In Maharashtra, every year there is scarcity due to irregularity of rainfall. Drinking water scarcity is occur due to some dug wells becomes dry and water level of bore wells gets depleted. In spite of heavy rainfall in hilly area maximum rain water goes wasted due to runoff on steeper slope. In this area, porosity of land is poor, because of which less quantum of water gets recharged.In scarcity period, most of the villages water is supplied by water tankers or bullock carts, etc. Therefore to overcome the drinking water problem permanently of such villages, Government of Maharashtra started implementation of ambitious water conservation programe from year 1992-93 through Water Conservation Department. As one of the activity of water conservation programe, GSDA started to implement Unconventional programme to strengthen the drinking water sources.
GSDA is implementing schemes to improve the performance of the existing ground water sources and strengthening the sources by unconventional measure.Sources strengthening by unconventional measures as on today
1 Fracture Seal Cementation (FSC) 1001
2 Jacket Well Technique (JW) 641
3 Bore Blast Technique (B.B.T) 549
4 Hydro-Fracturing (HF) 19849
Principle and general description of the above technique is given below.
1 FRACTURE SEAL SEAL CEMENTATION :-
The groundwater migration through a network of shallow depth aquifer from the discharging location is arrested by this technique. It is suitable in disintegrated rock combined with fracture and granular porosity. After identifying the suitable area on the basis of geohydrological investigations, this technique is adopted. Under this process, normally one or two rows of suitable diameter boreholes are drilled to a depth of a little more than the deepest dugwell in the command area of stream or nalla. These rows across the stream are filled by injecting cement slurry under high pressure for sealing of existing fracture. This technique is useful to create an effect of “ Cut Off Wall “ as Underground bandha
2. JACKET WELL :-
The construction of Jacket well around the dugwell in hardrock area increases effective diameter of the well artificially thereby increasing the storativity. Borewells of about 115 mm diameter and to a depth of open dugwell or to a shallow aquifer are drilled around the supply well, either in circular or semi circular or any other desired pattern depending upon the topographical and hydrological conditions. The blasting of these bores are carried out using slurry explosives, detonating cord and electrical detonators to create fractures and interconnection between the boreholes to cord and electrical detonators to create fractures and interconnection between the boreholes to increase the effective diameter of supply well and to create additional storativity of water.
3. BORE BLAST TECHNIQUE :-
Bore blast technique is adopted to create more storage space of Groundwater artificially in massive and crystalline hard rocks by fracturing the bed rocks. Hydrogeological survey is carried out to locate such area where the rock can be blasted to develop cracks below the zone of weathering. The no of boreholes is calculated depending on the quantity of water to be made available. Suitable type of slurry explosive is lowered in the boreholes and is blasted using detonating cord and electrical detonators. At a time about 5 to 6 boreholes are blasted. This technique is applied in assured rainfall areas and where landforms are mostly hilly. These are most suitable for small habitations of about 100 to 150 population, where drinking water shortage occurs.
4. STREAM BLASTING :-
Generally, drinking water wells are situated on nalla banks.However, at some places the groundwater flow through nalla bed is not connected to the well and therefore these groundwater goes waste as a runoff and the well being not connected becomes dry during summer months. Such wells are possible to be rejuvenated by technique known as “ Stream Blasting”.In this technique, the area of nalla bed in the vicinity of well is studied by geophysical and geohydrological survey. Then numbers of 115 mm borewells are drilled in the nalla bed to a depth of open dugwell. These drilled boreholes are further charged with explosives and blasted to artificially to create fractures joints etc. Such artificially created fractures are automatically get inter connected to the well and groundwater is made available thereby improving the drinking status of the well.
5. STORAGE PIT :-
Normally the hilly terrain in the state receives satisfactory Rainfall. But due to steep gradient, thin soil cover, limited weathered mantle and absence of joints and fractures in formation cause meager storability for groundwater. Ultimately the habitations located in such area face acute scarcity of drinking water in every summer. In such areas the conventional measures have limited utility due to technical and financial factors. The measures like “Storage Pit” is useful to collect water in required proportion with population. Small habitations ( Up to 200 souls ) are considered for this measure.In this project, size of pit is fixed by volumetric analysis in accordance with population. Quantity loss due to evaporation and other permissible seepages is also taken into account. Pit of required volume is excavated and curbed up to hard strata, same as dug well. To check the migration of stored water, pit wall at the down side is sealed by concrete lining. Normally the pits are open, but in cases to protect the pollution and evaporation, the pit is totally filled by coarse sand, pebbles and boulders as filter media. From the pit, water is pumped by shallow depth hand pump, which will be installed on safe distance from the pit to avoid pollution.These projects may be implemented in combination as per site requirements.
