Now water may flow 24x7

The flip side of the water debate appears enticing to the urban world. Reports of this kind need close examining. Lulling oneself into a state of confidence does not signify prudence...
Indian cities may soon flow with the tide, globally speaking. Some of them are flushed with plans of 24x7 water supply, commonplace in several South and South East Asian countries but quite a revolutionary concept even in New Delhi.
In Bangkok and Cambodia‘s Phnom Penh, 100% of the population enjoy this privilege as do 60% in Colombo and Jakarta. Interestingly, small towns like Galle in Sri Lanka and Dhulikhel in Nepal have completed 24x7 water supply schemes for all residents.
In India, a little town, Ramagundem in Andhra Pradesh, has seen such a scheme introduced, while in Delhi, the government has agreed to experiment in a few localities. In Gujarat, meanwhile, the government recently sent 25 engineers to Hyderabad to attend a special programme on 24x7 water supply and bring the concept back to Ahmedabad.
Water experts argue that if Indian cities go for a continuous water supply system, the actual cost of water could come down. J David Foster, senior urban development advisor of USAID, says, “The cost of a continuous water supply system will be 13 paise per cubic meter [or 1,000 litres]. At present, people pay Rs. 75–100 per cubic meter because of the costs of pumps, tanks, treatment, etc. The poor pay even more if you consider related aspects such as distance walked to fetch water, absenteeism from schools and other health hazards.”
Several mechanisms have also been suggested to check wastage of 24x7 water. “A metre that charges according to use must be introduced. Initiatives have already been taken in India,” says another urban planner.
A Pipedream?
Critics, however, ask whether this is not a pipedream considering India‘s water scarcity. But experts cited a report that says that India has more water per capita than 42 countries in the world. “Many Indian cities already produce more than the European average of 140 liters/capita/day. Some parts of Delhi get 600 litres/capita/day. If you metre the customers, people will use water judiciously.”
There is a healthy side too—24x7 water may decrease the instance of water-borne diseases caused mainly by pipe leakages that lead to contamination.
Liquidity
100% residents in Bangkok and around 60% in Colombo and Jakarta get 24x7 water supply.
If a proper meter system is used, people will use water judiciously.
Delhi uses 23 employees for 1000 water customers. In Europe, its five employees per 1000 customers.
—Shantanu Nandan Sharma
Courtesy: The Econ. Times
As you can see, these are ‘strong‘ ideas which have the advantage of appearing to be clear, simple and pragmatic. The next dangerous step is to say that ‘to offer private enterprise the opportunity to run an efficient system appears today to be the means of providing the best services to the poor at the most favourable cost‘. These were the ideas that inspired the water privatization under the Thatcher government in Britain in 1989. Should we, can we, go the whole hog?
—Editor