 |
|
|
Les Documents de travail Atelier 3 |
STRATEGIES
FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY FOR ALL:
INDIAN EXPERIENCE
V Suresh
Chairman
& Managing Director
Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd.
HUDCO Bhawan, India Habitat Centre
Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003 (India)
Tel : 091+11+4693022 - Fax: 091+11+4697378
Developing nations at large are concerned with the issue of enabling increased access to potable water supply to their citizens. It is in this context the present paper reviews the status of coverage of water supply in India and enlists the factors inhibiting the development of sustainable water supply systems. The requirement of huge financial outlays to enable achieving the objective of ‘water supply for all’ is also brought out. While briefly tracing the objectives specified in the Habitat II Conference in regard to extending water supply to all, the paper extensively discusses the various possible strategies and approaches to ensure extending water supply for all and the current status of implementation of the same in India. The paper primarily addresses issues relating to management of water resources, operation and maintenance of water supply systems on sustainable basis, involvement of private sector and community groups in water supply development, distribution and maintenance.