The Day the Piped Water Arrived in Shimla

 The Day the Piped Water Arrived in Shimla

When Pratt Kennedy opened his guest house in 1827 in yet to be named hill station of Simla, water needs were met from Bauwalis in around the hill Spurs. There were never more than 8 to 10 guests in his chalet (Kennedy House) at any time, so eight Bauwalis in the vicinity were enough to meet the needs. When the Governor General and later the Commander in Chief visited two years later they brought all food supplies for 300 people on the back of labor, but had to draw the water from a free flowing stream emanating from Jakhoo Hill. Later, a large reservoir was constructed to collect that water from the creek. For about 30 years, this reservoir was used as a source of water for the growing population, which now stands between 7 -10,000 people. The water was filtered locally and purified with basic chemicals like alum to make it potable. This scheme continued until 1975 with several Viceroys from 1957 to 1975 drinking this water. 

A major search was launched to find additional sources of water for the rising population. There were a number of streams which could act as a source, but were farther away. One or two streams in the vicinity (in the Mashobra area) were not in the British territory. These were in the territory of princely state of Koti. Even though the British were the overlords, they wanted to make a fair deal. They decided to lease all of the watershed that fed those streams. Later, they traded this land with Koti's Rajah, giving him equivalent land elsewhere. Now they had  independent water sources. Two streams which will be source were now independent of any outside interference.

Two dams, reservoirs, filter plants and steam pumps were installed at Cherot and Chairh Nallahas at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the 20th century. Later in 1924, water from Nauti Khad (the farthest) was added to the Shimla water network.

Now the question was how to get the treated water to Shimla. After careful deliberations, a very smart plan was put in place. Chairh's water will be pumped to the Mashobra reservoir to be built and then into the Sanjauli tank. The Cherot water was pumped directly to Sanjauli reservoir. From there, gravity flow brought it to the Ridge Reservoir. Hurrah! If these projects are approved and funded, then Shimla will get running water from the taps. This audacious scheme will require a steam pumping system as electric pumps were still in infancy for that much of head and electricity was yet to arrive in Shimla. Once the water reaches the Ridge Reservoir, it is a high point, the water will run by gravity to the Shimla core and other locations. 

Construction began at the end of 1886 and the Cherot aqueduct system was completed in 1989.  The Sanjauli water reservoir received water from the steam pump thereafter. This reservoir has a capacity of 20 million liters and is by far the biggest water reservoir. The Chairh water works was commissioned later and it fed reservoir and from there it flowed by gravity to Sanjauli. The Sanjauli reservoir fed the small 5 million liter Shimla reservoir at the Ridge. The latter became the heart of water distribution system for the city. For safety's sake, it is split into 9 compartments, hence if one compartment leaks, then damage is not the greatest. There is a manhole to enter these tank compartments on the ridge very near the Rhododendron Tree. Sometimes the municipal staff opens it and checks the state of the 100-year-old reservoir. 

In 1901, 20,000 inhabitants of Shimla depended upon this water. The water supply system only got off the ground at the end of the First World War. There was a severe shortage of steel and qualified personnel during the war. Only the urgent British needs were met by the piped water. After the war, money was allocated and equipment was bought to set up the main network to distribute water to the population. My father recalled that a municipal tap opened near his workplace in the 1920s. It was rejoiced. They bathed in the frigid cold water until they could not stand under the water tap any more. Besides, there was no charge. The municipality of Shimla, which managed the entire water distribution system, provided free water taps in a few strategic locations for people who could not afford the connection.

The water main header was laid throughout the city core. Then half-inch or three-quarter-inch pipes went into the houses. At frequent intervals, fire hydrants were also provided. My house water line was not installed until 1955 because my father refused to pay Rupees 400/-, the cost of connecting the manifold to our house. He believed that water is free at municipal taps a number of these have been installed in almost every community. He eventually caved in and we had running water. Later, most of the households got the tap water, but it began to dry out as the demand for water multiplied as the population of Shimla increased. Now the water shortage had hit the city. I believe it was the summer of 1958/59 when I had left Shimla for college in an another city, water during summer was rationed when the streams suffered a reduced flow. At that time, 150,000 persons shared 30 million liters per day (MLD) of this water.

The New slow paced search for fresh water sources began after independence and water shortage became acute when Himachal became a state and tourists began to arrive in droves.  Bureaucratic inertia and lack of political will were adding to the problem. This administrative inertia could not be overcome for 30 years, moreover, they had no idea, how to reform the system.

In 2008, following numerous bureaucratic and political missteps, Ashwin Khad's water was brought to Shimla to alleviate the shortage. This proved to be a step too late and too little. Moreover Ashwin Khad water was responsible for the spread of waterborne disease 8 years later, hence discontinued for a while. That same year, Giri water was also added to the system, but increased demand exceeded supply.

Now there are 250,000 Shimla residents and 100,000 tourists are asking for this erratic water supply. There is a requirement for 60 MLD and the total supply is about 54 MLD of which a good 20-30% is lost due to leaks (very poorly managed system). Hence Shimla is short of water in a big way.

In 2019, the World Bank provided $40 million to reform and improve water conditions in Shimla. Part of the money will be used to reform water supply management, and part will help to overcome water leaks and waste. Yet another part will boost the water supply from the source, a critical need. 

The bottom line is that politicians and bureaucrats did not know how to manage the water shortage. They beat about the bush for 30 years until an outsider realizing the gravity of the situation stepped in to help reform the whole system from top to bottom. 

God bless, if things improve and the supply increases. We will see what happens over the next three to four years.