In Punjab, where overexploitation of groundwater is rampant due to the extensive cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy, ongoing water conservation projects are offering a ray of hope. These initiatives not only promise to save significant amounts of groundwater but also lessen the burden on farmers, and the government and promote environmental sustainability.
The state of Punjab, renowned for its agricultural prowess, grappled with issues of water scarcity and pollution. However, Punjab embarked on a transformative journey towards water conservation and efficiency.
According to the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab generates a staggering 2,200 million liters per day (MLD) of sewage water, a significant portion of which was previously left untreated, leading to environmental degradation. Nevertheless, with advanced treatment facilities now in operation, 1,700 MLD of sewage water undergoes treatment daily.
Out of this treated water, 330 MLD from 60 sewage treatment plants (STPs) installed in various urban centers is already being utilized for irrigation through underground pipelines laid by the department. This initiative has been irrigating over 10,000 hectares of farmland, with plans underway to increase this capacity to 600 MLD and an area under 30,000 hectares by the year’s end.
The prevalence of approximately one tube well for every two hectares in Punjab has led to approximately 5,000 tube wells becoming inactive due to the availability of treated water from STPs for irrigation. One tube well roughly consumes
power worth Rs 72,000 to 80,000 annually for irrigation purposes. This has not only saved groundwater, and power used to run these tube wells but also contributed to environmental conservation, relieving the financial burden on the state government, which incurs huge amounts of money in the form of subsidized power for agricultural tube wells. Small and marginal farmers, who couldn’t afford tube wells, have benefited greatly from this initiative.
Additionally, farmers with existing tube wells have been spared the annual expense of deepening them due to depleting water levels. Farmers, who were once skeptical of using what they considered “dirty” water, and even protested against such projects, are now actively seeking out these initiatives. After undergoing treatment, the water from village pond projects is transported to fields through underground pipelines, ensuring its safety and efficacy for irrigation.
Moreover, the department has initiated the installation of village pond water projects across the region, with 110 such projects already operational. The impact of these initiatives is far-reaching.
If all 2,200 MLD of sewage water in Punjab is utilized for irrigation, it can potentially save irrigation on at least 1.5 lakh hectares, making around 75,000 tube wells inactive. This would be a monumental achievement in water conservation, power saving, and the preservation of underground water resources. Similarly, with 15,000 ponds of sewage water in Punjab, and 5,000 ponds spread over two acres of land, the water from these ponds could irrigate a significant amount of land.
“In several parts of Ropar and Mohali districts where several tube wells have gone dry and require digging at depths of 600 to 700 feet, costing around Rs 5 to Rs 7 lakh, farmers are now receiving this treated water free of cost. Moreover, there are several nutrients in this water, reducing the need for fertilizers,” said farmer Baljinder Singh of Mohali district who has been using treated water for irrigating his farmland.
In 2014, several farmers at Rampura Phul village in Bathinda district opposed an STP-treated water irrigation project due to the availability of underground water. However, by 2019, the situation had drastically changed, with people approaching the Soil Conservation Department to initiate the project. Similarly, in Phagwara, around 260 beneficiaries are utilizing treated water from the Phagwara STP for irrigation purposes. Water from this STP is being used by farmers from four villages, Burna, Khangura, Kishanpur, and Palahi, under a water-user society, through several kilometers of underground pipes.
“In Israel, 96% of sewage water is treated, with 86% used for irrigation and 10% for other purposes. Similarly, in Punjab, the entire sewage water can be utilized,” said Gurvinder Singh Dhillon, district soil conservation officer (headquarters), adding that the implementation of such projects incurs minimal operational and maintenance costs, reducing the burden on the state exchequer, which subsidizes electricity for individual tube wells. The Soil and Water Conservation Department has launched this project under the “Utilization of Treated Water from STPs for Irrigation”. However, the free power supplied to the farm sector and unregulated groundwater mining for agriculture are major impediments to promoting such alternative projects on the scale it should be undertaken.
The government must focus on formulating a concrete policy to regulate groundwater and prevent the wastage of this vital resource, said sources, “The current situation of groundwater development in Punjab is critical, with nearly 80% of the state’s total area falling under overexploited zones. This alarming situation necessitates the utilization of available water sources in the agricultural sector,” stated Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Amrik Singh.