Water consumption refers to the portion of water that is used and not returned to its original source. This includes water that evaporates, enters into products or crops, or is consumed by people or animals, making it unavailable for reuse in the same form. Understanding consumptive use is essential for effective water management, as it helps assess the true demand and availability of water resources.

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has urged the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) enforce Clause VII of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I (KWDT-I) to ensure appropriate allocation of water resources. This clause requires that only 20 percent of water drawn for drinking purposes be considered consumptive use.

Consumptive use of water refers to the portion of water that is consumed during use and is not returned to its source. This includes water that evaporates, is incorporated into products or crops, or is consumed by people or animals, making it unavailable for further use in the same form. For effective water management, it is crucial to take into account consumption, as it helps determine the real demand and availability of water resources.

The State emphasized that this principle is followed in other Tribunal awards and that the KRMB’s delay in implementing this clause resulted in Telangana losing about 31,952 TMC of water per year and over 320 TMC of its water share in the last 10 years.

The state has been insisting on equitable distribution of Krishna water between the two Telugu states for the past 10 years. This would only be possible by addressing these questions. At the 17th Board Meeting, the KRMB Chairman noted the lack of consensus on this issue, suggesting a referral to KWDT-II.

State officials, however, point out that as per Section 85 (8) (a) of the AP Reorganization Act, 2014, the KRMB has to regulate the distribution of Krishna water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana based on the court decisions. Article VII of the KWDT-I clearly states that only 20% of the water drawn for drinking purposes shall be considered as drinking water and hence there is no need to reach a consensus on this issue .

The Telangana government has pointed out that this principle is followed in other awards of the Tribunal and the KRMB’s delay in implementing this clause has resulted in a huge loss to Telangana.

The state is now pushing for immediate implementation of this provision to address the prolonged loss and ensure equitable distribution of water resources, in accordance with interstate agreements and the final order of the KWDT-I.

The legal and regulatory framework supports the conclusion that only 20% of water drawn for drinking purposes is considered consumption, with the remaining 80% expected to return to the water supply system in various forms.

Other tribunals handling water disputes in India, such as the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) and the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT), also deal with water dispute clauses. consumptive use in their prescriptions.