Bhutan water sources pdf

This report was produced in collaboration with the government of benin and other stakeholders during 200910. Bhutan bhutan has made considerable progress in terms of coverage for both rural and urban water supply and sanitation in the last two to three decades. Over the next decades, it is predicted that billions of people, particularly those in developing countries, face shortages of water and food and greater risks to health and life as a result of climate change concerted global. Enhancing climate resilience of water sources in bhutan. Thus, bhutan s water resources are starting to feel some stresses, and this could have serious implications for its major water dependent economic sectors. National environment commission royal government of bhutan national integrated water resources management plan 2016 march 2016 supported by. This is why over the last decades attention is focused on renewable energy resources and ways to increase energy efficiency. The surprising thing is that bhutan is not water scarce. The anthropogenic sources of water pollution are shown in fig.

Study on productivity enhancement in existing large and medium industries in bhutan pdf. Energy resources today the greatest attention in the world is devoted to energy resources because their use is usually irreversible, but the supplies of traditional fossil fuels oil, natural gas are running out fast. Aquastat faos global information system on water and. Jun 18, 2018 the problem of water shortage has been increasing in bhutan over the years.

That is why growing cities like thimphu and phuentsholing are running short of water. In fact, bhutan has has an abundance of water, said lance gore, water resource. To restore, protect and improve watershed conditions through participatory, integrated and adaptive management strategy built into a coordinated management plan. Veens water sources are amongst the purest waters and environments on the planet. Climate change could be contributing to the drying up of water sources. Thimphu hotels hit with water shortage due to drying. Power generation in bhutan relies almost exclusively on hydropower. In 2010, asian development bank provided a grant of over usd21 million for electrification of rural homes, aiming to provide power both ongrid and offgrid. Turning finance into services for 2015 and beyond rural water supply encourage donors to join harmonized procedures and to pool funding for rural water supply. Today, bhutan is among those nations of the world with high per capita availability of water. For instance, the drinking water program is looked after by two ministries.

Navigation was also a significant use of rivers majumdar et al. The water act of bhutan 2011 1 preamble recognizing that water is one of the most important natural resources of the kingdom. Detailed study was undertaken in 2008 and 2009 on assessment of water quality of river wang chhu which flows through thimphu urban area, the capital city of bhutan. The main focus of the exercise was to take the water out of the water box and develop compelling narratives. The goal to improve the health of the general public by reducing. Solar energy in bhutan has received direct investment from domestic and international sources. The brand discovered its second home in 2014, the source of its natural mineral water spring in the himalayan kingdom of bhutan.

Enhancing climate resilience of water sources in bhutanbhutan. Around 700 acres of land in the area has been left fallow and some farmers have migrated to towns because of the lack of water. Around the world, human activity and natural forces are reducing available water resources. Population access to improved water sources 2017 98. Also, since the treatment plant lies on a lower ground, water has to be pumped out from the plant. In fact, bhutan has has an abundance of water, said lance gore, water resource specialist with the asian development bank. The natural patches of forest were cleared mainly for plantations by the bhutan board particle ltd. Fresh water pollution may be classified into two types. This problem in a country that is rich in water is ironic. The irrigated area per province is visible in the table below and also can be downloaded as bhutan irrigation areas in pdf or bhutan irrigation areas in excel. Bhutan is a rugged land of steep mountains and deep valleys, that is easily divided into three main geographical areas. Bbpl is a state owned enterprise producing furniture.

People use surface and ground water every day for a variety of purposes, including drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene, in addition to recreational, agricultural, and industrial activities. Tributary rivers and streams provide sources for all other uses with emphasis on water supply and irrigation from. Bhutan 5 water resources and use water resources total annual internal renewable surface water resources are an estimated 78 km 3 table 3. Result of survey about air pollution, water pollution, greens and parks satisfaction, light and noise pollution, etc. The analysis that informs this policy brief captured in full in two volumes published by the nec and wwfs living himalayas. Pdf urban growth and water quality in thimphu, bhutan. Water and sanitation bhutan multiple indicator survey, 2010. The other cause is also due to the fact that water from the motithang treatment plant supplies water to so many areas, including norzin lam. The jwtp collects water from the tailrace channel of the samtenling mini hydel a micro hydropower. Surface water leaving the country outflow submitted to treaties outflow not submitted to treaties outflow secured through treaties total external renewable surface water groundwater entering the country groundwater groundwater leaving the country total external renewable water resources surface water groundwater total renewable water resources. Water shortage in a mountain country like bhutan, blessed with abundant water resources with per capita mean annual flow availability of 109,000 cubic metres, the highest in the region, is probably the biggest ironies of our time.

