Challenges in integrated management of water resoures - Field report from Mulbagal, Karnataka

In an earlier post on IUWM and interventions based on hydrological considerations, I had discussed the typologies which could define the way we intervene and address the inconsistencies in the water utility services as well as the net water availability of the region.

From our project area, in Mulbagal town 100 km from Bangalore, we have this "state of affairs" report by Vishwanath S. (of zenrainman channel). This is a typical case of partially functional water utility services, with people fetching water from distant sources. Under uncertain resource availability people try to arrange for multiple sources of water like the wells shown in this clip. The next stage of crisis would see people adding yet another source of water i.e. water trucks. Such is the progession of crisis and people's way of coping with it!

Under these circumstances, how does one "integrate" and "manage" these resources, so that we have equitable and secure water distribution? In this project we are still working out various approaches to this effect, and the foreseeable result should mean abundant water in the aquifer and above ground, piped water to every household of the town. The way to that goes through many such pilot programs and observations that we make from the project regions.