This is the fourth and final film in our series, Asia H20: How Water Issues are Changing an Urbanized Continent.
The city of Surat has a problem: If it doesn’t keep it’s reservoir full, it won’t have enough water to sustain it through the dry season. If it does keep its reservoir full, however, then when monsoon rains suddenly arrive, the city needs to conduct an emergency release of the reservoir to keep the dam from overflowing, which floods the city of Surat. It’s a classic damned if you do, damned if you don’t dilemma. How does a city balance its need for water with an equally pressing need to protect itself from floods? A project that combines improved weather forecasting and coordination between city agencies aims to give Surat just as much water as it needs — and not a drop more.
Asia H2O: Sometimes Thirsty, Sometimes Drowning, a City Struggles for Balance from Next City on Vimeo.
Film shot on location in Surat, India by Still Life Projects.
Watch the Other Films from This Series:
Boosting Bangkok’s Flood Resilience With Community-Based Technology
Storm-Resistant Housing Saves a Neighborhood in Vietnam
How Phnom Penh Built One of the World’s Best Water Systems