With reference to Romit Sen's and Kamal Vatta's article, "Changing India's water canvas" (February 2), water is a finite resource and the driving force of nature. Although the Earth is surrounded by water, fresh water is depleting at an alarming rate now. Even as the world's population is rising, fresh water supply is not increasing alongside it.
It is well known that India is a water-stressed country. Desalination is one way to ease this stress, but it is an expensive one. Recycling and reuse of wastewater is more feasible. Millions of litres of untreated water could be used more gainfully. Treating urban sewage water - which some cites around the world have started doing - is one option that India should consider seriously.
At present, a minuscule part of the treated water is used for industrial purposes. The aversion to using recycled water is purely psychological. One way to mitigate this aversion is to mix the recycled water with fresh water from rivers, underground reservoirs and then filter and pipe it.
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It is well known that India is a water-stressed country. Desalination is one way to ease this stress, but it is an expensive one. Recycling and reuse of wastewater is more feasible. Millions of litres of untreated water could be used more gainfully. Treating urban sewage water - which some cites around the world have started doing - is one option that India should consider seriously.
At present, a minuscule part of the treated water is used for industrial purposes. The aversion to using recycled water is purely psychological. One way to mitigate this aversion is to mix the recycled water with fresh water from rivers, underground reservoirs and then filter and pipe it.
H N Ramakrishna Bengaluru
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number