COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ENERGY AND WATER USE IN IRRIGATION PRACTICES AND AVAILABILITY FOR OTHER USES

Abstract

An array of irrigation practices are available which are broadly classified as gravity flow and pressurized flow. In gravity flow, water flows in channels in the field while pressurized systems release water under pressure through pipes or sprinkler nozzles, small holes or tubes. Over the corning years, agriculture sector will face number of important challenges. On one side. it needs to feed the ever growing population and on the other, it will face tough competition among other water users for available water resources. Increasing irrigation efficiency is thus necessary to use the water more efficiently than current use. The transformation to pressurized systems is feasible due to potential increase in efficiency and substantial water savings, but these technologies are capital intensive and energy consuming. An analysis is needed to determine the most suitable and efficient irrigation method in terms of energy use, operational water use and life cycle cost. In study area, analysis indicated the water saving of 45% and 39% and electricity savings of 42% and 28% in drip and sprinkler irrigation respectively over conventional irrigation. • Agriculture being the major water consuming sector, an efficient utilization of water in irrigation make it available for use in other sectors. Less withdrawal of water facilitates more • flows in rivers leading to enhanced self cleaning ability of rivers and dilution of pollutants. With dilution, pollution level is reduced and hence the sewage treatment cost. Analysis of the study area indicated that saving in adopting modernized irrigation practices and diluting the sewage with fresh saved water is higher than the cost incurred. The highest saving of INR 17.8 million at net expenditure of INR 4.4 million is obtained at water price of Rs 11m3. Also the cost analysis revealed that high price of water led to more savings. The savings to expenditure ratio is 4. Water and disease are also closely related. Water pollution affects human health and well being in several ways. Expenditures associated with the treatment cost of pollution induced diseases, transport and medication costs, lost wages are all economically quantifiable aspects. Results obtained from the study area reveal that cost of illness due to unavailability of safe drinking water is INR 7.5 lakh in rural areas and the cost incurred in making provision of improved water supplies through the water saved in irrigation is INR 3.2 lakh. Estimates of willingness to pay of people of the study area (with population of 3589 people) availing the benefits of safe water are INR 3.8 lakh. Both the measures justify theimplementation of the scheme. Also the same trend of achieving highest saving of INR 18.7 million at lowest expenditure of 1NR 4.4 million at water price of Rs 1/rn3 is observed in using saved irrigation water for improving water supplies in rural areas and reducing the illness cost. The saving to expenditure ratio is 4.2. The study predicted that adopting pressurized irrigation practices need to be considered as an effective measure for restoring environmental flow and reducing energy and expenditure in other sectors.