Water

Country Water Action: India
Living on City Wastewater
July 2009

By Cezar Tigno
Web Writer

Hyderabad and Secunderabad cities dump their wastewater on the Musi River. But farmers have come to the river’s rescue. What uses have they found for the cities’ wastewater?

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Poor farmers in and around the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in India’s semi-arid Andhra Pradesh state have found wisdom in this old adage. Lacking irrigation water, these farmers rely on urban wastewater, dumped into the Musi River that runs through the cities, for irrigating their crops and supporting other livelihood activities. And even knowing that such waters could carry health risks for their produce, the farmers swear by them.

“It’s like the water comes with its own fertilizer. Our plants grow to great heights. We grow leafy vegetables, and some eggplants and tomatoes with this water,” a farmer explains.

In urban and peri-urban areas, wastewater is used to grow leafy vegetables, bananas, coconuts, jasmine, fodder grass for cattle-raising, and for toddy tapping (collecting juice from the bud of palm tree flowers). In rural areas, wastewater is used for irrigating rice paddies and vegetables, toddy tapping, and more.

Wastewater from the cities’ sewage system is either sent to two treatment plants, which can only treat one-third of the total volume of wastewater, or into open sewage drainage canals that directly discharge into the river. Farmers directly channel wastewater from the river into several adjoining plots of land. Some pump wastewater from the river or from shallow wells along the riverbanks.

“We know that water from the Musi River is polluted. But we have no problems with it,” said a 55 year old livestock farmer. He has leased 2 acres of land for fodder grass production. “Musi water makes fodder grass grow well. In fact, it is very beneficial. Our buffaloes give plenty of milk due to this grass and they have not shown any signs of ill health,” he added.

For the poor farmers and their families in these twin cities, wastewater has become a primary contributor to securing their food and sustaining their livelihoods.

Top

Running through the entire Andhra Pradesh state, the Musi River used to cause frequent flooding until modern urban planning reached Hyderabad and Secunderabad in the early 20th Century. Two dams, the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar, were built to control floods and serve as the cities’ fresh water source.

Hyderabad and Secunderabad had a combined population of 3.7 million in 2001, a 17.2 percent increase from 1991, making it one of the fastest growing urban areas in India. The population is projected to reach 9.5–11.3 million people by 2011. Currently, residents of the twin cities consume some 170 million gallons a day, which translates into volumes of wastewater dumped into the Musi River daily.

Before, the Musi River only flows during the monsoon season, about three months every year. Today, however, with the twin cities’ rapid urbanization, population increase, and industrialization, the Musi is now a perennial river, with the year-round in-flow of wastewater from domestic and industrial sources. And because Hyderabad’s sewage network covers a mere 62 percent of the city, the Musi River takes in both treated wastewater from the sewage network and sewage water outside the system.

Not letting this wastewater go to waste, Hyderabad and Secunderabad farmers decided on productive uses for them.

Top

A 2002 report on the Musi River’s water quality obtained by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) states that the bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values of Hyderabad’s wastewater were quite low. But, the report also indicated high levels of faecal contamination, which increases the health risks to farmers and agricultural laborers in direct contact with the wastewater. Health risk to consumers is expected to be low, assuming that none of the vegetables irrigated with wastewater are eaten raw. The report also showed that all heavy metals are within safe limits. And while the vegetables do not undergo any quality assurance tests, the farmers are not worried.

“We know that the water is polluted, but if this water were not here, many people will not have any work or livelihood,” a female farmer said.

Another farmer, a 35 year-old male who had migrated with his wife and four children from a village in Nalgonda district to another where wastewater is abundant, said, “People say that this is chemical water, but because of it, so many people are able to fill their stomachs. We would not have migrated to this village if this water was not available to us. We will have to migrate again to some other village, if the water runs out.”

Of course, wastewater will not run out. IWMI estimates that about 40,600 hectares of land are irrigated with domestic and industrial wastewater flowing from the city up to several points downstream. Water buffaloes, goats, and cattle are also given either wastewater or well water (which is also likely to be polluted) so they can produce more milk. Some even use wastewater for aquaculture.

Top

In semi-arid Andhra Pradesh, the abundance of wastewater is better than having no water at all. The farmers tried to harvest rainwater but this wasn’t enough as rainfall only comes 3 months every year.  Wastewater is now the only source of water available in sufficient quantities throughout the year, and is the key to securing food for farmers’ families and community.
 
The farmers generally retain part of their produce for their own consumption, while the rest is sold to nearby towns or exchanged for other vegetables that they cannot grow with wastewater to add variety to their diet. Because of this, about 20 percent of urban households’ income has been translated into savings. Others earn additional income from selling extra milk from their cattle, fed with fodder grown with wastewater.

In the rural areas, wastewater irrigated paddy contributes almost 43 percent of household food consumption. Some households also grow vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, and corn for their own use.

In other parts of the world, reusing wastewater is not new. In Australia, wine makers channel treated wastewater from a wastewater treatment plant to irrigate their grape vineyards. In Singapore, the most advanced technology makes wastewater crystal clear and safe for drinking once again and channeled back into reservoirs.

But along the Musi River, water treatment seems a low priority. Until city policymakers acknowledge wastewater’s role in food security and push for wastewater treatment, the cleanup of the Musi River, and other solutions, farmers will continue using untreated wastewater regardless of the health risks it brings. To them, it’s better than having no food to feed their families.

Top

• Household Food Security and Wastewater-dependent Livelihood Activities Along the Musi River in Andhra Pradesh, India

*This link takes you outside the ADB website. Please use the back button to return to ADB.org.