ECO STEPS Associates
Research Papers
Managing and Planning Water Services
Abstract: Water is source of life creation and survival of mankind on the earth, if managed effeciently in stipulated time and space dimentions. Ideal water utality must transform into a sustainable, efficient, vibrant, consumer’s and environmental friendly entity with clear social and commercial objectives capable of delviring effective provisioning of water and sewerage services. Efficient and equitable water, wastewater and storm water management for the mega cities is becoming an increasingly complex task. When accelerating water scarcities and pollution in and around urban centers are superimposed on issues like continuing urbanization, lack of investment funds for constructing and maintaining water infrastructures, high public debts, inefficient resources allocation processes, inadequate management capacities, poor governance, inappropriate institutional frameworks and inadequate legal and regulatory regimes, water management in the mega cities poses a daunting task in the future. This paper will focus on water resources management in its totality in the mega city of Rawalpindi –Pakistan which includes situational analysis of each component of existing infrasturctures and then stratgizing its manageemnt, resources / assets , revenue generation, database upgradation and capacity building with the view to enhance its technical, social, economic, legal, institutional and environmental dimensions / out look.
Key words: Approaches, environment, financial sustainable, strategies, vibrant
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PLANNING AND MANGING WATER SERVICES IN THE POTOHAR REGION OF PAKISTAN
Electronic Journal of Enivronmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2009 Vol. 8 No. 8 pp. 647-656 ISSN. 1579-4377
Glaciers in Pakistan cover 13,680 km2 which is 13% of the mountain regions of the Upper Indus Basin. Snow melt water from these glaciers contributes more than 60% to the river flows. The vast variations in temperature and precipitation patterns have created enormous impacts. An average variation of +5 to 10C has been observed in the northern part of Pakistan. During 2008, couple of glaciers slipped from their centuries old locations and blocked the flow of Hunza River besides blocking the Kurrakurm High Way and Sonoghur, in Chitral experienced a disaster where Sonoghur Glacier slipped on the village. The ever rising temperature has adversely impacted the rain fall patterns both temporally and spatially creating water quality, quantity and ground water aquifer depletion problems. Over and above, intense rains are not only affecting the ground water recharge mechanism but also causing abnormal flooding. Potohar Region has experienced sub zero temperature during 2007-08 which has slowed down the reaction of coagulant, resulting in slow sedimentation process with high consumption of chemicals. The future of water is the future of mankind which warrants establishing sustainable ecological policies, developing and implementing new technologies and harnessing available expertise.
Key Words: Aquifer, basin, climate change, disaster, global, earth, glacier, technologies, magnitudes, temperature, water , sanitation, warming, sustainable, snow, ice melt, mountains, lakes, development, goals.
Socio-economic Impacts on Human Life in Arsenic Affected Area of Basti Rasul Pur, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Sustainable Agriculture Research; Vol. 1, No. 2; 2012 ISSN 1927-050X E-ISSN 1927-0518 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
The availability and scarcity of both surface and ground water alongwith adverse impacts of contaminated water have become major problems in Pakistan. Groundwater arsenic contamination in the southern part of the country has exponentially endangered the human life and complicated the efforts to provide safe drinking water in the arsenic contaminated areas. To gauge the adverse impacts amongst the affected population, household survey in Basti Rasul Pur district Rahim Yar Khan was conducted on core socio-economic indicators such as household conditions, sex ratio, earning sources, literacy, health morbidity, water borne diseases, drinking water contamination, education, employment and unemployment, expenditure on hospitalization for drawing best possible conclusions. Resultantly, sex ratio observed was about 1.01% for adults and 9.8 % for children. A total of 77 % water samples were found with arsenic contamination, due to which 50 % people were found with arsencosis symptoms and 60% of their earnings were being spent on hospitalization. Due to poverty and illiteracy, the entire population was un-aware of the adverse impacts of drinking water arsenic contamination. There is a dire need of installation of sustainable community based arsenic mitigation technologies for provisioning of safe drinking water to affected community.
Keywords: arsenic contamination, quality standards, socio-economic survey, arsenicosis patients, nation action
plan, water quality practices
Groundwater arsenic contamination – a multi-directional emerging threat to water scarce areas of Pakistan
IAHS Red Book Publication, 324 (2008) Page No. 24-30, ISBN 978-1-901502-79-4, 566 + x pp (24-30)
Abstract Groundwater arsenic contamination has exponentially endangered the human life and complicated the efforts for obtaining and maintaining drinking water quality standards in Pakistan, particularly in the central and southern parts of the country. In the province of Sindh, groundwater arsenic concentration has reached up to 1100 μg/l against WHO limits of 10 μg/l. In the province of Punjab, over 20% and in the province of Sindh, around 36% of the population is exposed to arsenic contamination above WHO limits. Therefore, keeping in view the catastrophic situation, study on arsenic prevalence in the small village Bhutewan (which fulfils all the prerequisites for arsenic prevalence) district Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan was carried out. During the year 2004, 13 water sources were tested having depth ranging from 14-50 m and the arsenic contamination between 150 μg/l to 400 μg/l was found in all the 13 water samples with minimum concentration of 50 μg/l at 45 m depth and maximum arsenic concentration of 400 μg/l at 13 ft. positive correlation between Fe concentration and arsenic concentration in samples indicated the reductive dissolution of arsenic bearing iron (hydro)oxides. In 2005, with the collaboration of UNICEF, 19307 water sources were tested in district Rahim Yar Khan and it was observed that out of 19307 samples, 9644 samples were within the safer limits <10 μg/l (49.95%) and the rest of 9663 samples (50.05%) were found with varying arsenic concentration from 20 μg/l to 500 μg/l. This paper is a part of the effort to evolve and develop a community based, sustainable arsenic mitigation system by establishing spatial and temporal prevalence of arsenic in the study area.
Key Words: Groundwater quality, arsenic contamination, soil strata, geochemical.
USE OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER FOR PLAIN CEMENT CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS
Electronic Journal of Enivronmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry pp. 1102-1110 ISSN. 1579-4377
Reuse of Municipal wastewater is seems to be restricted for irrigation purposes only, whereas, the same can be used in plain cement concrete construction works without compromising the compressive strength. The only negative ingredient in municipal wastewater is the presence of sulphates. Four categories of water samples (Tap water, Primary Treated wastewater, 50%Tap water + 50% municipal wastewater and municipal wastewater) were used in the plain cement concrete cylinders which were tested for compressive strength, having 7, 21 and 28 days curing age. It was found that municipal wastewater after primary treatment, if used in the mixing process of plain cement, will give 209 Kg / cm2 whish is the required compressive strength of plain cement concrete. Therefore, Reuse of municipal wastewater in the construction works can save fresh water which is becoming scare day by day.
MICRO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT FOR INCREASED WATER AVAILABILITY AND ENHANCED CROP PRODUCTIVITY,
Kambrial, District Attock, Punjab Pakistan
Kamrial is village located in Tehsil Pindi Gheb District Attock. Kamrial itself is Union Council headquarter. The geographical coordinates of kamrial are 33°17'13"North 72°34'36"East, with the population of 12437 nos ( 1998 census ). Pindi Gheb is located at 110 kilometers from Rawalpindi and 102 kilometers from Attock. It is away 10 Kms from Dhullian Chowk & 47 Kms from Talagang. Tehsil Pindi Gheb is bounded in North with Tehsil Attock, West Tehsil Jand, South Tehsil Talagang District Chakwal, and East Tehsil Fateh Jang. The Indus bounds it on the north-west.
PRESENTATION ON MICRO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT FOR INCREASED WATER AVAILABILITY AND ENHANCED CROP PRODUCTIVITY,
Kambrial, District Attock, Punjab Pakistan
Micro-watershed management is an excellent concept of boosting and enhancing agriculture productivity aimed to livelihood generation, improving bio-diversity & eco-system, recharge of ground water aquifer in water scarce area of village Kambrial etc. The project took-off with lot of enthusiasm & commitments by the staff of CAEWRI/NARC.
PRESENTATION ON Community Base Value added Wastewater Treatment (through Hybrid Constructed Wetland) , for Reuse ,Drinking Water Contamination Reduction and to Improve Health & Socio-Economic Indicators at Village Chattal, District Chakwal
In Village Chattal , district Chakwal, wastewater collection ponds was located right in the centre , very close to water supply scheme- a common practice in all the villages. Though , using ground water for drinking purposes, yet alarming levels of bacterial water contamination were observed in drinking water. Reason was seepage of un-managed wastewater from near wastewater pond. After community mobilization, wastewater was collected through lined drains on gravity flow regime and was treated through Hybrid constructed wetlands, located at the village periphery. Hybrid constructed wetlands was designed on livelihood generation – with value addition interventions for post project sustainability. Within one year, water born disease were reduced from 115 nos to 15nos. Community is selling treated wastewater for agriculture purposes and drinking water contamination has been reduced minimal- as monitored by WaterAid.
