India receives an average annual rainfall of 1170 mm. Poor storage infrastructure allows it to store only 6 per cent of rainwater, compared to 250 per cent stored by developed nations. There must be pan-India infrastructure for rainwater harvesting. It is important to empower local people and enable them to save water for usage. To prepare for drought years, we must adopt the system of water markets. In Australia, for instance, markets are the process by which value is assigned to water, and hence, incentivises water moving to higher value areas. Water is traded within local catchments, and where possible, between catchments and along river systems, beyond the regular water sharing arrangements when needed.
This need usually arises during times of water scarcity, like a drought year. At such times, water is bought from another place to a place where it has more value. For example, a vegetable growing farmer will not face as much loss as a person who has an almond orchard. The latter's orchards — that take years to grow — will die without water, while the farmer growing vegetables can simply return to sowing when the water scarcity ends. This farmer can be compensated for giving up water to the orchards.
Segregation of Grey Water and Black Water
When it comes to recycling waste water, it needs to begin at the apartment level with the segregation of grey water and black water. This can be achieved by separating their plumbing. Because the drainage of a large number of independent houses and new apartments is going incorrectly through government supply pipes, which are improperly connected to the government Water Supply and Sewerage Board pipes, grey and black water mix. As a result, the wastewater also contaminates rainwater, further polluting the lakes. There must be regulation checks every month of industrial waste water management. Each housing society must have a proper system of segregation of grey water and black water.
Government must build a system of incentives for housing societies having rainwater storage systems, and government must also ensure that every government building has a rainwater storage system.