Local solutions to the global concerns of climate vulnerability and water resource conservation can go a long way to ensure water security and sustainability. The presentation provide the case study of an innovative community led- government facilitated action research of cost effective harvesting of rainfall using a menu of simple technologies to make a large network of open wells perennial in a coastal district of Kerala, India. The experiment started by the District Collector, in 2008 could so far directly recharge 16000 open wells in Thrissur district alone, though decentralized government led community action. Studies have shown that, the experiment has resulted in significant improvement in water quantity and quality in saline affected areas, building resilience and providing evidences on the interplay of water security, and community action in an uncertain environment of climate change as an adaptation model.

1. Cost Effective & Sustainable Drinking
Water Service Delivery: Lessons From
Kerala
Dr. V. Kurien Baby IAS
October 2011

2. Background
• 2008 April drought period joined as DC
• Tanker lorry supply increasing – as strategy at huge
costs
• By 2021 Demand supply gap 5900 mcm – IWMI
Kerala Economic scarcity
• GoI study on drinking water status and strategy
key findings – shift in investment trajectory
• Well based approach – 50% non perennial /quality
–cost effectiveness

3. Background - Kerala
“Water, water, every where, Nor a drop to drink” Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• Kerala has 3000 mm rainfall p.a and 44 rivers
• Water Scarcity a recurring phenomena every
summer
• Source un-sustainability and quality issues
• Highest density of open dug wells in world
• 70% of the people still depend of wells for drinking
• Investments of Rs. 12000 crore in 45 lakh wells
• High access to pipes, poor access to quality water
• High household investment as coping strategies

4. Business as Usual: Uncovered Households
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
1,600,000
1,800,000
2,000,000
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Households
Rural Household Un covered Urban Household Un covered
Business as Usual Scenario: At Current
Level of Investment

5. Water Scenario: Thrissur District

6. Seasonality of Wells

7. Perennial Wells in Thrissur

8. Salinity at our Door Steps

9. Can we be mute spectators when this water tragedy is
taking shape in front of us?

10. Mazhapolima: Overarching Goal: Health
Outcome
Objectives
• Provide sustainable access to safe drinking
water thru’ open well recharge (not only pied
water – conjunctive provision)
• Recharge ground water- source sustainability–
(local action Vs. climate change)
• Improved service level and quality (Sanitized
wells – sustainable water campaign)
• Drought mitigation and reduce public
spending on tanker supply
• Strengthening decentralization
• Pilot test cost effective alternate models

11. Approach and Strategy
• Community Driven
• Participatory approach
• Demand Driven
• PRI Centric – Govt. department convergence
• Facilitatory role for GoK
• Process Oriented, Outcome based
• Cost Effective – transparency audit
• Campaign Mode

12. Institutional Architecture

13. Activity Description
Special Gramasabha/
Ward sabha
Starts with special grama/ward sabha announcing the message” Our
water our future” and ‘wells for welfare’.
will conduct the reconnaissance survey/PRA and prepare a water
resource atlas /scarcity Map with the inventory of open wells and ponds
and prepare the resource map
Preparation of Action
Plan and Approval
Ward/GP level
The ward sabha will approve the Action plan comprising the following
components: (i) IEC and Awareness campaign: (ii) Training and
Capacity Building Plan; (iii) implementation plan: (iv) financing plan and
(v) monitoring (quantity and quality) and documentation plan
Implementation Task
Force or Jalasuraksha
Samithies
A task Force supported by the resource team will be constituted from
among the key stakeholders at the GP level with the mandate of
programme implementation.
Block
Jalasuraksha
Samithies
Block level Committee will consolidate the block level plan, oversee
implementation, coordinate and direct action, poling and leveraging
resources and infuse innovative resource mobilization ad integration of
ongoing programmes
District
Jalasuraksha
Samithies
District Advisory Committee will be chaired by the DP President and
DC Vice Chairman with Block presidents and Presidents of the GP
Association and selected experts as members and DPO as convener.
The Executive Committee will be Chaired by the DC and selected
experts, NGOs and key departments as members
Activity Plan – Bottom UP

14. Technology choice Specification Indicative Cost-
Range in Rs
Open well (Drinking)
Roof top harvest with
Sand filter*
PVC Gutters are fixed to collect water from roof
and water is diverted to the filter using a PVC pipe.
The filter consists of sand, metal and charcoal
2500-3750
Roof top harvest with
ordinary Nylon filter
Water is harvested from the roof and is diverted to
the well through a Nylon or cloth filter using a PVC
pipe.
1250-2500
Open wells/Ponds
(Non drinking)
Rooftop harvesting
with out filter
Water harvested from the roof top is directly fed
into the well
500-1000
Surface run off catch Using a bund, trench or pit 500-1000
Rain pits Open pit dug with a specification of 0.75 m x 0.75m
x 0.75m
250-500
Backwash with Phyto-
remediation
Usually meant for ponds in the lowlands, where a
variety of plants and shrubs and trees are planted
around the pond to purify water, appropriating the
purification properties of plants and trees
2000-4000
(*) Additional Rs. 500 may have to be added for polyethylene sheets for thatched roofs
Menu of Technology Options

15. Technology Options

16. Stakeholder Group Capacity Building Components
Grama Panchayath Council Awareness on Ground water table,
extraction, recharge techniques and
legal regimes
Local Volunteers including
Kudumbasree,
Jalamithrams, NGOs, CBOs
and local skilled persons
Skill building on Rain Water Harvesting,
Water Literacy, Quality campaign
Monitoring and Documentation
Media Awareness Programmes and Exposure
programmes on focused good practices
Task Forces, Executive
Committee, DPC, Members
of District and Block
Panchayath
Monitoring, Documentation and
Awareness Programmes along with
Exposure visits to Good practices.
Capacity Building

17. Key Performance Indicators
• Substantial cost savings and targets exceeded by
200% in 14 months (T 3000 Ach. >10000 Wells)
• Financial Targets exceeded by 15 times GoK funds of
Rs. 10 mn leverage funds Rs 150 mn (GoI 8 mln, GoK 3 mn,
Arghyam, UNDP/UNICEF, Pvt. Sector(banks/Edu insts, business)NGOs, CBOs , KWA)
• Source and Quality sustainability ensured (community
based quality assurance WQS&M)
• GoK integrated the programme for PRIs/GoI for GWR)
• Action Research Outcomes – advocacy/awareness

18. Recharging Open Wells in the Coastal Riverine
Island of (VP)Thuruth improves water quality
Satellite image of VP Thuruth at the confluence of Periyar River.

19. Mazhapolima: Backwash Method -Before
and After

20. Key Outcomes
• Reduced morbidity better health (Third party audit)
• Reversal of investment trajectory
• Polciy Statewide scaling up- 3 districts GO issued
• GoK announced Water Security plan (jalasuraksha) for State
• Programme Convergence ( NREGA, watershed, soil conservation, minor
irrigation, PRI plans, GWD programmes)
• institutionalized with PRIs – GoK & DPC
• National/regional media joined the campaign – National
River Action Framework (hit in India Water Portal)
• UNDP /UNICEF (MDG) workshop & exposure visit
• State & National award for Adat GP Water Digest Award
2010

21. Looking towards Future
• Watershed river basin approach – building block
• Policy integration– GOI treat well as private asset
• Area approach for better outcome
• Focus on water quality
• Integration through NREGA
• KILA OR CWRDM LAND WATER MGT CENTRE
• Climate change – water-food-livelihood securities
and vulnerability reduction – focus well as
MUS/marginal holdings

22. MediaTour
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23. THANK YOU