Water is a unique and non-substitutable resource of limited quantity. As the foundation of life, societies and economies, it carries multiple values and benefits. But unlike most other valuable resources, it has proven extremely difficult to determine its true ‘value’.Water is our most precious resource, a ‘blue gold’ to which more than 2 billion people do not have direct access. It not only is essential to survival, but also plays a sanitary, social and cultural role at the heart of human societies.

1. Emerging Issues, Options and Opportunities for Planning,
Development and Management of Sustainable Urban
Settlements in India- Challenge of Water
 Jit Kumar Gupta
 Jit.kumar1944@gmail.com
Introduction
In addition to being ranked high among the most land stressed nations in the world,
India also faces the grave challenge of non-availability of adequate potable water for
feeding its human and animal population in general and urban population in particular.
Currently, home to about 17.78% of the world's population along with largest animals
count of 550 million, India holds merely 4% of the global water resources. As an
important economic resource, water is essential for all forms of livelihood activities,
agriculture, animal husbandry and most of the industrial production processes (Merrett
1997; Kay et al. 1997). Being most populated country in the world, India faces a gigantic
and difficult .task of providing every single one of its citizens with basic water services.
Looking at the limited availability of water, India . needs to overcome various water supply
challenges, such as increasing demand due to rapid urbanization and non-sustainable
agricultural practices, water pollution, as well as erratic rainfall patterns, worsened by
climate change. Excessive water consumption,depleting water resources have emerged
as major concerns of urban India. Majority of large Indian cities are depending on ferrying
water from rivers/canals from long distances. Large number of cities are facing perpetual
water crisis . Rapid increase in urbanisation, growth of urban population and massive
industrialisation, with urban population expected to increase from 377 million in 2011 to
600 million by 2031 (Amarasinghe 2004), Indian cities are likely to face aggravated
water crisis. Water being valued as being one of the most essential elements of nature
to sustain life. However, supply of water remains invariably short of demand as the cities
grow in size and number. Water quality remains another urban issue. It is said by 2022,
twenty two large cities of India including Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai etc., will become highly
water stressed cities. As per IIPA report on water resources in India;
Various reports and scientific studies suggest that the absence of
provision of public water will pose difficulties for local governments
in the majority of Indian cities. This extends to other civic services
such as sanitation, housing, healthcare, transportation. In India, the
demand for freshwater resources has been steadily growing over
the past few decades, making India, one of the most water-
challenged countries in the world (WRI 2015). Rivers and lakes are
dying, and groundwater levels are dropping due to the
overexploitation of surface and groundwater by farmers, city
dwellers, and industries. Furthermore, the limited available water is

2. highly polluted (TERI 2021). The per capita water availability has
declined by almost 75%, from 6008 m3 per year in 1947 to
approximately 1545 m3 per annum in 2011. The country's water
demand is projected to be twice the available supply by 2030,
resulting in extreme scarcity that will affect millions of people as
well as industrial and economic processes (NITI Aayog 2019).
From a macro perspective, the average rainfall across India
remains relatively consistent at 118 cm, with some annual
variations. However, from a micro-perspective, freshwater supplies
in many states, river basins, geographical areas, and localities are
declining due to changes in hydrologic balances, over-exploitation,
and increased pollution of freshwater reserves. Rapid population
growth, industrialization, and climate change have emerged as the
primary factors contributing to India's water crisis. Many western,
southern, and northwestern states, which happen to be relatively
more urbanized, are experiencing severe water scarcity. "Water
scarcity in urban India has been exacerbated in two ways by the
country's growing urban population. On one hand, urban areas in
India are consuming greener areas, agricultural land, eco-sensitive
areas, and permeable open spaces to create developed, salable
land. On the other hand, we are over-exploiting the already
depleted groundwater resources. Across the globe, urbanization is
typically associated with the expansion of impermeable,
concretized built-up regions over agricultural fields and natural
areas like wetlands, lakes, and rivers. This reduction in the land's
ability to absorb and recharge groundwater leads to a decrease in
aquifer levels and an increase in rainwater runoff, ultimately
resulting in a higher risk of floods. The downside is that large,
heavily populated urban areas can impose an enormous burden on
the region's natural resources, with water being the most notable.
(Horward & Gelo 2002

3. Image; Acute scarcity of potable water in urban India;
Source;www.civilsdaily.com
Looking at the entire context and status, urban India has to find ways and means to
optimise the consumption of water ; not only by adopting the principle of refusing,
reducing , recycling and reusing water, but also slowing the flow; ensuring multiple use
of water, installing water efficient fixtures, creating water efficient landscape, metering
the water consumption, separating gray& black water, using grey water for
flushing/irrigation, linking urban waste water with agriculture, changing cropping pattern
to make them water efficient , making industries zero waste water and promoting rain
water harvesting and ground water recharging on large scale. Adoption of a multi-
pronged strategy, using state of art technologies and looking holistically at the entire
gamut of water, will be critical for rationalization its availability, sourcing, management
and consumption, as has been defined below;
i. Redefining Physical Planning;
 In the urban planning, water should be treated as the most valuable gift of
nature and elixir of life but not merely as a commodity to be consumed and
wasted.
 Planning urban water supply must be based on the regional context and not
merely confined to the boundaries defined for the municipalities.
 Urban planning must have a holistic look at the entire gamut of water
resources and its optimum utilization.
 Adopting Regional Planning, for rationalising, sharing, sourcing, consumption
and conserving water for both urban and rural India.

