THE CONTEXT: Urban India faces a complex web of water-related challenges of availability, quality, distribution, and equity, widening gap between demand and supply, aging infrastructure and systemic inefficiencies. The comprehensive approach point towards transitioning to a circular water economy to ensure sustainable and equitable access for urban inhabitants.
CHALLENGES IN URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA:
- Water Demand and Supply Gap: Urban areas have increasing groundwater dependence. The situation is particularly severe in major metropolitan areas where population growth has outpaced infrastructure development. Rapid depletion of aquifers and deteriorating water quality.
- Infrastructure Inefficiencies: A report by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs states that 40-50% of water is lost due to leakages and theft in Indian cities. Old and deteriorating pipelines cause significant water losses through leakages. The operational capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) is only 26,869,000 kilo litres per day against a generation of 72,368,000 kilo litres per day.
- Non-Revenue Water (NRW): According to a World Bank report, NRW in Indian cities ranges from 40-60%, compared to the international best practice of 10-20%. Substantial economic losses occur due to intermittent water supply, high distribution network losses and poor billing and collection efficiency. AMRUT has set a target to reduce NRW to less than 20% across urban India through periodic audits and system optimization.
- Water Pollution: A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report reveals that 351 river stretches across India are polluted due to discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. A staggering 62.9% (45,499,000 kilo litres per day) of untreated wastewater is discharged into water bodies. There is a 60% gap between wastewater generation and treatment capacity in urban areas.
- Public Health Impact: A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates that waterborne diseases account for 80% of illnesses in India, with a disproportionate impact on low-income communities.
- Climate Change Effects: The National Institute of Hydrology reports that climate change could reduce India’s per capita water availability by 35-40% by 2050.
- Governance Challenges: Weak enforcement of water pollution regulations. Inadequate policy guidelines for circular water economy. High treatment costs (INR 6.5 to 9 per kilo litre for wastewater treatment for reuse) and annual requirement of more than INR 171.7 billion for comprehensive wastewater treatment.
NATIONAL WATER POLICY EVOLUTION:
- 1987 policy: First comprehensive national framework for water resource management. Emphasized water conservation and efficient utilization. Introduced stakeholder involvement and prioritized drinking water needs.
- 2002 Update: Introduced River basin management concepts. Promoted community and private sector participation. Established water pricing and quality guidelines.
- 2012 Revision: Adopted integrated water resources management approach and focused on climate change adaptation. Introduced guidelines for Inter-basin water transfers, aquifer mapping, demand management strategies, water pricing regulation and Infrastructure conservation.
URBAN WATER SECTOR REFORMS:
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM):
- Encouraged states and cities to develop Service Level Benchmarks (SLBs). Mandated specific reforms to achieve predetermined SLBs in crucial services, including water supply. Parameters included per-capita water supply, water metering, Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction, cost recovery, and sewerage and stormwater networks.
- Required cities to formulate City Development Plans outlining adherence to benchmarks and reform agendas. Implemented third-party monitoring to assess reform implementation and benchmark attainment.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) & AMRUT 2.0: AMRUT, launched in 2015, and its successor AMRUT 2.0 (2021) have been pivotal in addressing urban water challenges:
Objectives:
- Enhance urban infrastructure and services.
- Promote circular water economy.
- Achieve universal coverage of tap water supply.
- Improve sewerage and septage management.
- Develop City Water Balance Plans (CWBP) focusing on recycling/reusing treated sewage, rejuvenating water bodies, and water conservation.
Financial Commitment: Total outlay of INR 2.99 trillion, including a Central share of INR 76.7 billion.
Achievements: By the end of AMRUT’s first phase in 2021:
- Projects worth INR 789 billion were grounded.
- Works on projects worth INR 477 billion were carried out.
- Projects worth INR 164.49 billion were completed.
- 970,000 water tap connections were facilitated.
- 6,200,000 sewer household connections were established.
- Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity of 1,909,000 kilo-litres per day was achieved.
- 1,563 waterlogging spots were eliminated.
- 3,500 acres of green permeable spaces and parks were developed.
THE IMPERATIVE OF A CIRCULAR WATER ECONOMY:
- A circular water economy involves the continuous circulation of water resources within the urban system, minimizing waste and maximizing resource recovery. This approach is crucial for sustainable urban water management, especially in water-stressed regions like India.
- Cities in developing economies worldwide, such as São Paulo (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Dakar (Senegal), and Arequipa (Peru), are actively exploring circular economy solutions in their water sectors.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA:
- Resource Recovery: By adopting circular economy principles, India can recover valuable resources from wastewater such as water itself, energy (through biogas production), fertilizers (from nutrient recovery), and even bioplastics or metals. This would not only reduce environmental degradation but also create new economic opportunities.
- Economic and Employment Benefits: A shift towards a circular economy could promote entrepreneurship and create jobs, particularly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in decentralized recycling practices like “reduce, reuse, recycle.” These enterprises could play a crucial role in resource recovery efforts across urban India.
- Turning Challenges into Advantages: India’s existing gaps in centralized infrastructure can be leveraged by establishing decentralized wastewater treatment facilities. Decentralized systems reduce reliance on large-scale infrastructure while enabling more localized reclamation strategies that align with circular economy goals.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Strengthening Central Initiatives: The Government of India must take a more assertive role in driving city-level reforms in the water sector due to lack of intent, capacity, and strict reform mandates at the city level. Tie AMRUT grant disbursals to concrete reforms and insist on financial and administrative empowerment of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
- Empowering Urban Local Bodies: Devolve functions such as climate action, public health, and digital infrastructure to cities. ULBs should be compensated for revenue losses due to the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST), which subsumed many of their revenue streams.
- Implementation of Service Level Benchmarks (SLBs): SLBs, introduced under JNNURM and continued under AMRUT, should not merely serve as eligibility criteria for funding but as actionable goals for improving service delivery in water supply, sewerage, and waste management. Cities must be held accountable for meeting these benchmarks through regular third-party audits.
- Focus on High-Impact Areas: Developing city-specific circular water economy plans. Allocating resources based on the potential impact of interventions. Creating pilot projects in major cities to demonstrate success and scalability.
THE CONCLUSION:
Develop comprehensive urban water policies that integrate supply, demand, and quality management. Promote nature-based solutions for urban water management. Strengthen institutional capacities for effective water governance.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? 2018
Q.2 What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. 2021
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Examine the effectiveness of national initiatives like AMRUT and JNNURM in addressing urban water management issues in India. What further reforms are needed to ensure sustainable and equitable water access in Indian cities?
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