HILL TORRENTS POTENTIALS AND SPATE IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURAL STRATEGIES IN PAKISTAN
Pakistan has not only been blessed with enriched hydrological cycling phenomenon which generate abandoned quantum of water in the northern part , but also possess 18.68 MAF Water Potential in water scarce areas of Pakistan , known as Rod Kohi. Spate irrigation is in practice in Pakistan, where, flood water, during monsoon season, gets generated and channelized from down-hill countered profiles (catchments area). These hill torrential are diverted to agriculture fields, by constructing earthen embankments or related hydraulic concrete structures. Since, hill sides torrential are unpredictable, temporally and spatially matrix, which poses numerous challenges to the farmers who in return forcibly integrate / pool up individual resources to partially manage this scarce resource. Though the annual rainfall ( ....100...mm/year) in this area is low and uncertain yet at the same time due to terrain lay out , substantial quantum of water gets accumulated due to downhill side terrain profile each rainfall event. The agriculture activities, in these areas are totally dependent on such type of phenomenal rainfalls. Unfortunately, due to lack of scientific water resource management and modern agriculture practices, major quantum of torrential flood water is not only gets wasted , but also causes huge losses to human life and property . This catastrophic situation arises, as there are neither successive layers of check-dams on the down-hill sides of these mountain ranges, nor any kind of water storage facilities exist at the foot hill areas. PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council) and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Foundation ( PPAF) did funded some localized water storage , water conveyance and water distribution system interventions, but still there is a dire need of holistically adoption of watershed management approaches , based on resource integration concept and practices. This un-managed water resource must be harnessed / converted into lucrative opportunities to oxygenize the life line for millions of people residing in these areas.
Analysis of application uniformity and pressure variation of microtube emitter of trickle irrigation system
Micro-irrigation systems can apply irrigation water quite efficiently, but only if they are operated and maintained properly. Irrigation using drippers is often considered the most efficient method in terms of both water use and labour, but, because it is more complex in design and management, a drip system must be designed, installed, managed and maintained correctly. Keeping in view this fact trickle irrigation system using locally produced materials was designed and installed on an area of 1.2 acres for citrus orchard at the field station of water resources research institute, NARC Islamabad, Pakistan. The cost of this indigenized trickle irrigation system was Rs.125880 for the area which is about Rs. 104900/acre for orchards. The drip system installed on citrus orchards was evaluated for its hydraulic performance. Results of the study revealed that the discharge of the micro tube-emitter varied from 15.67 to 8.67 L/h under the pressure head of 10.56 to 7 m when the drip irrigation system was operated at 10.54 m pressure head. The water application uniformity was found to be above 80% which describes that the drip irrigation was designed on the basis of proper scaling and dimensions.
Community based sewage treatment through hybrid constructed wetlands system for improved heath & hygiene and for enhanced agriculture productivity / livelihood generation in rural water scarce environments-Pakistan
World over, fresh water scarcity problems are growing in scope & complexity to multiple factors, like population growth, climatic impacts, excessive water uses pattern in agriculture. A substantial quantum of treated wastewater , can be made available through constructed wetlands, which can supplement the fresh water scarcity. Almost, 80 % of the total generated raw sewage is being discharged into water bodies or being used for agriculture purposes, specially for vegetable farming, which contributes towards fresh water sources and food chain contamination. Centralized mechanical types of wastewater treatment plants are in use which is capital and recurring costs intensive. Resultantly, due to lack of sufficient recurring finances and energy shortages, these sewage treatment plants become non-operational and un-manageable.
Arsenicosis case identification, diagnosis and management protocol for early patient medicare administration and treatment
Many countries in the world, especially South Asia e.g., Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Vietnam, China and Myanmar are facing ground water arsenic contamination problems and it has been recognized as an emerging threat and challenge to public health (Ahmad et al, 2004). Pakistan, following the arsenic crisis in Bangladesh and in other neighboring countries, has recognized the need of assessing drinking water quality for arsenic contamination in late nineties (PCRWR 2002). Ground water arsenic contamination has emerged as a serious socio-economic and human health concerns all over the world, including Pakistan. Likewise , around 25-36 % population of two provinces in Pakistan is exposed to drinking water arsenic contamination over 10 ppb. It may be reasonable to disregard the presence of some arsenic in the water, but beyond 50 ppb is
considered dangerous (NAPAM 2005). Keeping in view the adverse impacts of arsenic contamination on human health, various initiatives by different governmental and non-governmental departments and organizations were taken, without resource integration and prudent coordination mechanisms amongst the various stakeholders (IUCN, 2007).
