The Hindu Business Line : ‘Poor management blocking water supply’

Professor Srinivas Chary Vedala, Director, Centre for Energy, Environment, Urban, Governance, Infrastructure Development, Administrative Staff College of India, says there is not one city in India that gives continuous and quality water supply to its citizens. The problem is not one of water shortage but of management. Less developed countries have managed to do this through efficient systems. The problem lies with the policy makers and the people.

Prof Chary, through the Change Management Forum he is associated with, interacts with over 25 city administrations including the Mayors and Commissioners to bring about awareness on water supply-related issues. He shares his thoughts on the issue with Business Line.

Excerpts from the interview:

What are the issues in utilities supplying quality water continuously over the pipeline network?

The first step is for the policy makers to acknowledge that citizens need supply 24X7. Till a few years ago, nobody believed that it was necessary. Now, leading cities have recognised the need and are trying however difficult it is. So first is the change in the mindset of the policy makers, administrators and the managers.

The primary reason for continuous and quality supply is public health. When water is supplied intermittently, the pipeline network gets contaminated because of seepage, then when supply resumes and disease spreads.

Second, it is the inconvenience and the economic loss. It is the poor who suffer the most. Their time, which could be spent on earning, is lost in waiting for water. Women lose an entire day’s wage waiting in line for water.

The Governments spend a fortune organising water supply by other means than through the pipelines.

Every major city around the world has continuous water supply around the week. Cities in Uganda, Cambodia, Vietnam — economies that are much smaller than ours — have managed this and noticed significant improvements in public health.

But what is the root cause for the shortfall in supply — is it water availability?

No. it is continued wastage in the system and at the household level.

There is a significantly high degree of leakage and theft within the system — unaccounted for water. Indian cities are losing more than half the water being fed into the system at a great cost. For instance, water utilities are going for desalination and reverse osmosis to increase supply and treat the water. That is expensive.

Also, there is a huge wastage at the household level. The behaviour of the consumers has to be influenced. Wastage at the household level is primarily because water is perceived to be free.

To stop the wastage, the civil society has to bring pressure to bear on the system. It is an issue of political will and governance.

How do we improve the system at both the stages — the pipeline infrastructure and citizen’s role?

By campaigning to increase public awareness and bringing pressure to bear on the policy makers.

There is no other option but to bring in effective metering and pricing of water. Not to inconvenience the poor or for the profit of utilities but to prevent wastage. There could be incremental pricing — the more water you use, the more you pay. This would encourage citizens to use just the quantity of water they need.

But stopping water leakage and wastage is not the priority for planners now. The emphasis is on increasing the availability of water even if it means it will be stored in a leaky bucket. Politicians do not find it fashionable to get leaky pipes repaired. They prefer to launch huge projects and to inaugurate them even if they know they can do more at a lesser cost to improve water supply.

The civil society should be told this story aggressively. The water problem in urban areas is artificial. It is not a crisis of water availability but of management. Data shows that Indian cities get more water than most cities elsewhere that manage to maintain continuous and quality supply of water.

How expensive will it be for citizens?

Experience across the globe has shown that in 24X7 supply costs come down because losses come down, making it cheaper for the utilities and the consumers. World over, consumers pay no more than Rs 200 a month for water. In India we pay more for intermittent supply — more than what citizens of Singapore and Hong Kong pay — but not to the Government but elsewhere.

What is needed is advocacy and awareness of these issues.

Is this issue being addressed?

The change is happening. The Government of India programme, Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, clearly directs investments to upgrading existing infrastructure and encouraging cities through investments and incentives to think big and offer quality service through utilities. Over Rs one lakh crore is available through this mission and 63 cities have opted for JNNURM funding which does not support source augmentation projects but pushes the local governments to address efficiency gains through better distribution systems and cost recovery.

Also, the efficiency in the private sector is coming in through their involvement in operation and maintenance of projects.

Feedback to blproperty@thehindu.co.in

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