6. HYDRO FRACTURING :-
This technique is applied for rejuvenation of poor yielding or Unsuccessful borewells. Some of the borewells in the villages are successful and fitted with pumping device. Poor yielding and dry borewells in the same village indicate that the fractures do not exist or if existing, they are not connected to the nearby bodies, and the fractures may be closed or sealed.By this technique very high hydraulic pressure is created between the confined sections of the borewell. This very high pressure is responsible for opening the closed or sealed fractures and further connecting it to nearby bodies. When confined section of borewell is not having existing network of fractures then the new fractures are created and these newly created fractures are further extended to connect the water bodies. In this way borewell yield is improved substantially
National Rural Drinking Water Programme (Coverage) :-
Ground Water Surveys & Development Agency (GSDA) is implementing the Solar/Electric Energy based dual pump mini piped water supply schemes under NRDWP, in the habitations totally depending on only Hand Pumps. GSDA is also implementing the spring based mini piped water supply schemes under NRDWP in the hilly habitations where the natural springs are available nearby the habitations.Electric Energy based Dual Pump Mini Piped Water Supply Schemes -These schemes are implemented since the year 2008-09 as per the Govt. GR No. Grapapu-5310/ Pra. Kra.04/ Papu -15, Dated 11/01/2010 & revised Govt. GR NO. . Grapapu-5310/Pra. Kra. .04/ Papu -15, Dated 29/12/2011. In this scheme, 1 HP single phase electric pump is fitted along with the existing hand pump in the bore well having minimum yield 2000 liters per hour. The water is collected in the 5000 liters capacity storage tank & it is then supplied to 30-40 households through tap water connections / public stand posts. The rain water harvesting structure for the bore well recharge is also included in the scheme.This scheme has maximum expenditure limit of Rs. 2.50 Lakhs each.Since the year 2008-09 to 2016-17, the total 2915 No. of schemes are completed so far
Solar Energy based Dual Pump Mini Piped Water Supply Schemes :-
These schemes are implemented since the year 2009-10 as per the Govt. GR No. Grapapu-5310/ Pra. Kra.217/ Papu-15, Dated 21/08/2010 & revised Govt. GR NO. . Grapapu-5310/ Pra. Kra.217/ Papu -15, Dated 29/12/2011 & Corrigendum Dated 17/10/2012.In this scheme, 1 HP solar submersible pump is fitted along with the existing hand pump in the bore well having minimum yield 2000 litters per hour. The water is collected in the 5000 litters capacity storage tank & it is then supplied to 30-40 households through tap water connections / public stand posts. The rain water harvesting structure for the bore well recharge is also included in the scheme. This scheme has maximum expenditure limit of Rs.5.10 Lakhs each. Since the year 2009-10 to 2016-17, the total 3935 No. of schemes are completed so far.
Use Of Solar Energy For Dual Pump Scheme A Boon For Women :-
More than 75 percent of India’s population lives in rural areas and 85 percent of the rural water supply is ground water based. Hence bore wells with India Mark II hand pumps are the most important elements of rural water supply. However, it is also a well known fact that, during summer when the water levels deplete, accessing water becomes much more difficult. If pumping levels deplete below the lifting capacity of the hand pump, 36 metres, it stops working and water scarcity is declared in that area despite water being present in the bore well. In rural areas, generally women have to face all these problems. The patriarchal society holds women responsible for such routine tasks hence these women crave for a tap water supply.The Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department of the Government of Maharashtra realized the plight of rural women and came forward with an innovative solution calledDual Pump Scheme. In this scheme, a single phase 1 HP powered submersible pump is installed in the existing high yielding bore well having a hand pump. Pumped water is stored in a 5,000 litre tank and water supply is provided to each house through a tap. Roof top rainwater harvesting is mandatory to make the scheme sustainable. Hence, water supply is restored by either one of the pumps.The scheme comprises five major components: i) high yielding bore well/tube well (yield not less than 2,000 litres per hour); ii) installation of solar energy powered submersible pump with required photovoltaic panels. iii) HDPE storage tank of 5,000 litre capacity and arrangement for elevating it to 3 metre height to give sufficient head for the distribution system; iv) distribution system for 30 houses with individual tap connections; and v) rainwater harvesting structure.As on today 1860 Solar energy based dual pump piped water supply schemes have been completed in small habitations in the state under the technical guidance of GSDA.