The overall assessment of adbs energy sector program in bhutan is relevant. See water of bhutan by govinda rizal about bhutans water sources and uses agriculture. Water resources management wrm is the process of planning, developing, and managing water resources, in terms of both water quantity and quality, across all water uses. Water scarcity in water rich bhutan july 3, 2017 0 comments in editorial by kuensel1. Water safety plan manual, 2009, world health organization. They also do not have enough water for their cardamom plants, a main source of income, which needs plenty of water supply and shade. This is especially important for the key decision makers across the different sectors of the royal government of bhutan to understand the role. Land and water use have also become matters of environmental concern in.

Bhutan s water resources water uses the main stem rivers provide water for hydropower use, waste assimilation, tourismrecreation and ecology with exceptional use in other sectors like irrigation from parochhu. Bhutan s water resources that are being discussed in this paper are at serious. The import of meat increased to more than 12,102 metric tons mt in 2019 from 10,978mt in 2018, an increase of slightly more than 10 percent in one year, according to a recently released renewable natural resources rnr annual statistics. A roadmap for watershed management in bhutan 2011 w a t e r s h e d m a n a g e m e n t d i v i s i o n page es 3 watershed roadmap goals and objectives 1. Water act of bhutan, 2011 ministry of health to monitor drinking water quality in urban and rural areas. Egis france royal society for the protection of nature and bhutan water partnership. Problems and solutions jose galizia tundisi introduction. Between 500 bce and 300 ce, the large food surpluses implied no real shortage.

Evolution of water law and policy 161 agriculture was the principal source of employment and fields often required irrigation. Rcdc has been coordinating drinking water quality surveillance. Acknowledging water resource as a state property and the states rights over mineral resources, rivers, lakes and forests are enshrined in the constitution of the kingdom of bhutan. Chapter 5 planning and management of water resources chapter 6 river basin committees 15 chapter 7 water abstraction and use 17 chapter 8 prevention and control of water. Jul 03, 2017 assessment of rural drinking water quality carried out by the royal centre for disease control in 2012 showed that only 17 percent of stream water sources and 28 percent of spring water sources were safe for use as drinking water. The mountainous states of india, and the nations of nepal and bhutan share one of the worlds greatest freshwater resources water from the snows of the himalayas and the monsoons which the mountains create. Under the wise and farsighted leadership of our monarchs and the peoples reverence and respect for nature, we have always treasured water.

Pdf an overview on the solar energy utilization in bhutan. Bhutan diversifies its renewables with wind turbines the. It is in this context that understanding the role of water in bhutans economy along with the associated risks and opportunities becomes vital for the countrys sustainable future. Pdf climate change and hydrological perspective of bhutan. There are a number of environmental issues in bhutan.

In bhutan, water quality research is limited to only a few recent studies. Community water systems obtain water from two sources. The efficiency of the rural electrification projects supported. The water act of bhutan 2011 4 community based water resources management 7. Because of the mountainous character of the country, groundwater resources are probably limited and are drained by the surface water network, which means they are more or less equal to overlap between. The bhutan water policy 2003 recognizes that water is a precious natural resource that is basic to all social, economic and environmental wellbeing and, as such, the water resources need to be conserved and managed efficiently, while ensuring sustainability and without damaging the integrity of.

A study of the indiabhutan energy cooperation agreements. The water act of bhutan 2011 department of forests and. Inadequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene wash remains a leading cause of child deaths. Gcf secretariat feedback about submitted concept notes does not represent a commitment. Intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc 2007 and other sources, as referenced. Pdf study of water quality of three major rivers of bhutan. Drying water sources causes much hardship in dagana the. It includes the institutions, infrastructure, incentives, and information systems that support and guide water. Managing director chhewang rinzin said dgpc was talking to its indian counterparts to allow bhutan to import 20100 mw of power at certain times during the winter months when the river water was at its lowest. Disputed ownership of sources all water resources are vested in the state safeguard mechanisms which are included in the water act of bhutan, 2011 and the water regulation of bhutan, 2014.

