1) Access to improved water sources remains a challenge for the urban poor in India, with an estimated 14 million people using unimproved sources or having to walk far to access water. 2) The urban poor face problems of no water service or poor service, resulting in time wasted collecting water, health impacts, and risks of violence and water-borne diseases. 3) The underlying causes of poor water access include lack of infrastructure in unauthorized slums, problems with water supply systems, and lack of financial and staffing resources at water utilities.

1. WATER FOR THE URBAN
POOR: LIMITED SPACE TO
ENGAGE?
A J James, PhD,
Visiting Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur
Addressing challenges in expanding access to improved
water sources through Water Credit
Water.org India Stakeholders Engagement Forum 2013
New Delhi 19 February 2013

2. Context: Where do we stand?
 The Urban Globe
 Historic Urbanization Milestone: >50% urban citizens
 On-target to meet water MDG: but poor ‘hidden’ in
averages
 Huge unserved population even if water MDG is met:
672m!
 This number could be higher due to ‘slippage’ & definition
(i.e., ‘access to physical infrastructure’ – not actual service
delivered!)
 Urban India
 Rapid urbanization: faster since 2000. 2011: largest ever
urban population! 377m, ~8000 cities & towns; 468 Class I;
53 mill+
 Uneven growth: Some states are more ‘urbanized’ than
others

3. Slum water: What’s the
problem?
 Type of problems
 No Service (or no service or ‘unserved’) which
affects all those who are forced to use unimproved or
unsafe sources of water or walk far to access water
14m (2008, JMP 2010): 4% of India’s urban population
uses ‘unimproved sources’ - ‘unprotected dug well or
spring, cart with small tank/drum, surface water (river,
dam, lake, pond, stream, canal, irrigation channels)
and bottled water’
 Poor Service (or poor access) which affect those who
have access to water supply infrastructure, but face
problems when the infrastructure does not deliver the
service.
329m (2008, JMP 2010): those who share water
sources & piped water; even if 75% had access to
‘piped water in premises (GOI, 2010), this is ‘access to
infrastructure’ only!

4. Slum water problems: So what?
 Consequences of ‘no service’ – for the urban
poor
 Time spent collecting water: Women spend 30 – 180
min walking to & queuing to collect water (MP 4-city
data, UN Habitat, 2005)
 Health impacts: Carrying heavy water vessels several
times a day, every day, for months and years, cause
neck pains, back aches, and joint and muscular pains.
Also, danger of road accidents when the source is
across a busy road
 Molestation and violence: Women carrying water are
‘easy targets’ – even if it is an ‘improved source’ acc to
JMP; & if they speak up/ defend themselves, they risk
domestic abuse from husbands & in-laws (UN Habitat,
2003).
 Risks of water-borne diseases due to poor water

5. Slum water problems: more ‘so
what’?
 Consequences of ‘poor service’ – on the
urban poor
 Time wasted at water points during work hours:
especially for working women and men who have to
be at a certain place at a particular time
 Rushing to other water points: If supply is
inadequate in the nearest water point, or if the
queue is too long …
 Conflicts at the water point: Inadequate or
untimely supply is a ‘source of tension and can
precipitate fights
 Unearthly supply hours: so wake up at 2am to
collect water!

6. Urban water: why the problem?
 Proximate factors
 ‘No service’ from government-provided systems
 Legal or administrative reasons (e.g., not
notified/recognized, ear-marked for other development in
CDP/Master Plan, in flood plains or other unauthorized
location)
 Technical reasons: Distant from water supply trunk lines
or where it is technically difficult to provide supply, e.g.,
steep hillsides
 Financial reasons: the unit cost of providing water
supply is much higher than in other areas –hence ignored
in budgetary allocations!); or household cannot afford to
pay connection or monthly user charges

7. Urban water: underlying
problems?
 Proximate factors
 ‘Poor service’ from government-provided systems
 Problems with the Source : either water is not potable or
insufficient or contaminated due to pollution
 Problems with the water supply system: either design
problems (inconvenient location of public water points,
inconvenient timings, lack of sufficient pressure e.g., due to
elevation or maintenance problems) or operational problems
(major/minor repairs, no spare parts, tools ..)
 Underlying factors
 Poor financial resources with utility: due to lack of
programme funding or poor revenue realization
 Lack of staff capacity: for field-level operations & also
lack of technical and financial capacities
 Lack of motivation: among staff, to improve

8. Who’s problem is it anyway?
 Government – has duty, mandate and resources
 Huge policy shift since 2005 (MoUD, MHUPA)
 JNNURM (~100,000 crores, 63 cities, with BSUP, 7 yrs)
 UIDSSMT (combined IDSMT & AUWSP)
 Service level benchmarking – same norms for ALL (also 13th
FC 2010)
 Massive resources
 XII FYP, 13th FC, JNNURM
 HPEC estimate of Rs. 8000 billion for 2012-31 (@2009-10
prices)
 City-wide infrastructure Planning & Investment
 CDP, JNNURM, UIDSSMT
 Slum-free cities – moving them out (e.g., Nashik) or shifting

9. Finding spaces for other players
 Change is inevitable: Government-driven & market-driven
 Private sector is already marketing for the ‘poor’: with
innovative products, marketing strategies & supply chains
 ‘Water players’ (NGOs, networks, donors, private
sector) can
 Pilot technical, financial, institutional & other innovations
– for better services for the poor - for subsequent up-scaling
by government
 Help the ‘regular’ private sector increase water options
for the poor
 tailor market-based products to their requirements & constraints
 innovate marketing strategies & financing options
 Make private sector aware of size of the ‘poor’ market &