old city with a rich history of water management. But Delhi’s river is dead, and water governance is corrupt and inaccessible. Those with less are subjected to longer queues for water; children skip school and women face severe safety and sanitation issues. Thus, the task facing Delhi’s civil society and the government is enormous.

Topic : Energy from Water

By – Carol Elsa, X A.

Physics project

All types of electricity generation consume water either to process the raw materials used in the facility or fuel, constructing and maintaining the plant, or to just generate the electricity itself. Renewable power sources as photovoltaic solar and wind power, which require little water to produce energy, require water in processing the raw materials to build the turbines and solar panels

In the US, about 2 US gallons (7.6 L) of water is evaporated to create one Kilowatt hour(kWh) of energy This water is consumed in thermoelectric plants which are power plants converting waste heat into electrical power and evaporated in reservoirs for hydroelectric plants. An average of 18 gal (68 L) of fresh water is evaporated to generate 1 kWh of electricity at a Hydroelectric plant.

Energy from Water

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity generation.Hydropower is produced in 150 countries, with the Asia-Pacific region generating 32 percent of global hydropower in 2010. China is the largest hydroelectricity producer, with 721 terawatt-hours of production in 2010, representing around 17 percent of domestic electricity use. The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of renewable electricity.

India is endowed with economically exploitable and viable hydro potential assessed to be about 84,000 MW at 60% load factor. In addition, 6780 MW in terms of installed capacity from Small, Mini, and Micro Hydel schemes have been assessed.India ranks 5th in terms of exploitable hydro-potential on global scenario.

Hydro – Power Generation

.Hydro is a flexible source of electricity since plants can be ramped up and down very quickly to adapt to changing energy demands.

.The major advantage of hydroelectricity is elimination of the cost of fuel.

.Hydroelectric plants have long economic lives, with some plants still in service after 50–100 years. Operating labour cost is also usually low, as plants are automated and have few personnel on site during normal operation.

.Where a dam serves multiple purposes, a hydroelectric plant may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a useful revenue stream to offset the costs of dam operation. It has been calculated that the sale of electricity from the Three Gorges Dam will cover the construction costs after 5 to 8 years of full generation.

Since hydroelectric dams do not burn fossil fuels, they are claimed to not directly produce CO2.

Advantages

Large reservoirs required for the operation of hydroelectric power stations result in submersion of extensive areas upstream of the dams, destroying biologically rich and productive lowland and riverine valley forests, marshland and grasslands. The loss of land is often exacerbated by habitat fragmentation of surrounding areas caused by the reservoir.[

Lower positive impacts are found in the tropical regions, as it has been noted that the reservoirs of power plants in tropical regions produce substantial amounts of methane. This is due to plant material in flooded areas decaying in an anaerobic environment, and forming a methane, a greenhouse gas.There is also a need to relocate people. .

Disadvantages

Economics project

Topic : Sustainability of Groundwater

By – Carol Elsa, X A

Groundwater sustainability relates to the development and use of groundwater to meet current and future purposes without causing unacceptable consequencesGround water is a critical component of the nation’s water resources. Globally, ground water resources dwarf surface water supplies. Approximately 25 percent of the earth’s total fresh water supply is stored as ground water, while less than 1% is stored in surface water resources, such as rivers, lakes, and soil moisture. The rest of the freshwater supply is locked away in polar ice and glaciers.Twenty-six of 28 state agencies responding to a National Ground Water Association (NGWA) survey perceive current or anticipate ground water supply shortages at a statewide or local level in the next 20 years.

Sustainability of Groundwater.

The rapidly declining groundwater table in Punjab–one of the most agriculturally productive states and the heart of green revolution belt in northern India–is especially disturbing. As the epicenter of the Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s, Punjab’s agricultural fecundity earned the state a reputation as the breadbasket of India.

