Socio ecological design approach for water sensitive landscape at Sembakkam Chennai

Abstract

The world has been growing increasingly urbanized. The cities hold a great potential to become hubs providing better livelihood, social inclusion and economic opportunities. As per statistics, 70 percent of the world population will be living in urban areas by 2050. India has been facing high influx of population in urban and peri-urban area. The process of urbanization can stress the natural systems like land and water. Water is a problem that cut across all aspects for the development of liveable and inclusive cities. Health, safe drinking water, sanitation, nutrition, housing, property developments are all dependent on water. But many cities are facing difficulties with water management and catering to the needs of increasing population. Chennai being the fourth largest metropolis in India, is growing rapidly and attracting migrants from the Tamil Nadu state and other Indian regions. In the absence of a perennial watercourse, rainwater is the most valuable source of freshwater and has been harvested in reservoirs across the region. The developing population has been dependent on these fresh water resources for their drinking as well as other consumptions. But the city does not have proper water supply as well as waste water treatment system. Around 80-90% of the waste water is discharged untreated into low-lying areas or water bodies, limiting the amount of water available for drinking and daily use. This condition has further worsened due to the changing precipitation patterns leading to less rainfall in recent decades and intensive heat which causes high evaporation. However, in order to fulfil the increasing demand of the population and industry, land use changes in both urban and peri-urban regions have resulted in over-exploitation of surface and ground water, and the city is now facing a major water crisis. Furthermore, the increase in impervious area, caused by urbanization, does not let the water infiltrate. This induces an increment in runoff rates and volume, which makes cities more prone to flooding. These water related issues are being much more difficult for the underprivileged section to deal with. Solutions to these issues demand a systematic approach understanding that cities need redesigning that keeps society, culture, economics and equity in mind. On this basis, my thesis project seeks to integrate water security with livelihood opportunities for the underprivileged and farming communities who have been side-lined in the process of urbanization.