AGNELO PEREIRA
THE GOAN | MAPUSA
Maharashtra’s decision to impose a minimum 10 per cent water cut across urban and rural local bodies from October 16 should serve as a wake-up call for Goa, which has just recorded a 32 per cent rainfall deficit during one of its driest monsoons in decades.
While Goa’s reservoirs are presently in a relatively comfortable position, courtesy of late-season storage, the bigger concern is what happens between now and the arrival of the next monsoon. The State cannot afford to equate full reservoirs today with water security for the entire dry season.
Maharashtra has chosen to act ahead of an anticipated crunch by combining demand reduction with measures aimed at plugging wastage.
Apart from the 10 per cent cut, local bodies have been directed to undertake special drives against leakages, sewage treatment plants are to operate at full capacity and treated wastewater is to be used for gardening, construction and washing. Industries have been asked to reuse or recycle at least 30 per cent of their water consumption.
Goa has already begun taking some precautionary steps. The WRD has shifted the 25–30 MLD requirement of Verna and Mormugao from Selaulim to the Kushavati river to conserve Selaulim storage. It has also restricted irrigation releases and closed more than 400 bandharas earlier than usual.
But the question is whether Goa needs a more structured water-conservation plan rather than relying mainly on reservoir levels.
A senior WRD official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Goa may not immediately require a blanket water cut, but the State needs to start planning for the dry months now. “The important thing is not to wait until reservoirs start falling sharply. We need to assess demand sector-wise, identify leakages, reduce avoidable consumption and ensure that drinking water remains the first priority,” the official said.
The Maharashtra model provides Goa with several areas to consider: mandatory leakage audits of public pipelines, greater reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes, stricter monitoring of industrial consumption and a clear reserve target for drinking water extending until the next monsoon.
The State could also consider asking major industrial and commercial establishments, hotels and large construction projects to submit water-use and recycling plans. Municipalities and the DDW could simultaneously undertake a time-bound audit of major distribution networks to identify and plug leakages.
The issue is not about creating panic or imposing an immediate water cut. It is about moving from a reservoir-based approach to demand-based water management.
With the State having received nearly 950 mm less rainfall than normal this monsoon, the real test for Goa will begin when the rains disappear from the equation.
