More and more lately, water is (finally) emerging as one of
those major resources that people need to be aware of, conserve, and
(increasingly) spend money on (Seen Quantum of Solace, anyone? Or the
documentary, FLOW). What is interesting to me is that water conservation
technology in India is standing up to meet the problem face-on, while people
back at home are only just now being to pay attention.
The Water Literacy Foundation (WLF) visualizes a
water-efficient India in which everyone not only has access to water for their
needs, but also in which people maximize the use of every drop of water
available. “Every drop of water
available” does NOT mean digging more holes into the Earth to further exploit
the water table, however – WLF is strongly convinced that rainwater is the
ultimate option for sustaining life as we know it.
So much rainwater goes to waste: The land cultivated by farmers is so hard and
dry from the months of dryness that the monsoon rains quickly flow through
their fields instead of residing within the soil, and who knows how many inches
of rain a year roll off the rooftops into gutters and drainage pipes that
funnel them into useless sewage? These
are precisely the areas where WLF focuses its technical energy. Targeting rural farmers, industrial
facilities and urban domestic living areas, WLF works with people to install
its systems and turn rainwater into a valuable resource that can empower people
to take control of their water supply.
Maximizing the use of rainwater also helps address the social inequities
alluded to in FLOW, where water risks becoming a commodity only the rich can
afford. WLF’s portfolio consists of over 100 different techniques
for capturing rainwater and keeping within the soil (in the case of farmers) or
funneling it for industrial or domestic use.
Some of their methods are actually updated versions of traditional
farming/water management practices that faded from popular use when piped water
became the norm. In addition, WLF also
works on water reuse and recycling.
One thing that is so appealing about WLF’s work in these
areas is its simplicity. Wherever
possible, it uses local materials and basic technology that is easily
replicable. Moreover, the majority of
its rainwater harvesting systems require minimal maintenance, so people don’t
have to anticipate large upkeep expenses in their budgets when they implement
this technology. Even better, many of
the systems actually increase their effectiveness with each subsequent use,
rather than the other way around.
The technology was developed and/or adapted by WLF’s founder
and Managing Trustee, Mr. Ayyappa Masagi. Having left his lucrative job in
Bangalore to return to farming in his native village, Masagi turned his
farmlands into a laboratory of rainwater harvesting techniques. His work was internationally recognized when
he was awarded an Ashoka fellowship in 2005, and he formalized his passion for
water conservation by starting WLF a year later.
Technical work is only part of what WLF does, however. People will only implement the systems
described above if they understand the concepts behind water conservation as
well as their own ability to actually impact the water supply. Therefore, the second component of WLF’s work
is awareness-raising. In the hopes of
spreading “water literacy” (water conservation know-how) throughout northern
Karnataka, WLF delivers numerous lectures and workshops to every audience that
will listen: farmers, Self Help Groups (SHGs), professional organizations, all
levels of education, government officials, industrial managers, etc. In addition to these workshops, they also
organize a number of large-scale special events (ranging from marches to essay
and painting contests) designed to attract even more attention to the cause of
water.
In particular, WLF is focusing on today’s youth through some
intensive schools programs, combining actual rainwater harvesting systems with
in-depth water conservation curriculum.What more remains to be said? I hope more and more people start picking up this
line of work – we need it. Badly.
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