Pdf the punatshang chu, thimphu chu and pa chu are rivers located in three. It is also responsible for a major share of the global burden of childhood diseases and malnutrition which in turn impact a childs overall development, learning opportunities, and ultimately his prospects of a. Jun 22, 2018 this concept note provides basic information on the projectprogramme enhancing climate resilience of water sources in bhutanbhutan, and was submitted to allow the project proponent a chance to seek feedback from the gcf secretariat about whether their proposal matches the funds objectives and mandate. Aquastat faos information system on water and agriculture.

Hotels in norzin lam are facing an acute water shortage because water sources in motithang that supply water to norzin lam areas are drying up. Use of improved drinking water sources 96 % water treatment 56 % use of improved sanitation facilities not shared 58% safe disposal of childs faeces 58 % place for hand washing water and soap available 81 % availability of soap 99% summary of water and sanitation indicators, bmis 2010 bhutan multiple indicator survey, 2010. To address this, communities have been trained in springshed management, and have subsequently protected 52 water sources 15 through comdeks funding and 37 using regular sgp cofinancing that supply. Communities shall participate in the integrated management of water resource pursuant to this act, and beneficiaries and stakeholders shall be consulted in the manner set out in this act. Finnish lapland is veens place of origin and the home of its first spring source. The water act of bhutan 2011 table of contents title page preamble 1 chapter 1 preliminary 2 chapter 2 principles 3. The kingdom of bhutan is richly endowed with abundant water resources. Securing bhutan s future provides picturesque views of water resources of bhutan while presenting the governments commitments, plans and efforts towards water security. Water and sanitation program wsp in collaboration with the african development bank afdb, the united nations childrens fund unicef, the world bank and the world health organization who. Assurance of safe drinking water is still a major challenge in bhutan. Publish a national inventory for rws, including access rates and strategic ratios.

In bhutan, wwf partnered with the national environment commission nec, royal government of bhutan which has the mandate for coordination of water resources management in the country as a local technical partner. Hi all, could i please ask a silly question drinking water in bhutan is it safe. Country profile the following are some of the key demographic indicators of bhutan. An overview on the solar energy utilization in bhutan. Big impacts of climate change are seen in agriculture sector.

Introduction bhutan is among the water rich countries in the world. Bhutan has supported indias position at the regional and global levels. Bhutan struggles with local water shortages the third pole. This paper examines india bhutan bilateral engagements in the context of the hydropower sector and the need for both sides to address the concerns arising from indias involvement in this sector. Wangchuk said bhutan s move to diversify its renewable energy sources had received huge support from global leaders, because bhutan had remained. I normally do not drink water from the tap in most countries i travel in nz and singapore are probably the only two countries ive ever drank the tap water and of course my home country australia everywhere else, i buy bottle. Aspects of water services management, in general, posing most difficulty at the moment nonrevenue water for the jwtp is 30% and the main reason behind it is the leakages, illegal connections, etc. Subsurface sources, in the form of springs and aquifers, provide water for domestic water supply and small scale irrigation. Protecting water sources and establishing water user groups. Bhutan diversifies its renewables with wind turbines. Depleted spring water sources are a growing concern in the gamri watershed. Rural water supply scheme policy, the water act of bhutan, 2011, the water.

Hence, it remains important for bhutan and countries alike, to safeguard and protect their hydrological resources. Certain materials that are leached from the land by runoff water and enter the various water bodies also belong to this category. Area equipped for irrigation is reported for 20 provinces dzongkhag and the statistics refer to year 2007. Wangchuk said bhutans move to diversify its renewable energy sources had received huge support from global leaders, because bhutan. Estimation of pollution in bhutan, using perception. Since all of the existing plants are runoftheriver types, the total generation drastically drops to about 300 mw during the winter dry season decembermarch due to low water levels. Tourism in bhutan, which is both an important source of employment and an estimated 20% of nonhydropower revenues, depends on tourists who come, in large. The community has faced growing water shortages over the past decade as nearby streams and other water sources have completely dried up. Bhutan is looking for energy production from renewable resources like solar, wind. River hindon is a major source of water to the highly populated and. Even though most community drinking water especially from surface water sources is treated before entering the home, the cost of this treatment and the risks to public health can be reduced by protecting source water from contamination.