Imagining water-secure cities

Water secure cities need not solely be in the realm of our imagination

The government has just announced a major initiative for power for all. Could we now aim for safe, secure, affordable water for all? During 2001-2011, India’s urban population grew nearly 32 per cent. Its city dwellers alone (about 377 million) would be the world’s third largest country by population. Even as the majority population remains rural, basic services for water, sanitation, and sewerage in cities are critical.

The last census found 71 per cent of urban households with access to drinking water on their premises. Even homes with a connection received water for only four-and-a-half hours daily, on average. Just