After oil, now another discovery is set to change the lives of people in Jaisalmer & Barmer region. A report prepared by the Union petroleum and natural gas (PNG) ministry highlights discovery of 482 billion cubic metres (BCM) reserve (aquifer) in Jaisalmer and Barmer region that will be able to provide drinking water to the entire western Rajasthan districts for the next 100 years. The report was recently presented before the Jal Shakti ministry, PNG ministry and petroleum companies officials in Delhi.
Both the ministries along with the oil companies will work over the years to provide water in the water-scarce western Rajasthan region.
The projected annual domestic and drinking water demand for India is 55 billion cubic meters (BCM) by 2025 and 90 BCM 2050.
Findings of the Report:
- Discovered aquifers are part of Thumbli, Fatehgarh and Jagadiya water reserves with estimated availability of water of approximately:
- Thumbli – 110 BCM
- Fategarh – 82 BCM
- Jagadiya – 290 BCM
- The water contains Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)/Litre in the range of 1,000-10,000 while the maximum permissible limit of TDS for drinking water is 600 TDS per litre as per the standard rules.
- Depth of water availability:
- Thumbli: 100-1100 Meters
- Fategarh: 150-1500 Meters
- Jagadiya:0-800 Meters
- Thumbli aquifer is found to be the most suitable reserve for large-scale desalination project.
- However, the salinity of the water in the reservoir is one of the major challenge to this project.
