Evaluating Water Supply Schemes in terms of their Carbon Foot Prints

[keerthi sureshbabu]

India has been facing water stress and scarcity at various degrees at various places in the country. On the advent of climate change it is appropriate to take adoptative measures in all sectors particularly agriculture. Considering Water-Energy Nexus , it is necessary to evaluate water related equipments, machineries, utilities and even water supply schemes in total by arriving at their respective ‘Carbon Foot Prints’(CFP). This could be done for both existing schemes and newly proposed schemes through suitable studies and analysis.

‘Water-Energy Nexus’ is broad label for a set of interactions caused when human start using water and energy. The nexus manifests itself in many ways, revealing substantial trade off and opportunity costs associated with it. Energy production in US and India requires more water than any other industry. Water with density 1000kg/cum requires substantial energy for lifting, transporting, heating and pressurizing.

A carbon footprint is a measurement of green house gases that an individual, organization, event, or product produces or services from ‘cradle to cart”. As of the year 2007, India’s per capita CO2 contribution and ratio of GDP to CO2 emission were reported as 1.2 tonnes/capita/year.
CFP could be considered as one of the tool for evaluating the energy efficiency of the water supply scheme.

CFP of the scheme = SUM of CFP of (source + transmission system + equipments + machineries + treatment + distribution) divided by total volume of water.

This may be arrived for new schemes right from inception stage and also for existing schemes by conducting a suitable energy audit and adoptive measures. In addition to other bench marking criteria for the schemes, CFP may also find a place in final decision making on the scheme and its alternatives.

It is possible to arrive at component wise carbon foot print of all activities, materials, equipments, systems goods and services involved in water supply scheme and its alternatives comparable.

[SACHIN S PANDEY]

this information is really very helpful for me..thanks

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

This must be adopted