“The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate”- United Nations

Water, is an important part of all the facets of the mountain environment, and is a major factor in shaping the natural environment. The topography, the vegetation cover, the soils and the geology of an area, together with the climatic factors, affect the hydrologic characteristics of that region. These factors control the rainfall-runoff relations as well as the groundwater recharge and storage, so affecting the general water availability in the region. In the Himalaya, the precious water resources are under threat due to various natural and manmade environmental problems. Despite being endowed with adequate rainfall, most parts of the Himalaya are considered water-stressed for both agricultural and domestic purposes. This is mainly due to the seasonality of precipitation which is concentrated to the monsoon months, while the climate remains arid for the rest of the year. The water stress situation in the hills has limited growth and development and is also leading to severe ecological degradation. The dying of water supply sources now poses severe drinking water crisis in many part of the Uttarakhand Himalaya. Per capita water availability status in some parts of Uttarakhand is likely to move from marginally vulnerable down to water scarcity. This increase can be attributed to changes (mostly human interventions) in the natural springs’ recharge zones. In fact, the acute water scarcity in the whole fragile Himalayan terrain can be explained by a number of human interventions and the natural processes that are quietly taking their toll. The result is that a large number of water resources have either been lost or are becoming vulnerable. The water stress situation in the Central Himalaya has limited growth and development and is also leading to severe ecological degradation. Per capita water availability status in some parts of Uttarakhand is likely to move from marginally vulnerable down to water scarcity. This increase can be attributed to changes (mostly human interventions) in the natural springs’ recharge zones. In fact, the acute water scarcity in the whole fragile Himalayan terrain can be explained by a number of human interventions and the natural processes that are quietly taking their toll. The result is that a large number of water resources have either been lost or are becoming vulnerable. Springs, underground seepages and base flows in mountain streams provide for most of their household and livelihood water needs. Springs in the Himalayan region represent a typology of ‘mountain aquifers’, with a large degree of variability and complexity attributed by the geology, terrain and hydrological factors. These mountain springs emanate from unconfined aquifers. Without a proper understanding of aquifers, any study of groundwater remains incomplete. Study of springs, with a strong hydrogeological context is especially relevant to the conservation, protection and land-treatment measures in order to adapt to various fluxes imposed by climate change or other factors. Springs have been drying up in the Himalayan region due to various reasons but there is a progressive increase in demand of water. Therefore it is needed to look at water security more scientific and comprehensive manner.

About Himmotthan’s WaSH

Himmotthan has been implementing spring-fed, gravity flow community Water Supply and Sanitation (WaSH) projects since 2002, which has benefitted more than 40,000 individuals, spread across 133 villages in Uttarakhand through 200 gravity flow water schemes. Over 7,000 sanitation units were built as part of the WaSH programme. All the assets created under the project are owned and managed by the village communities. Comprehensive scientific methods (hydrogeology, assessment of water quality, etc) were added to the WATSAN programme from 2009. These augmented groundwater recharge, thus ensuring long-term sustainability of water schemes. Different recharge measure as Staggered Contour Trenches, recharge pits, Loose boulder check dams constructed for springshed management has prevented both soil and water runoff, increasing the rate of infiltration of water and enhancing water discharge from springs. The dams have also helped to reduce landslides due to peak flow (run off). More than 145 springs were augmented in a project undertaken by Himmotthan, resulting in sustained water supply to project villages. The WaSH programme has also followed an integrated approach between water supply development, sanitation and catchment area protection to improve water resource sustainability. Currently, Himmotthan with its Implementation Support Agency (ISA) is implementing WaSH projects in 400 plus villages in Uttarakhand, water security and its management is an integral part of the programme, eighty five schools will also be benefiting, through programme which comprises of 5,000 students.