The tyranny of small decisions- living with sub-optimality in the water and waster water sector: experience from the field

Name of the Speaker: S. Vishwanath

Title of the Seminar: The tyranny of small decisions- living with sub-optimality in the water and waster water sector: experience from the field [Gallery]

Date and Time: 20th December 2019 (Friday), 4:00 PM

Venue: Lecture Hall, ICWaR

About the speaker: S Vishwanath is a Civil Engineer and an Urban Planner. He has 33 years of experience in the water, waste-water and sanitation sector helping design rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, wastewater recycling and ecosan systems. He is an Adjunct Professor and teaches a course on the theme – Water at the Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, India (http://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/SitePages/vishwanath-s.aspx). He is a Trustee with the Biome Environmental Trust (www.biometrust.org). One of the current projects is to help the traditional well-digging community build a million recharge wells for Bengaluru. He used to write a weekly column called Waterwise for the last 12 years for  The Hindu (http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/s.-vishwanath/). He has been part of the expert committee which helped formulate the Rainwater harvesting policy and law for Bengaluru, the Waste-water policy for Karnataka and the Water Policy for Karnataka being drafted by the Karnataka Knowledge Commission.

Abstract: The management of water and wastewater is often seen as an institutional issue. Yet in the case of India there are many stakeholders at play apart from institutions and in fact, may crucially be using and in control of more waters and wastewaters than the government. In the quest for sustainable management of resources, optimality is put forward as a goal, whereas a series of sub optimality’s, often in conflict with the optimal, is likely the way forward. How is rainwater harvesting to work in non-optimal worlds? How is groundwater to be used and recharged? What happens to faecal sludge from pit toilets and septic tanks and wastewater in a city ecosystem? Can livelihoods also be included as part of the management of water as a resource? Do policies and standards need a fresh look in this context? Why are we subject to the tyranny of small decisions ?

Some examples and experiences from Bengaluru were discussed in the talk.

Date/Time
Date(s) - 20/12/2019
4:00 pm