4.  Planning urban settlements using the principle of circular economy cities for
the water resource.
 Making cities spongy, by retaining water rather than draining rain- water, by
planning based on promoting porosity and greenery.
 Planning cities to be water efficient and zero-waste water human settlements.
 Making water conservation/ waste water management, integral part of urban
planning process and human settlements.
 Linking/integrating all human settlements with adjoining peri-urban/
agricultural land, for rationalizing/meeting, the basic needs of water for urban
and agricultural purposes.
 Rationalizing urban planning, development and management, with focus on
minimizing consumption of water as a resource.
 Rationalizing provision of open spaces in urban areas, considering
availability/usability of water at the local level with focus on minimizing the use
of fresh water.
 Linking all open spaces with appropriate level of rain water harvesting to
eliminate the consumption/use of ground/surface fresh water.
 Evolving innovative landscaping design for the green spaces, including choice
and use of local flora and fauna, based on the principle of minimizing water
consumption.
 Promoting use of local/native trees- known to be more water efficient, and
least consumers of water.
 Preserving/protecting/promoting/augmenting all existing water
resources/draining systems by making them integral part of city planning,
development and management processes.
 Planning of human settlements to include; identifying /promoting/protecting all
existing areas of bio-diversity and natural heritage for safeguarding water
resources.
 Using all existing low-lying areas, within/outside urban areas, for creating
manmade water bodies/ lakes/ponds for- preserving/ collecting/sourcing rain
water; for promoting ground water recharging; lowering urban heat island
impact and modulating urban ecology and environment.
 Creating urban forests in the cities, to promote soaking/harvesting of rain
water, ground water recharging and augmenting ground water supply.
 Using all available spaces under traffic rotaries/islands for rain water
harvesting/ storing of rain water and minimizing the use of potable water.
 Using porous concrete in all pavements/parking areas to promote rain water
harvesting and ground water recharging.
 Framing bye-laws, mandating minimum requirement of open spaces to be
provided within the plotted area for water absorption/ground water recharging
within the plots and minimizing discharge on the street.

5.  Evolving norms and standards and creating SOPs for minimizing creation of
the hard surfaces and maximizing soft areas in the city for higher water
absorption and making cities spongy in terms of water sourcing.
 Creating/specifying framework for mandating provision of number/typology of
trees to be planted at the individual/institutional/commercial sites.
 Mandating all new buildings to be planned, designed and constructed as
Green Buildings to promote water conservation.
 Retrofitting all existing buildings to make them more water efficient
 Incentivising all existing/new institutions to become zero-waste water for
minimising consumption of ground water resource.

ii. Rationalising Water Management
 Using rainwater harvesting integral part of building construction/ building
operation processes.
 Promoting Rainwater harvesting/ usage at community level rather than at
individual level.
 Image- Tradition Water Management Structures
 Protecting fresh water resources by declaring/defining protected belts around
them- with no urbanization/ construction/ industry/ institution permitted in the
belt. Using land under these belts for massive plantation for protecting
sources
 of water from possible pollution.

