Integrated Water Resource Management Studies in Rural Human Settlements

Abstract

Rural human settlements (villages) of India suffer from severe water supply and sanitation problems. Village ponds, which used to perform an important role in the water supply and wastewater management of the villages by naturally treating the wastewater and stormwater and making it available for human use, are now heavily polluted due to higher strength and increased wastewater and stormwater inflows. Aim of this study was to develop an integrated water resources management (IWRM) system for 10 villages, from three districts of Doaba region in the state of Punjab, India. Focus of the study was to develop a generic IWRM with the objective of addressing the water supply and sanitation issues of the rural human settlements. Development of such a system required the demarcation of pond catchments and determination of wastewater and stormwater quantities and characteristics. Quantification and characterization of wastewater flows revealed that both strength and volume (per capita day) of wastewater generated was much higher than the expected. Water use in cattlesheds and discharge of cattle-shed wastewater, and having dwelling level parallel water supply source were apparently responsible for this. Wastewater quantification results were used in the design of the village pond system, a vital component of rural integrated water resources management (IWRM) system. Stormwater runoff quantification was done for 90 percentile rainfall events, and peak runoff flow rates were determined for the rainfall events with 2- years return period. Regression modeling of the characterization results of wet weather flows against the rainfall event size and the antecedent dry days was used to predict the wet weather flow characteristics corresponding to different rainfall event sizes and antecedent dry days. Predicted wet weather flows and their characteristics were used in the design of the village pond system.The village pond system, comparable to a sustainable wastewater treatment plant was capable of treating the wet weather and dry weather flows of the pond catchments and making them fit for reuse as reclaimed water. Outcome of this research work can provide a system framework for the application of IWRM approach for water supply and sanitation sector of rural human settlements. Rehabilitation of village ponds (within the existing village ponds) is at the centre stage of this approach.