Resource Integration Based Institutional Framework for Sustainable Drinking Water Arsenic Contamination Mitigation and Management
Ground water Arsenic contamination has exponentially endangered the human life and complicated the efforts for obtaining and maintaining drinking water quality standards. The deadly contaminant (Arsenic) has created an alarming and catastrophic crises world over, especially in South Asia e.g., Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Vietnam, China and Myanmar who are facing ground water arsenic contamination problems (Islam, 2005). Every affected country is combating the arsenic contamination menace within the framework of their own socio-economic, legal and cultural perspectives which may not be cost-effective and efficient in time and space matrix. The reason might be of devoid of integration approach amongst the key stakeholders. Hence, under the circumstances, there was a dire need of an integrated approach to combat the arsenic contamination which has virtually emerged as a crises situation, thus necessitating formulation of national action plan for arsenic mitigation. Strategies and objectives within the action plan framework are based on the earlier initiatives of addressing the serious issue of arsenic contamination which includes, establishing integrated institutional arrangements and developing capacity, coordination mechanism amongst all the implementing agencies / stakeholders, like, government(s), NGOs, donor agencies and other related departments & organizations (NAPAM, 2005). The prudent institutional arrangements will make policy decisions and legislation to implement resource integration based arsenic mitigation which includes monitoring and surveillance of water quality/ aquifer mapping / treatment and data base thereof, establishing case diagnosis / treatment of affected arsenicosis patients under health department, developing effective and sustainable behavioral change communication strategies. It will also include community participation / social mobilization and developing cost-effective water treatment technologies and establishment of research related infrastructures. The resource integration based action will converge all the financial, technological and human resources in achieving desired objectives cost-effectively, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Sustained Applications of Pesticides and Fertilizers in Sugarcane, Cotton and Wheat Cultivated Areas Causes Ground Water Arsenic Contamination - District Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Due to over all water scarcity situation, more reliance is made on local groundwater sources for drinking and other human needs /purposes. Most of the boreholes or shallow wells are confined to upper aquifers which are exposed to contamination from all sorts of wastewaters and run-off from agricultural field etc. Water quality monitoring from these ground water sources remained irregular, as main focus was on surface water quality monitoring . Information on seasonal water quality changes in surface and ground water was generally lacking. Natural factors facilitating introduction of arsenic into water are related to geomorphology, tectonic activities and chemical components of water bearing formations (Tong, 2002; Htay, 2004, Fengthong, 2004). Keeping in view the prevalence of arsenic in district Rahim Yar khan , a confirmatory arsenic testing was carried out and it was revealed that out of 45 samples, tested for arsenic contamination, 57.78 % were having more than 100 ppb arsenic contamination and 35.56 % were having arsenic contamination more than 50 ppb, which were higher than the WHO limits. During 2006, UNICEF installed some kind of arsenic removal technologies in the area, which were not sustainable due to lack of technical know and resources essentially needed during post project periods . At the same time no endeavors were made to ascertain the causes of arsenic prevalence for having sustainable alternative arsenic free water sources.
Performance Assessment of Installed Arsenic Removal Technologies and Development of Protocol for Alternative Safe Drinking Water Supply Options for Arsenic Hit Areas of Pakistan
After identifications of arsenic contamination in Pakistan, lot of technological based arsenic mitigation interventions were carried out which could not last longer due to non-availability of filtration media and running spare parts of arsenic removal tanks units in the local market. The in-depth performance analysis of arsenic removal technology (ART) units, clay pitchers and PUR sachet was carried out which showed un-sustainability of these interventions. The main reasons are lack of awareness, illiteracy and unfavorable socio-economic conditions which make the end users in villages/rural areas the most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of any type of contaminated water and own the installed arsenic removal interventions. Therefore, before taking up any arsenic removal project, it is worthwhile to explore those interventions which are compatible to local socio-economic environments. Deeping boring options have been found best suited, as most of the agricultural practices are dependent on ground water- at shallow depths. The soil analysis at deeper depth will help in ascertaining the causes of arsenic contamination due to presence of arseno-pyrites or due to leaching of sustained applications of pesticides & fertilizers. Therefore, in case of absence of arseno-pyrite sediments at deeper depths. Then the best option for provisioning of arsenic free water is deep boring. The active participation of the communities who are the intended beneficiaries of arsenic mitigation is vital for the success of the programme. Lack of awareness and generally unfavorable conditions are also obstacles to mobilizing communities to get the best out of community-based programmes and projects. Therefore, a well designed protocol for alternative water supply has been evolved which will help in provisioning of sustainable arsenic free water.