We estimate that the state is overdrawing its groundwater resources by a shockingly unsustainable 45 percent over that replenished by rainfall every year. Farmers who used to pump from 5 to 10 feet below the surface are now drilling to depths of 200 to 300 feet. As a result, the groundwater table is falling at approximately a rate of 1 meter per year, as opposed to just 18 cm per year during the mid-1980s. This disturbing and remarkable increase in water usage has come about from a number of changes in the agricultural economy of Punjab, including a dramatic increase in cropping intensity from the 1960s until now.

Indian Scenario

The last few decades have seen mounting water management challenges, particularly those associated with increased reliance on groundwater resources throughout the West. This growing reliance on groundwater is due largely to the expansion of permanent crops, more intensive irrigation practices, increased urban and environmental competition for water supplies, and reduced surface-water supplies due to drought and increasing regulatory restrictions. GRA, in cooperation with the United States Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID), a nonprofit international professional society that aims to foster sustainable, socially acceptable and environmentally responsible irrigation, drainage and flood control systems and practices for providing food, clothing and shelter to the people of the United States and the World, are organizing a Conference.

Across the World

Burgeoning population and climate change are among the most critical challenges facing the 21st century. Both have critical implications for groundwater resources, especially in many developing countries where resources are already under pressure. Due to low rainfall and high evaporation in parts of the Middle East and North Africa, groundwater is not being renewed, and groundwater laid down up to 10,000 years ago is literally being mined for irrigation, often very inefficiently. Over recent decades, groundwater levels have fallen dramatically in key grain-growing regions like the American Great Plains and the North China Plain. As the population grows and emerging economies like China and India demand more food, especially water intensive meat products, agricultural demand for water is set to increase. The rapid shift of population from the countryside to the cities is also adding to this pressure; most old wells in Beijing are now dry. Pollution from industry, agriculture and shanty towns is destroying many groundwater resources; some could take 50 years to clean up even with strict and immediate controls.Thus this all leads to the urgent need to sustain groundwater.

Why are we sustaining it?

Chemistry project

Topic : Hardness of Water

By – Carol Elsa, X A.

Hard water is water that has high mineral content( in comparison with ‘soft water’).Hard drinking water is generally not harmful to one's health. But can pose serious problems in industrial settings. In domestic settings, hard water is often indicated by a lack of suds formation when soap is agitated in water, and by the formation of lime scale in kettles and water heaters.Water's hardness is determined by the concentration of multivalent cations in the water. Multivalent cations are cations (positively charged metal complexes) with a charge greater than 1+. Usually, the cations have the charge of 2+. Common cations found in hard water include Ca2+ and Mg2+. These ions enter a water supply by leaching from minerals within an aquifer.

Hardness of Water

Disadvantages of Hard Water:1. It is very difficult to wash clothes with hard water as it requires more soap and leaves a messy scum that cannot be washed out easily.2. When hard water is boiled at home or in industries, it leaves deposits of calcium and magnesium salts in kettles, hot-water pipes, boilers and radiators. These deposits reduce the efficiency of boilers, kettles and pipes and can cause blockages and even bursting of the boilers.

(a) By the use of soda:Soda removes both temporary and permanent hardness. It is also inexpensive and easy to use. This makes it the ideal substance for softening water in the home.(b) Other softening agents in the home:It is difficult for the housewife to be very precise in the use of soda and the water softened by soda may often contain an excess of it, which even if it is slight, may damage certain fabrics. Hence, other softening agents could be used. They are:•Soap• Caustic soda• Solution of Ammonia•Borax

How can hardness be removed?

(c) Removal of Permanent Hardness by the Base-Exchange Process:Base exchange process' is a chemical method by which, softening of permanent hardness in water can be done on a large scale or for household purposes. It is the most popular and effective means of softening hard water. It was discovered by Dr. Robert Gans, who found out the natural minerals called 'Zeolite', which is very effective in softening water.The Base-Exchange Process includes the following procedures:The water passes through specially prepared zeolite- a sodium compound, called base-exchange compound. it is has the property of being able to exchange its sodium base for another. When hard water passes through the zeolite, the hardening compounds of calcium and magnesium are caught up by the zeolite and become compounds of sodium. Since sodium salts in water do not precipitate out on heating or form soap curds the water is called 'soft'.