Developing Water-Sensitive Cities in India with Veena Srinivasan | The WELL Labs Show

Developing Water-Sensitive Cities in India with Veena Srinivasan | The WELL Labs Show

Socio-hydrologist Veena Srinivasan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in])  joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in]) to unpack what it means to build water-sensitive cities in India — cities that look beyond pipes and taps, and start managing groundwater, rainwater, stormwater, wastewater, lakes and rivers as one connected system. As Indian cities grow, they often look farther away for water — to distant rivers, reservoirs and mountains. But Veena Srinivasan explains why this model has limits: cities pollute or ignore local water sources, depend heavily on groundwater, and spend enormous energy and money moving water across long distances. The episode explores how urban growth changes water demand, why sewage treatment often lags behind water supply, and how this contaminates lakes, drains and groundwater. Veena then outlines what a water-sensitive city would do differently: treat wastewater as a resource, support decentralised reuse, harvest rainwater based on local geography, manage stormwater and lakes better, and collect data on the full urban water system. Veena Srinivasan (https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/ [https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/])  is leading WELL Labs’ mission to transform scientific research into real-world impact by designing solutions that simultaneously create livelihoods and conserve the environment. In 2022, she was listed as one of the top-cited scientists in the world. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better. For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-veena-srinivasan-2/ Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Anukriti Shaw and Kanishka Goyal. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath. Chapter markers: 00:00 Introduction 01:34 When Cities Outgrow Local Water 04:10 How Cities Contaminate Local Water 07:24 Why Cities Can’t Just Keep Going Farther for Water 11:23 Is Groundwater Safe or Unsafe? 13:24 – Check out the Water Data Podcast  13:45 Cities Already Depend on Local Water  16:25 Who Pays for Wastewater Treatment?  19:41 Why Bengaluru Is Ahead on Wastewater Reuse  21:53 Decentralised vs Centralised Wastewater Treatment 26:07 – Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel 26:26 Why Densifying Cities Need Local Reuse 27:34 Why Rainwater Harvesting Is Different in Every City 31:18 Can Stormwater Become a Water Source?  33:34 Why Cities Must Measure Groundwater 39:13 Closing and Outro

Canal Irrigation in Modern India with Teju Kumar N | The WELL Labs Show

Teju Kumar N (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejukmr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejukmr/]), Assistant Engineer at the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), Government of Karnataka, joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/])  on this episode of The WELL Labs Show to unpack how canal irrigation works — from dams and command areas to distributaries, field channels, gates, aqueducts, and last-mile water delivery. India’s most productive farmlands are often irrigated, and canals remain central to India’s irrigation systems. In this episode, Teju explains how canal networks carry water from dams across large command areas, helping farmers grow beyond the monsoon and reduce dependence on uncertain rainfall. The conversation breaks down the engineering behind canals — from main canals, distributaries and field channels to gravity, slope, offtakes, gates, aqueducts, and concepts like duty and delta. Teju also traces Karnataka’s irrigation history, from wells, tanks and anicuts to large dams like the Tungabhadra Dam, before discussing canal modernisation through concrete lining, automated gates, SCADA systems, IoT, soil moisture sensors, and the Narayanpur Left Bank Canal. The episode also explores key challenges today: head-end versus tail-end inequity, changing crop choices, conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater, rising demand from drinking water and industry, and the role of Water User Cooperative Societies in improving last-mile irrigation. Teju Kumar N (https://aciwrm.karnataka.gov.in/136/Teju%20Kumar%20N/en [https://aciwrm.karnataka.gov.in/136/Teju%20Kumar%20N/en])  is an Assistant Engineer with the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM) in the Government of Karnataka. He is involved in the development of Karnataka Water Resources Information System (KWRIS), river basin modelling of K2, K8 and K9 sub basin, river basin profile and planning, and remote-sensing based water productivity assessment and administrative works of the centre. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in canal irrigation, water resources management, agricultural water use, irrigation engineering, Karnataka’s dams and canals, farmer livelihoods, and the future of water management in India. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-teju-kumar/ [https://welllabs.org/twls-teju-kumar/]  Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Vraj Acharya and Anukriti Shaw. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath. Chapter markers: 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Understanding Canal Design and Engineering 16:52 Check out the Water Data Podcast 17:14 History of Irrigation in Karnataka  21:34 Canal Modernisation: SCADA, IoT and Automated Gates 25:51 Subscribe to our YouTube channel 26:10 Inequality in Canal Water Distribution 30:10 Why Canal Farmers Also Use Borewells 32:30 Water User Cooperative Societies and Last-Mile Irrigation 34:54 Teju’s Journey in Water Resources Engineering  41:22 Closing Summary

Labour and Water Conservation with Karan Misquitta | The WELL Labs Show

Watershed researcher Karan Misquitta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-misquitta/⁠]  joins host Pavan Srinath [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/] to unpack how water conservation, labour, and technology have shaped India’s landscapes over more than a century. This episode explores the evolution of watershed development — from colonial-era famine relief works to modern-day machine-led interventions. Karan explains how droughts historically led to labour-based public works, why soil and water conservation became central to rural employment programmes, and how structures like bunds, trenches, percolation tanks, and check dams transformed agricultural landscapes across India. The conversation also examines a critical tension: how do we balance creating employment at scale with building effective, durable water systems? Drawing on his research in Maharashtra, Karan traces the shift from labour-intensive watershed programmes to capital-intensive approaches driven by excavators, farm ponds, and large-scale recharge efforts — and what this means for groundwater, farmers, and policy today. Karan Misquitta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-misquitta/⁠] is a Senior Researcher at WELL Labs, with a PhD in Geography. His work focuses on groundwater, rural water systems, and the political economy of watershed development in India. Pavan Srinath [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/⁠] is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone working on water conservation, rural development, agriculture, public policy, or employment programmes — and for those trying to understand how India’s water landscapes have been shaped by both people and machines. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-karan-misquitta/ [https://dev.welllabs.org/twls-karan-misquitta/] Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN⁠]   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Vraj Acharya and Nanditha Gogate. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

Aquifers of North India and the Indo-Gangetic Plains | Vivek Grewal on The WELL Labs Show

Hydrogeologist Vivek Grewal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/viveksinghgrewal/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/viveksinghgrewal/])  joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in])  once again to unpack the basic science of groundwater and to explain how groundwater behaves in one of India’s most important hydrogeological regions. Where does groundwater fit in the water story? Vivek explains why most of the world’s liquid freshwater exists underground, how rainfall becomes groundwater, and how rivers like the Ganga are sustained by flows beneath the surface. The episode then breaks down how aquifers work from porosity and fractures to recharge and baseflow - while debunking common myths about “hidden underground rivers.” Finally, the discussion turns to the Indo-Gangetic aquifer, explaining how it was formed and why regions like Punjab, UP, Bihar and Bengal face very different challenges - from depletion and salinity to arsenic contamination. Drawing from both field experience and hydrogeological research, Vivek also explains why western India faces severe depletion despite large underground storage, why eastern India may have more water but different access and quality challenges, and how a better understanding of groundwater is essential for managing agriculture, drinking water and long-term water security. Vivek Grewal (https://welllabs.org/vivek-singh-grewal/ [https://welllabs.org/vivek-singh-grewal/] ) is the Managing Partner with the Technical Consulting programme at WELL Labs. He has around 9+ years of experience in the water sector. He is passionate about taking the science of hydrology to the grassroots organisations. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in groundwater, hydrology, Indian geography, water security, agriculture, geology, and the science behind how water moves beneath the surface. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-vivek-grewal-pt3/ Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here (https://open.spotify.com/show/6fDa6X5XqsHjUXZsWuDhkq [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Vraj Acharya. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath. Chapter markers: 00:00 Highlights 00:54 Intro 03:05 Understanding Groundwater 05:41 How does rainfall recharge groundwater 09:46 Misconception about the Hidden River Saraswati 11:13 Groundwater and Perennial Rivers 13:55 Aquifer Systems and their Characteristics 17:25 Check out the Water Data Podcast 17:46 India’s Groundwater Systems: 6 Aquifer Types Explained 21:12 How the Indo-Gangetic Aquifer Was Formed 23:54 How Punjab Went from Water-Rich to Water-Stressed 32:11 Subscribe to our YouTube channel 32:28 Lower Gangetic Aquifer: Water, Clay and Quality Issues 39:33 Why Groundwater Has Arsenic in Bihar & Bengal 41:25 Closing

Preparing for Bengaluru's Next Water Crisis with Gayathri Muraleedharan and Veena Srinivasan

Veena Srinivasan and Gayathri Muraleedharan join host Pavan Srinath on this episode of The WELL Labs Show to unpack the nature of Bangalore’s water crisis — what caused the severe summer crisis of 2024, why similar crises may recur, and what the city can do to avoid lurching from one groundwater emergency to the next. The conversation explores why Bangalore’s water crisis is not a “Day Zero” reservoir crisis like Cape Town or Chennai, but fundamentally a groundwater crisis. Veena and Gayathri explain how the city depends on both Cauvery water and groundwater, why the most acute pain is felt in newly developed peri-urban areas and dense apartment clusters, and how Bangalore’s hard-rock aquifers, uneven topography, and hyperlocal recharge patterns make the problem difficult to predict and manage. Drawing on WELL Labs’ work on urban water balances, groundwater dependence, wastewater treatment, and water reuse, the discussion examines how much water Bangalore needs, how much it receives from the Cauvery, and how much is being invisibly supplied through private borewells and tanker systems. They also explore why treated wastewater reuse, especially through decentralised sewage treatment plants in apartments and commercial complexes, may be one of the most practical ways to reduce pressure on the city’s fragile aquifers. The episode also reflects on what has changed since the 2024 crisis: greater seriousness around water reuse, more interest from apartment communities in running STPs efficiently, efforts by BWSSB such as the Green Star Challenge, and the need for stronger incentives, better monitoring, groundwater recharge, sponge landscapes, and more realistic water pricing. The conversation ends with a hopeful but grounded argument: that while Bangalore’s water crisis is systemic, the city also has many solutions that can be acted upon locally — by institutions, neighbourhoods, apartments, and public agencies alike. Veena Srinivasan (https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/ [https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/])  is leading WELL Labs’ mission to transform scientific research into real-world impact by designing solutions that simultaneously create livelihoods and conserve the environment. In 2022, she was listed as one of the top-cited scientists in the world. Gayathri Muraleedharan (https://welllabs.org/gayathri-muraleedharan/ [https://welllabs.org/gayathri-muraleedharan/]) is the Deputy Head in the Urban Water programme at WELL Labs. She is an urban and regional planner passionate about understanding complex urban challenges, and solving them through sustainable, inclusive, and action-oriented approaches. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in Bangalore’s water future, urban groundwater, wastewater reuse, city planning, climate resilience, and practical pathways to water security in growing cities. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better. For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-gayathri-muraleedharan-veena-srinivasan/ Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here (https://open.spotify.com/show/6fDa6X5XqsHjUXZsWuDhkq)   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Vraj Acharya and Nanditha Gogate. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.