ICAESM-2015

8, November 2015 at Agra, India.

Public Perception Survey on Wastewater Reuse-

The case of Bhopal City, India

Authors
Neetesh Soni 1 , Rameshwar S. Malviya1, Shivpal Rathoria1, Divya
Bhumarkar1, Sanket Agrawal*,1
1Department of Civil Engineering, OIST, Bhopal, India.
*Corresponding Author-sanketagrawal08@gmail.com.
 Water is Life
&
Wastewater tells its Life
story

Two Inevitable Facts

If a person is alive:
• He will consume water
• He will generate
wastewater
 TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES
INDIA

Per Capita water availability in Wastewater generation rate

(m3/year) (103million liters per day)

Acc. to UN by 2025
1/3rd of the
Population will face
Acute Water
Scarcity

120
5410

2309 38.2
1902
1465 1235
12.1 16.6
7

1951 1991 2001 2025 2050 1978 1990 2004 2009 2051
 TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES
INDIA

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

 W A S T E W AT E R R E U S E
CURRENT SCENARIO

Pollution Load High Pumping

on Water Bodies (Energy Requirement)

Long Sewer length

Consumption of (Uneconomical)
Fresh Water Sources

STP
 W A S T E W AT E R R E U S E
A D V A N TA G E S

Prevention of Lower Pumping

Pollution (Energy Saving)

Reliability Smaller Sewer length

Conservation of (Economical)
(It is a sure source
Water Sources
of water)

STP
 W A S T E W AT E R R E U S E
FA C T S

Countries like US, China,

Singapore, Turkey etc. are
already REUSING
wastewater at large scale.
AROUND THE WORLD
WATER POLICY
2020
India’s water policy 2020
has suggested REUSE to
conserve water
resources.
Smart City Mission of
Government of India has
included REUSE of
wastewater in city
SMART CITY
planning. MISSION

But all the Reuse

schemes around the
world have faced one
PUBLIC
major challenge. ACCEPTANCE
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
I M P O R TA N C E

• Reuse projects can fail at any stage even if all the technicalities are considered.
• There is fear and distrust in the public mind regarding wastewater.
• The support of the general public is primary, while economic and environmental
issues are secondary.
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
STEPS

Questionnaire Interaction Data Gathering Analysis

• The questionnaire was• The designed survey was

• The data from all 126• Analysis and summarization
prepared in both Hindi and
given physically to the
participants was gatheredof data
in was done in
English language as the respondents by us.
accordance
a file and then transferred to with the
• We also were present there
majority of Bhopal residents
MS Excel for analysis. literature review.
speak in Hindi. to clarify any doubts.
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
R E S U LT S

Demographic information

Category Percent(%)
Age 16-25 48.4
26-40 31.7
40-55 15.1
>55 4
Literacy Level Primary education 7.9
High school 15.9
Undergraduate 22.2
Graduate 54
< 10000 44.4
Income (in Indian Rupees ) 10001-35000 32.5
35001-50000 8.7
>50001 11.1
Missing Data 3.3

Gender Male 77
Female 23
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
R E S U LT S

Which problem do you think is India Are you taking any precaution to reduce the
facing? water consumption in your daily life?

None
3%
The Sometime
increasing The scarcity
s
pollution of of water
23%
water resources
bodies 14% 6%

No
Yes
16%
61%

Both
77%

77% of people are aware that India is facing two major water related challenges.
61% respondents are taking precautions in daily life to conserve water.
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
R E S U LT S

Are What
you aware
is your
about
source
reuse
of awareness?
of wastewater?

10k-35k
Undergraduate

Female
Graduate

>55k
45 43.6
90

40-55
16-25

High School
39.7

35k-55k
Percentage of positive response

26-40
40 80

Male
35 70 31.7

<10k
30 60

Primary
Percent

25 50 22.2
19 19.05
20 40
15 30
>55

10 20
5 10
0 0

NGOs
Internet

Family/Friends
Newspapers

Television/ Radio

Other Sources
Age Literacy Level Income Gender

• Awareness increases as the level of education increases.

• Newspapers, TV andtoInternet
Female were found be moreare majorabout
aware sources
the of public
reuse awareness.
concept.
• Govt should
But no seek assistance
clear relation from
was found media to
between spread
age, incomeawareness about reuse.
and awareness .
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
R E S U LT S

Would you like to use treated wastewater?

100

Yes
Yes
90

Voluntarily
80

If enforced by Govt.
70

60
Percent

50
Only if others use

40

30

20
No

Never

Never
No
10

0
Unconditional If cost is reduced Others

• 82.5 % people responded positively.

• When the cost was reduced, the percentage increased by 8%.
• Govt should subsidize the cost of treated wastewater to make schemes more
inclusive.
 PERCEPTION SURVEY
R E S U LT S

Purpose for which you are interested to reuse the treated waste water?
80
Overall
70
Male
60
Female
50
Percent

40
30
20
10
0
Drinking

Bathing
Cooking

Irrigation

Flushing

Washing

Washing
Swimming

Industries
Laundry

Fire Fighting

Construction

Vehicle
Toilet

Road
• Most of the respondents have less willingness to support usage options
involving close contact, such as drinking.
• Women are slightly more reluctant to options involving close contact like
bathing, swimming and laundry.
 CO N C LU S I O N S

1 Public Perception Survey: An important

process

2
Awareness: People are aware about the
challenges faced by India.

3
Source of awareness: Newspapers, T.V and
Internet

4
Willingness: People are willing to reuse
wastewater having low cost and low contact.

5
Caution: Results should not be generalized for
the entire country
 R E F E R E N C ES
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THANK YOU