6.  Declaring Ground water as valuable natural/national resource -prohibiting
individuals/institutions to tap the source without prior sanction of the
competent authority.
 Promoting concept of – Slow the Flow- for reducing water usage.
 Promoting the principle of Refusing, Reducing, Recycling and Reusing for
effectively managing water usage.
 Involving / incentivizing/ recognizing/ awarding communities, adopting/
promoting best practices in waste water management& rain water harvesting
 Promoting traditional/ vernacular/local sustainable water management
practices to preserve water. Reinventing/promoting traditional/ existing
systems of water conservation/preservation/ protection/ management for
sourcing , preserving water and promoting community- oriented usage of
water
 Charging fee for storm water drainage from house owners, based on area of
the plot, for financing rain water harvesting at local/city level.
 Incentivizing owners for protecting/ preserving /storing/ reusing the storm
water, for minimizing loss of storm water.
 Awarding people/ communities/ institutions reporting minimum water
waste/usage.
 Charging water usage by metering- adopting slab system based on the
pattern followed in the levying of income tax- with large consumers paying
higher charges.
 Specifying maximum amount of water supply to individual household based
on the number of people and the purpose of use of water
 Rationalising norms and standards for water supply for different uses based
on optimising the use of existing water resource.
 Adopting and promoting a holistic approach to water- potable water,
rainwater, sources of water, waste water management.
 Achieving the goal of 24x7x365 water supply at local level, to minimize
wastage/storage of water
 Rationalizing/optimizing/minimizing use of ground water by restricting the
tapping of ground water without approval of the competent authority.
 Putting small dams on seasonal rivers/ choes for storage of rain water and
meeting water demand during the water deficit seasons
 Using low lying area for creating a water body, on the pattern used in creating
Sukhna Choe, at Chandigarh, to promote rain water harvesting and raising
level of ground water level by recharging.
 Integrating water systems at Macro and Micro level for making optimum use
of water resource.
 Creating an integrated system of water network/grid by linking all perennial
sources of water- rivers- at national level to ensure optimum/equitable
distribution of water across nation/regions/cities/communities

7.  Ensuring quality of water of rivers –by prohibiting urbanization, release of
household/industrial/city waste into rivers- by the cities located on the river
banks.
 Rationalizing water based tourism/transport of goods, to protect sources of
water from possible pollution
 Rationalizing allocation/water usage for Food, Agriculture, Environment
 Optimizing /protecting all wetlands as major sources of fresh water sourcing,
storage, supply, ground water re-charging, modulating climate, promoting wild
habitat and revitalizing bio-diversity in the region.
 Preserving, protecting from all possible manmade pollution and augmenting/
making value addition to all fresh water sources
 Re-evaluating/rationalizing/promoting fresh water/ waste water usage for
different urban purposes.
 Balancing water supply- demand at all levels- analyzing/focusing on high
water consumption areas for minimization of water demand.
 Making water conservation people/community- based movement rather than
government led responsibility.
 Documenting/sharing/incentivizing/rewarding/ adopting/ promoting good
water management practices of local communities
 Promoting awareness for minimizing consumerism approach on the part of
individuals
 Capacity building of the institutions involved in water management at local
level and promoting good governance, based on accountability, integrity and
transparency
 Training manpower engaged in water management at local level, on
continued basis , about the latest trends/practices/technologies used in
promoting water management
 Creating appropriate regulatory and legal frameworks for water management
including a mix of incentives and enforced penalties (‘carrots and sticks)
 Allocating adequate resources , promoting fair and effective management of
financial resources for water management.
iii Leveraging Technologies
 Making available state of art technologies related to water, made integral
part of the water management process at the local level.
 Putting in place state of art technologies for treating/managing waste water to
make it fit for use in human habitation/agriculture.
 Evolving state of art / cost-effective/ energy efficient/water efficient
technologies to minimize the use of water in flushing and looking for zero-
water WC .
 Shifting sanitary system from water-based to non- water based mechanism
on the pattern followed in zero-water urinals

8.  Using Phyto-remedial mechanism instead of Sewerage Treatment Plants for
treating the sullage water for preserving /protecting/re-generating the waste
water for reuse.
 Re-inventing/redesigning the water fixtures/faucets based on the principle of
breaking the water into ions/mixing air to minimizing water consumption,
without reducing water pressure.
 Reducing water consumption during construction of buildings by rationalizing
the methods of construction and re-inventing water efficient materials and
construction technologies
 Incentivizing the production of building materials, having minimum water
requirement for usage.
 Shifting from construction to manufacturing of buildings- through pre-
fabrication to minimize the use of water on construction site.
 Focusing on efficient water delivery, using technology to minimizing wastage/
theft/ leakage/ unauthorized use.
 Putting in place intelligent system of water management at city/local level for
optimization and effectively monitoring public water system/ misuse/ abuse.
 Putting in place state of art ,waste water treatment facilities ,for reuse as fresh
water.
 Innovations- like creating Ice- Stupas in the Cold deserts of Leh- for
sourcing/storage/harvesting of water for human consumption and agriculture
during the warm/hot/water deficient period
Image-Water Stupas In Leh
 Minimizing water loss due to evaporation in hot regions- by shading water
bodies/sources, covering with plastic sheets or by installing solar panels on
sources of water.
 Promoting evidence-based knowledge on water resources and mapping all
available sources of water supply digitally, and monitoring them through GIS
for optimization.
 Evolving technologies for using Geo-thermal water for human consumption.
 Adopting community-based approach rather than individual based approach
for effective water management/equitable distribution of water.
 Ranking cities based on water efficiency and productivity at national/state
level and rewarding cities, based on the efforts made to optimize the water
usage.
 Mapping/sharing all good
practices of water sourcing/ water
management/ conservation of
water for optimization of water
resource