The News Review:

- The infrastructure trap
- Growth’s draining effect: Officials seek to keep water flowing to…
- Draft policy accords priority to drinking water
- For a healthy lifeline
- Local officials tap into water sources needed after 2035

The infrastructure trap
Hindu – Sep 30, 2006
Does Kochi have the infrastructure to match the `vertical’ growth it has witnessed in recent years? The real estate boom has led to more and more high-rises being constructed in the city and its neighbourhood and as the pressure on the available infrastructure mounts, there are concerns as to how far the city can support growth on this scale. Water scarcity Take water for instance. While one group says that water resources are aplenty, and it is the skewed distribution system that is at fault, another group says that water resources are limited and it is the increase in population has resulted in the scarcity of water. Balakrishnan, president of the Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council, said that the ruling authority should be able to get work done and complete all projects of public importance before time. Infrastructure will make or mar the growth of a city, he said…
Most of the builders try to provide their own source of water because they cannot depend on getting enough water supply from the Kerala Water Authority. “We have been hearing about various schemes to improve the water supply for the last ten years or more. Nothing seems to have happened so far,” says K. Lava, managing director, Skyline Foundation and Structures. “In all our projects, we dig borewells and also implement rainwater harvesting and set up a sewage treatment plant so that the basic amenities are met,” Mr.

Growth’s draining effect: Officials seek to keep water flowing to…
Free with registration – Baltimore Sun – AccessMyLibrary.com – Sep 30, 2006
| Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD) (September, 2006). 30–When Las Vegas felt squeezed between its limited water supply and booming growth, it started paying residents $1 per square foot to replace their thirsty green lawns wit.

Draft policy accords priority to drinking water
Hindu – Sep 30, 2006
The policy proposes additional institutional mechanisms for water resources development and management, such as a Water Resources Development Board, river water authorities and river basin boards. The draft, prepared by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Kozhikode, accords priority to the use of water for drinking and domestic purposes followed by farming. Industrial use may have to be given priority in certain areas. The draft stresses the need to collect reasonable water charges for various uses. “At minimum, the operation and maintenance costs have to be recovered. A part of the capital cost also has to be recovered over a time…
However, rates should be linked directly to the quality of service provided. Stressing the need to maintain projects in which the State has made massive investments, the draft says the maintenance has to be done with the participation of stakeholders. The Government shall hand over all drinking water supply schemes, except the larger ones, to local governments. The policy recommends the preparation of a master plan for the optimal use of water. If any of the rivers in the State has surplus water, its use within the State by means of inter-basin transfer will be explored. However, a clause on `potential decommissioning’ will form a part of the inter-basin and inter-State water transfer agreements in future. A performance evaluation of all inter-State water transfer schemes will be carried out by the State and action initiated to protect the State’s interest.

For a healthy lifeline
Hindu – Sep 30, 2006
The first step, of course, would be to assess the water required for daily consumption and storage. In case of residential buildings, approximately 135 litres of water is required per head per day. For example, for a family of four, you should store about 540 (4 x 135) litres of water everyday. Laying the line Here are some tips that can be kept in mind while laying the water pipeline: Ensure that there is no contamination of water supply…
In case of residential buildings, approximately 135 litres of water is required per head per day. For example, for a family of four, you should store about 540 (4 x 135) litres of water everyday. Laying the line Here are some tips that can be kept in mind while laying the water pipeline: Ensure that there is no contamination of water supply. Ensure that they are not laid very close to each other. Avert back flow from any appliance towards the source of supply. Joints in pipes should be leak proof and tested under pressure.

Local officials tap into water sources needed after 2035
Corpus Christi Caller-Times – Corpus Christi Caller Times – Sep 30, 2006
The Choke Canyon and Lake Corpus Christi reservoir system, combinedwith water coming from Lake Texana through the Mary Rhodes pipeline,will serve the area through 2035 or 2050, depending on usage, assistantcity manager Ron Massey told an audience at a Coastal Bend BaysFoundation conference Friday. “That just shows how forward thinking our (City) Council has been inguiding us,” Massey said. The foundation organized the conference and invited speakers fromthe Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.