In Calcutta, "Entire City Could End Up With Saline Water In A Few Years" - Telegraph

[hatrack]

Calcutta’s water is turning saline, forcing many parts of the city to depend on bottled water to dilute the mineral monster. There is not a drop to drink in Santoshpur, for instance, which has been left with only saline water in its underground pool (see chart) in the wake of a real estate boom. In some other crowded areas, tubewells are being sunk deeper than 700 feet to find fresh water.

“The vast majority of Calcuttans — nearly three-fourth of the city’s residents depend on groundwater — drink either saline or contaminated water,” said S.P. Sinha Roy, a former member of the ground water board.

Depletion of groundwater is the primary cause of the problem. Saline water implies increase in the mineral content of water. The first thing it does is erode metal surfaces, including taps, pipes and geysers. Then there are the health risks of long-term exposure to saline water. “Saline water can cause gastric aches and indigestion. It harms the skin, causing dryness and aggravating allergy. Hair becomes rough. When the lead content is high, it impedes growth in children,” said dermatologist Sachin Varma, a resident of Hiland Park, high on the saline list.

EDIT

Some housing estates here have decided not to go soft on hard water. “Water drawn through deep tubewells is not fit for consumption. Part of the CMC water is processed in a mineral water plant to provide 20-litre jars to the residents. We also have an iron removal plant where hard water from the boring well is converted into soft water,” said Manmohan Purohit, the estate manager of the Udita complex in Survey Park, Santoshpur. Experts warn that things will only get worse in a hurry. “The entire city could end up with saline water in a few years,” said an official of the water board.

EDIT

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090203/jsp/calcutta/story_10431413.jsp

[getthefacts]

1. I fear

for my children's future because I'm sure this problem is growing and is global. I wonder if there is any way we can still save this planet. I hope we haven't screwed it up beyond repair.

[aquart]

2. Fewer children would help.

[diane in sf]

3. Calcutta is built on coastal swamp, has mosquitos bigger than B52s that will

attack you through three layers of clothing in broad daylight and is already an environmental disaster on many counts.

India desperately needs nonwater toilets (maybe composters or solar powered desicators or to pay poor people to collect shit for methane generation). They don't handle their sewage at all well (human, cow and dog shit lie around on city streets and sit in open sewers throughout the country while cows wander around and eat the used toilet paper). There is a shortage of fresh water all over the country. Half the population is sick from sewage diseases at any time.

[XemaSab]

4. It'll be interesting to see India and China industrialize

Can they have a fast turnaround time and minimize the permanent environmental damage, or will the decisions they make today haunt them for hundreds of years to come? :shrug: