Protect groundwater and less pollution in India.
KA writes: In developing countries which there is a constant struggle between farmers and utilities over water allocation, most of implemented policies are based on punishment.
For example, quotas are assigned to each farmer and if he goes over his quota he will face a sort of a punishment.
I strongly believe unless we find a mechanism in which people make money by saving water, no other effort matters.
In my last trip to India, I learned of such a mechanism to protect groundwater.
Tushaar Shah (of IWMI-TATA and a well-known figure in the energy and water sector of India) has started a pilot in Gujarat called SPaRC.
He is giving farmers solar power system to operate their pumps.
The farmer can sell his extra power to the grid and make money.
A farmer can either operate his pump or sell the power to grid; as he expected now farmers participating in the program are voluntarily practicing water saving methods because the solar power they sell to the grid for money is also power NOT used to pump water.
Read more about the projects in this and this PDF.