The scheme comprises five major components :-
i) high yielding bore well/tube well (yield not less than 2,000 liters per hour);
ii) Installation of solar energy powered submersible pump with requiredphotovoltaic panels.
iii) HDPE storage tank of 5,000 liter capacity and arrangement for elevating it to 3 meter height to give sufficient head for the distributio system;
iv) Steel structure – 3 Mtr. Height for mounting HDPE Water Tank.
v) Distribution system for 30 houses with individual tap connections
Success Stories of Solar energy Based Dual Pump Water Supply Schemes.
1.Name of the village- Pavimuranda, Taluka- Chamorshi, District- Gadchiroli :-
Pavimuranda is a tribal and naxal affected village, located in Chamorshi Tahsil of Gadchiroli District. Village is located about 42 Kms away from the district headquarter Gadchiroli. It is surrounded by the forest,
Households-50 households
Population- 630 souls.
Community- Tribal (S.T.).
Existing Water resources:-
There are 3 dug wells and 4 hand pumps for drinking water supply in the village. Dug wells within the vicinity of village have no water in summer, and source well is located at about 400 meters away from the locality. Fetching water from this distant source was the tremendous laborious and time consuming task for the villagers especially for women, in summer season. There was no piped water supply scheme in the village.Under such circumstances solar based dual pump water supply scheme was executed in the year 2012 under National Rural Drinking Water Project (NRDWP) Pavimuranda is a tribal and naxal affected village, located in Chamorshi Tahsil of Gadchiroli District. Village is located about 42 Kms away from the district headquarter Gadchiroli. It is surrounded by the forest,
Households-50 households
Population- 630 souls.
Community- Tribal (S.T.).
Existing Water resources:- There are 3 dug wells and 4 hand pumps for drinking water supply in the village. Dug wells within the vicinity of village have no water in summer, and source well is located at about 400 meters away from the locality. Fetching water from this distant source was the tremendous laborious and time consuming task for the villagers especially for women, in summer season. There was no piped water supply scheme in the village.Under such circumstances solar based dual pump water supply scheme was executed in the year 2012 under National Rural Drinking Water Project (NRDWP)
Scheme Details:-
Bore well is fitted with 1 HP (900 WATT) solar photovoltaic submersible pump along with existing India Mark II hand pump Solar panels of 675 watt are provided with the system. These panels can be easily cleaned by local peoples. Scheme consists of 5000 liters HDDE water storage tank mounted on 3 meter high fabricated steel structure. Distribution system with four public stand posts is provided in the village. Household connections are also provided for 30 houses. Water is made available round the clock, i.e. continuous during day time by solar pumps & from storage tank at night. Hand pump is available as secondary device. The cost of the scheme is Rs.5.10 lakhs. Popular contribution is 5 percent as per Govt. norms.The villagers are very happy with the scheme and also with reduced time and labour of working women
2.Name of the village- Changera, Taluka- Gondia, District- Gondia :-
Changer is a tribal and nasal affected village, located in Gondia Tahsil of Gondia District. Village is located about 18 Km away from the district headquarter Gondia. It is surrounded by the forest,
Changer is a tribal and nasal affected village, located in Gondia Tahsil of Gondia District. Village is located about 18 Km away from the district headquarter Gondia. It is surrounded by the forest,
Households-246 households (SC HHS- 58, ST HHS- 39)
Population- 1364 souls.
Community- S.C.& Tribal (S.T.).
