Studies point to water crisis in Himalayan region by 2050

STUDIES SHOW THAT DEMAND–SUPPLY GAP IN EIGHT OF THE SURVEYED TOWNS IN THE HKH REGION IS BETWEEN 20% AND 70%

NEW DELHI: A new compilation of studies on water availability in eight towns in the Hindu-kush Himalayan (HKH) region — also known as the water towers of Asia — has set off alarm bells on the demand-supply gap, which could aggravate further due to global climate change leading to an acute crisis by 2050 .

The studies show that the demand–supply gap in eight of the surveyed towns in the HKH region is between 20% and 70%. The eight towns are Havelian and Murree in Pakistan; Mussoorie, Devprayag, Singtam and Kalimpong in India, Damauli and Tansen in Nepal.

In line with current trends, the demand–supply gap may double by 2050, said the studies published in Water Policy journal. They highlight the water supply in Mussourie is 9.1 million litres per day (MLD), but in most years the demand goes up to 14.4 MLD, especially during peak tourist season. However, the total local demand in Mussourie is 6.9 MLD.

All households in both Mussoorie and Devprayag depend largely on municipal water supply for various domestic chores such as drinking, cooking, washing and bathing. In Devprayag, 44% of the households collect water from Ganga for their daily needs when water from its civic body is not available. This usually happens during the monsoons, when the supply line gets cut off due to landslides or the destabilisation of slopes.

In these two hill towns in Uttarakhand, springs are the main source of piped water supply system.

In Mussoorie, the municipality taps 20 spring sources to generate 9 MLD transported by gravity and pumping systems. Devprayag has only two spring-fed streams. Most households in these towns depend on public standposts and water tankers as water shortages are most acute between May and July due to peak tourist season coupled with lean discharge period.

There is a high dependence on springs — ranging between 50% and 100% — for water supply in three-fourths of the urban areas in the HKH region.

For instance, in east Sikkim’s Singtam, 82.9% of households’ municipal supply do not get any water in their taps during the dry season (between January and May). Consequently, around 70% of these households have to depend on water supplied through poly-pipes from different spring sources. Survey respondents in Singtam said lack of conservation, resulting in degradation due to development pressure, land use change in spring catchments, decreased rainfall and increased number of dry months are leading to water depletion at an alarming rate.