An Issue of Governance in Urban Water Supply: A Study of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Water is a basic human need and critical in determining the quality of life. Yet Indian cities witness inadequate water supply with irregular pressure, insufficient quantity and questionable quality. Pace of urbanization and process of decentralization have influenced the provision of urban water supply yet it is far from satisfaction. Varanasi, the oldest living city and one of the million cities since 1991 has witnessed a constant population increase. Water supply system for Varanasi is more than hundred years old (1892) initially designed for a population of two lakhs has to provide water to one and half million city dwellers. Municipal authority claims fulfilling a norm of 135 LPCD, which is hardly reaching to the people because of host of factors. So instead of availability accessibility and appropriate distribution systems are the issue of governance. This paper discusses the existing scenario of water supply, requirement and availability of water at the household level, satisfaction with the quantity and quality of water, grievance redressal mechanism in case of water supply failure and the overall satisfaction with general water supply system of the city. A governance matrix is generated to look into these aspects. The work is based on secondary and primary data collected from sample municipal wards with the help of questionnaire and supported through informal discussion and PRA session. Respondents fall in the categories of those having water supply inside the house and those depending upon stand posts both.