Existing Water resources :-
There are 11 hand pumps for drinking water supply in the village. Dug wells in the vicinity of village are of seasonal nature and runs dry in summer. Water table in bore wells fitted with hand pumps depleted in summer and thus requires tremendous physical efforts to operate the hand pump. Fetching water in summer is a hectic for villagers particularly for women. There was no piped water supply scheme in the village.Under such circumstances solar based dual pump water supply scheme was executed here on 11/04 2012 under National Rural Drinking Water Project (NRDWP)
Scheme Details:-
Bore well is fitted with 1 HP (900 WATT) solar photovoltaic submersible pump along with existing India Mark II hand pump. Solar panels of 675 watt are provided with the system. These panels are easily cleaned by local peoples. Scheme consists of 5000 liters HDPE water storage tank mounted on 3 meter high fabricated steel structure.Distribution system with two public stand posts is provided in the village. Household connections are also provided to 152 households. Water is made available round the clock, i.e. continuous during day time by solar pumps & from storage tank at night. Hand pump is available as secondary pumping device. The cost of the scheme is Rs.5.10 lakhs. Popular contribution is 5 percent as per Govt. norms.The scheme is totally implemented by village water supply committee formed under Gram Panchyat. Technical support provided and funds are made available by Govt. of Maharashtra though Ground Water Survey and Development Agency. Villagers are satisfied & facilitated by the benefits of this hygienic, eco friendly, economic, cost effective, low maintenance water supply scheme. It is really a boon for rural women
Spring Based Mini Piped Water Supply Schemes :-
In the hilly & far flung habitations where the natural springs are available nearby the habitations, such schemes are implemented for the water supply of the habitations. In this scheme, water of the spring is collected in the chamber and then it is taken in the water storage tank in the habitations through pipeline. Then it is distributed through tap connections / public stand posts. These schemes are implemented since the year 2009-10 as per the Govt. GR No. Apana-1010/ Pra. Kra.50/ Papu-15, Dated 20/02/2010 & Corrigendum Dated 17/10/2012 in the hilly habitations of Sahyadri Ranges in Konkan & Pune region. This scheme has maximum expenditure limit of Rs.10 Lakhs each. Since the year 2009-10 the total 129 No. of schemes are completed so far.
2) Water Lifting Devices Background:-
Goal of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other domestic basic needs on a sustainable basis. This basic requirement should meet minimum water quality standards and be readily and conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations. This is necessary to relieve women and girls especially, from the drudgery of fetching water, address malnutrition issues, and increase the time available for education and leisure, while also preventing contamination likely while fetching water from a distant source.
In Maharashtra, in terms of provision of safe drinking water, more than 90 percent of the rural habitations have been covered but it is also a matter of fact that much remains to be done to improve levels of service delivery, water quality and sustainability, in hilly remote habitations situated in and Satpuda Hil ranges. GSDA taken it as a mission and carried out survey of 216 hilly remote habitations located in Sahayadri and Satpuda hill ranges. It is identified that the habitations left to be tackled are located on the top/slope of hills. Their traditional drinking water sources are basically natural springs. Mostly on the top/slope of hills. Their traditional drinking water sources are basically natural springs. Mostly on the slope of hills near by the habitation. Small collection wells/ponds are also observed. These sources are accessible by very difficult slippery paths. Injuries due to slip on these path for daily collection of water are common to them. It was also observed that they are using traditional and very ancient water lifting devices made from the available wood and trees to fetch water from the natural springs Hence water lifting Devices is the main problem. Efforts of the women and girls of these habitations reach to the fatigue during summer and rainy days. School Girls and boys have to fetch the water from wells far away. Electricity is not sustainable. These habitations situated on the elevated plateaus of inaccessible and hilly terrain are technically not feasible for construction of bore wells due to their hydro geological setup and mostly not accessible for heavy vehicles due difficult geographic conditions. Also the conventional dug wells are seasonal and are not capable of catering the demand of water particularly in summer season
Innovative Solutions of GSDA:-
- GSDA have innovated and installed successfully some low cost, human efforts saving lifting devices like Universal Pumps – Wire Rope type and Suction Pumps, in these habitations. .
- Hydram Pumps are also used in two habitations which use Kinetic energy of flowing water.
