District Drinking Water Planning for Sustainability in Maharashtra: Between Local and Global Scales

Abstract

Sustainable rural drinking water is a widespread aim in India, and globally, from the household to district, state, and national scales. Sustainability issues in the rural drinking water sector range from increasing water demand to declining groundwater levels, premature deterioration of village schemes and services, inadequate revenues for operations and maintenance, weak capacity of water operators, frequently changing state and national policies, and destabilizing effects of climate change. This paper focuses on the special role of district-scale drinking water planning, which operates at the intersection between bottom-up water demand and top-down water programs. After surveying the challenges associated with bottom-up and top-down planning approaches, we present recent efforts to strengthen district and block drinking water planning in the state of Maharashtra. A combination of district interviews, institutional history, village surveys, GIS visualization, and planning workshops were used to advance district planning goals and methods. Results assess bottom-up processes of water demand; top-down water programs and finance; and intermediate-level planning at the district and block scales. Discussion focuses on potential improvements in district planning methods in Maharashtra.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability in Water Supply: A Systematic Review

“…Turning water problems into solutions has been a major slogan for CSR initiatives around the world. In India, for instance, the Jal Jeevan Mission has made a strong commitment to provide all households in Kerala and other cities with safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 [105]. This CSR initiative has been making waves across India and promises universal access to water supply.…”

“…This CSR initiative has been making waves across India and promises universal access to water supply. Through this initiative, various people living in places with inadequate water supply across India have been assisted using functional household taps [105]. The individuals and corporations behind the Jal Jeevan Mission emphasize community participation, technological innovation, and decentralized water management [105].…”

“…Through this initiative, various people living in places with inadequate water supply across India have been assisted using functional household taps [105]. The individuals and corporations behind the Jal Jeevan Mission emphasize community participation, technological innovation, and decentralized water management [105]. The mission has prioritized the use of artificial intelligence to help in surveillance, monitoring, and control of water supply to avoid waste [105].…”

“…The individuals and corporations behind the Jal Jeevan Mission emphasize community participation, technological innovation, and decentralized water management [105]. The mission has prioritized the use of artificial intelligence to help in surveillance, monitoring, and control of water supply to avoid waste [105]. Through AI, the management can accurately predict water consumption, detect problems within the transportation pipes, and provide timely solutions to avoid the mass wastage of water.…”

“…A lot of water waste occurs due to poor management of transportation materials, including pipes and household taps. The problem can be exacerbated by the informal settlements where surveillance, monitoring, and control become too difficult due to rampant theft and destruction of the water infrastructure [97,105]. In Nairobi, Kenya, the city's water utility company has made significant efforts to enhance the supply of safe drinking water to those who need it most.…”