DRAINAGE AND WATER MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
1. The Indus Valley in the Indian sub-continent was one of the early centres where man settled
down and progressed to-lead a highly civilised life.
2. This civilization, familiar to the world as the Indus Valley Civilization or the Harappan
Culture, flourished about 5000 years ago.
3. Some of the sites discovered revealed the existence of a highly advanced people thousands of
years ago in this region.
4. These people had achieved a high degree of material life with varied occupations and
complex institutions.
SOME SITES OF INDUS VALLEY
1. Mohenjodaro- Located in Sindh, Pakistan on the banks of river Indus.
Excavated by R.D. Banerjee in 1922
2. Harappa- Located in Pakistan on the bank of river Ravi
Daya Ram Sahni began the first significant excavations
3. Kalibangan- Located in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on the banks of dry bed of
Ghaggar river
Excavated by Amlanand Ghosh, B. B. Lal & Balkrishna Thapar
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
1. One of the most excellent features of the Harappan town planning is the well laid out
drainage system.
2. Discharge of polluted water and sewage was an important part of the concerns of the
Harappans, which is reflected not only in the cities but also in smaller towns and villages having
impressive drainage system.
3. Baked bricks were the important part for the construction of the drains.
4. The street drains at all sites were made of baked bricks. The one at Allahdino is of stone.
5. Each and every house had a connection of main drain.
6. Most of the drains were covered with brick or stone.
7. Baths were commonly constructed in the houses.
8. Bathing platforms and latrines of the houses were connected to the medium sized drains in
the side streets.
9. One completely preserved drain found at Harappa.
10. Rectangular sump pits, for collecting solid waste, were aided with main sewage, at regular
intervals.
11. The Great Bath at Mohen-jo-Daro was provided with that largest of all the Harappan
culverts.
12. Sites like Harappa, Kalibangan, Nausharo, Chanhudaro, Allahdino, Dholavira, Lothal,
Mohenjodaro have given evidence of elaborate drainage facilities.
WATER MANAGEMENT
1. Depending upon the geographical position and environmental setting of the site, wells,
tanks and reservoirs were built to ascertain various necessities related to water.
2. Mohenjodaro may have had more than 700 wells. Comparatively, Harappa may have had as
few as 30 wells.
3. In the same manner excavations at Chanhudaro, Kalibangan, Lothal and Dholavira also had
evidence of wells restricted to very few in counts.
4. Mohen-jo-Daro’s tank complex, popularly known as Great Bath is considered as the earliest
public water tank in the ancient world measuring approximately 12 meter north-south and 7
meter east-west, with the maximum depth of 2.4 meters.
◦ To avoid leakage of the water form the tank, impregnable gypsum-mortar was used in
between floors of the tank as well as in the sidewalls.
◦ Corbelled drain in the south-west comer of the floor of the tank was used to discharge
used water.
◦ Around the tank there ran successively a courtyard and pillared corridors.
5. One of the unique features of Dholavira archeological site is the sophisticated water
conservation system. The city had massive reservoirs, among them three are exposed..
◦ The Dholavira Harappans, during their prime, constructed almost sixteen reservoirs of
varying dimensions, within the city walls along the northern, western and southern sides
of the main settlement and to the main settlement of the citadel.
◦ The water conservation at Dholavira was developed based on rainwater harvesting to
support life in a region that was largely arid and dry.
◦ The inhabitants of the Dholavira civilization would have realized that depending on
rainwater was not a reliable option for sustainability.
◦ They developed large rock-cut reservoirs, located on the eastern and southern sides and
also constructed huge stone drains that directed the water to the western and northern
section of the lower town separated by broad bunds, creating in effect a series of large
water tanks.
◦ An impressive well was located in the castle and is possibly the earliest example of a
rock-cut well.
◦ Many pipes & pots have also been discovered from the site, which also indicates the
Harappan’s abilities in ensuring optimum usage of water.
◦ Every drop of water was conserved through a highly expansive town planning system
and an efficient water preservation system that supported life