- Solar Dual Pump Based Piped Water Supply Schemes developed by GSDA in these areas for the bore wells are now being replicated in thousands in all states. Spring Based water supply schemes have been implemented with house hold concept
HYDRAULIC RAM PUMP(HYDRAM ):-
Hydraulic ram pumps are water-lifting devices that are powered by filling water. Such pumps work by using the energy of water falling a small height to lift a small part of that amount of water to a much greater height. In this way, water from a spring or stream in a valley can be pumped to a village or irrigation scheme on the hillside. The main and unique advantage of hydraulic ram pumps is that with continuous flow of water, a hydram pump operates automatically and continuously with no other external energy source – be it electricity or hydrocarbon fuel. It uses a renewable energy source (stream of water) mid hence ensures low running cost. It imparts absolutely no harm to the environment Hydraulic ram pumps are simple, reliable and require minimal maintenance. All these advantages make hydraulic ram pumps suitable to rural community water supply mud backyard irrigation in remote and hilly areas .GSDA have implemented these schemes on pilot basis in two habitations of Raigad District named Aenghar and Ghotavade
Aenghar : Number Wadi Hydram – Raigad District:-
A small habitation at the foot hill of Sahyadri mountain Range (Western Ghat), named Number wadi of Aenghar village in Roha Block of Raigad District is situated on the bank of a small river which emerges from the peak near by the village. This small habitation was deprived from safe and clean water supply. Poor tribal were unable to bear energy charges for water supply scheme if provided. No question of irrigation. Hence socio economic status was far below. GSDA observed a 2 meter fall in this stream near the habitation and used it for an old technique of Hydram pump.Pumped water is distributed through 5000 liters elevated storage tank and two stand posts. Now due to 24 X 7 working of Hydram pump 50000 liters of water is available daily. Balance 45000 liters of water they are using for a small brick kiln and for irrigation also without any kind of energy charges. Certainly their socio – economic standard is up lifted due to this Hydram Pump based water supply scheme In 20 more such habitations in this hilly area, Hydram pump based schemes are under progress.
Jhadani Ghotavade Hydram:-
Jhadani is another small habitation of Ghotavade village of Raigad District in Sahyadri mountain range. There are six more habitations of Ghotavade village which are covered joint piped water supply schemes. Source is open well on the downstream side of Ghotavade Dam. Jhadani being small habitation of 130 population and 1.5 Km away was not covered under this scheme. One bore well with hand pump was provided there. It remains defunct during summer. Water was also not potable. Here GSDA have installed Hydram Pump on the using leakages of distributaries. Hydram pump is now daily pumping 50000 liters of water through a rising main of 1.5 Km long at 25 metre head through 5000 liter elevated over head. Five stand posts made it easier for the villagers. Carbon filters and use of TCL powder providing clean and safe water. Balance water is being used for agriculture.
UNIVERSAL HAND PUMP:-
i) Wire Rope Type Universal Pump:-
This device is innovated by GSDA for the very small habitations to fetch the water from available source either well or spring as the bore well drilling is not possible due to inaccessibility. India mark II hand pump is installed in this case in the habitation without riser pipes and connecting rods. Cylinder of the hand pump with necessary riser pipes and connecting rods is installed in the well/spring. Upper end of the connecting rod is tied to the wire rope which is connected to the front end of the handle with the help of pulleys through the pedestal of the pump. When the handle is moved, effort is passed to the plunger with the help of wire rope. Delivery of the pump is routed through a HDPE pipe up to spout of the handle. This type of universal pump can be used up to head of 30 metre. These type of pumps are working successfully in two hilly habitations named Chafe of Ratnagiri District and Gavdhan Wadi of Chavni habitation in Raigad Districts.
ii) Suction Type Universal Pump. :-
It is observed in some hilly habitations that though the head is less but the sources are far away. In this case suction type of universal pump is developed by GSDA.Water can be sucked from the depth of less than 10 m due to atmospheric pressure of 1 bar. On the basis of this principle a suction pump is developed. It is used in small habitations which are having dug well / spring as a source but it is far away from the habitation and head is less than 10 m. Cylinder is mounted in the pedestal of the hand pump .This Hand pump is installed in the habitation. From the bottom of cylinder a HDPE 25 mm dia pipe laid up to dug well and immersed into it with a non return valve. When the hand pump is operated the habitation it sucks the water from the well and delivers through spout. This solution saved their efforts in getting the water from the available source which is away from their habitation.GSDA successfully installed in number of habitations in hilly areas. Gavdhan wadi -Chavni village of Raigad District is using it for Anganwadi.