ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
To make matters worse, the city’s antiquated plumbing
needs an urgent upheaval; a report by the national
government found that the city loses more than half its
drinking water to waste. Like China, India struggles with
water pollution and Bengaluru is no different. An in-depth
inventory of the city’s lakes found that 85% had water that
could only be used for irrigation and industrial cooling. Fresh water is a precious
but finite resource and
conservation calls for urgent
and immediate measures.
Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
officials said in response to the BBC report, “Great
responsibility lies with the citizens of Bengaluru to use
water judiciously and to save water. Rampant exploitation
of groundwater should be avoided and rainwater
harvesting should be undertaken in a way to replenish
the groundwater.” fixtures and low-flow faucets and by usage of alternative
sources of water (other than potable) for applications
such as flushing of water closets and urinals, landscape
irrigation, car wash, and make-up water for air-
conditioning cooling towers. It is imperative that efficient
plumbing design practices and installation procedures
are adopted that evolve out of robust codes and
standards, as well as appropriate scientific principles.
IS THERE AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION
TO THIS CRISIS?
This situation in India, especially in Bengaluru, is similar
to the predicted and imminent water shortages of many
countries around the world, which can be lessened
by selecting and installing efficient water-consuming
products, such as taps (including faucets and shower
heads), and water-efficient plumbing fixtures/appliances
such as clothes washers, dishwashers, urinals, and water
closets (toilets). In this global effort, as many countries
as possible can contribute towards helping resolve this
issue, as well as helping prevent drastic water shortages,
especially those in drought-stricken areas.
WATER CONSERVATION
Water conservation includes all the policies,
strategies, and activities enacted to sustainably
manage the natural resource of freshwater, to protect
the water environment, and to meet the current and
future human demand. Population, household size,
and growth and affluence all affect how much water is
used. Factors such as climate change have increased
pressures on natural water resources, especially in
manufacturing and agricultural irrigation. Many US
cities have already implemented policies aimed at
water conservation with much success.
Freshwater is a precious but finite resource and
conservation calls for urgent and immediate measures.
Increasing population, high rate of urbanisation, and
associated changes in lifestyles are all contributing
towards rising water demand. Consumption of water
in buildings constitutes a sizeable proportion of the
total water demand. Therefore, there is a need to look
for opportunities for the conservation of water within
this user group, wherein the plumbing fraternity has a
significant role to perform. The demand on this scarce
resource could be addressed through a two-pronged
approach, namely usage of high-efficiency plumbing
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WATER-RATING SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
A few countries across the world have already
established standards for the labelling and rating of
water-efficient plumbing fixtures, fittings, and appliances,
with supportive legislation such as the Water Efficiency
Labeling System (WELS) in Australia, WaterSense® in
the United States, Water Efficiency Labeling Scheme
(WELS) in Singapore, ANQIPS labeling system in Portugal,
and WaterWise in the United Kingdom. Why not in India?
Water Efficient Products – India (WEP-I): Rapid
development of the Indian construction industry in the
past decade required the plumbing industry to keep pace
with modern plumbing technology. To achieve this, the
codes, standards, and practices needed to be improved
to be comparable to international standards. WEP-I is
a rating system for sustainable plumbing in India. The
increasing need for defining water-efficient products in
India prompted the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA)
technical committee to develop such a document in
collaboration with IAPMO India. Prior to the 2011 WEP-I,
no rating system for water-efficient products existed in
India. The WEP-I was first published in 2011 and revised
in 2013; the latest edition was launched in 2017.
WEP-I is a set of recommendations to all those who
are involved in the design, engineering, manufacturing,
testing, and certification of plumbing fixtures, fittings, and
materials for water-efficient plumbing products in India.
The provisions in this document are not mandatory.
WEP-I seeks to:
• Provide credible information on water-efficient
products and practices.
• Raise awareness about the importance of water
efficiency and recommend water-efficient products.
• Assist consumers in making an informed choice of
products that conserve water.
Continued on page 27 >>
January 2019 Volume 25 I Number 1