Assessment of present water supply system and identification of options to meet future water demands of Amritsar city
Student name: Ms Wafa Singh
Guide: Dr Devesh Sharma
Year of completion: 2009
Host Organisation: Asian Consulting Engg Pvt. Ltd.
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Abhaye Mahajan
Abstract: The city of Amritsar today is faced with the crisis of its water resources becoming increasingly scarce, a problem which threatens to grow bigger day by day. As its drinking water supply is entirely dependant on ground water reserves, the latter has been increasingly exploited at a rate that exceeds its natural replenishment. Along with this, out of the water, which is being extracted through the ground reserves, majority is being lost in the process of its distribution, due to poor infrastructure and faulty operation and maintenance of the water distribution network. Therefore, the over-exploitation of groundwater, coupled with the snags in the water distribution, is making the situation increasingly precarious. Also, there is a need to identify alternative sources of water, which can serve as water supply sources in the future and also destress the groundwater reserves.
Hence, the objective of this study is to assess the present level of performance of the water distribution network in Amritsar city, to estimate the future water demands and to identify alternative water resource options. The entire analysis brigs forth findings such as poor level of performance of the water distribution network in the city, accounting for unacceptably high water losses and, the unsatisfactory performance of the MCA, with respect to international norms. The study is also able to indicate how the present level of service falls far behind the future water demands. Also, an assessment of alternative sources brings out the huge potential offered by the latter, if deployed.
Therefore, this study intends to assess the water distribution prevailing in the city, along with identifying other feasible water resources options. This is the need of the hour today, to ensure sustainability with respect to provision of drinking water facilities and the protection of city’s water resources in the years to come.
Key Words: distribution, exploitation, groundwater, replenishment, resource
