Large parts of Delhi have been facing water scarcity for several weeks now. With summer round the corner, this is an ominous portent. For, the water supply situation is bound to worsen as the mercury shoots up, raising demand. The plight of most other urban centres is no different. Chennai for instance is ill-famed for its perpetual water crisis. The situation in other, smaller towns is even worse, with poor coverage of households with piped water, inadequate water supply and indifferent water quality. | |
| Any solution must be based on a sound understanding of causes. The natural sources of water supply for urban areas, such as (for Delhi) the Yamuna and "Bowlis" (traditional step wells), and (for Chennai) rivulets and temple tanks, have suffered from utter neglect, resulting in their decline and even disuse. The replenishment of water sources, including groundwater, has been impeded by indiscriminate urbanisation. On top of everything else, flawed water pricing and recovery policies have left water supply organisations bankrupt, dependent on budgetary support from local bodies, and unable to carry out their mission. Then there are all the results of bureaucratic sloth: water treatment plants often do not function to their rated capacity for lack of timely repairs. This forces people to exploit groundwater wherever available. This is poorly regulated, and the groundwater table has therefore plunged in most cities, sometimes to depths that make it inaccessible. |
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| This growing crisis cannot be tackled without a well-conceived water policy and the political will to reform the water sector. Though a national water policy exists, it remains on paper. Even a simple stipulation of this policy""that the pricing of water should be such as to reflect its scarcity value""has not been put in practice. The involvement of the private sector in the planning, development and management of water resources projects, as envisaged in the Delhi water policy, faces strong resistance from various pressure groups. As such, when the Delhi Jal Board sought to introduce a World Bank-supported programme for restructuring the water supply system, it had to abandon the move in the wake of strong protests. The Sarita Vihar water treatment project, another bid to involve the private sector in this field, has remained a non-starter as the Delhi government cannot procure water from neighbouring states to feed the plant. |
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| Major institutional and structural changes are needed to revamp the urban water supply sector and ensure efficient operations, and the equitable distribution of water. The availability of water itself needs to be augmented through rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging. Traditional water storage structures have to be resurrected and rejuvenated. And even more important, the wasteful use of water has to be discouraged through fiscal and legal measures. Equally important is the need to introduce quality-based water use. While bacteria-free potable grade water needs to be used strictly for drinking and cooking, ordinary clean water can be made available for bathing and personal hygiene. |
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