Water in India

Policy and Regulatory Framework

The regulatory authorities must report data on water availability, water use, future projections of water demand, water quality, water for diverse purposes and also state of existing restoration projects. Similarly, systems perspective of water resource management must be done and there is an urgent need to resolving upstream -- downstream conflicts. It is extremely important to focusing on water for health. Health brings in critical human element in water supply scheme which is as crucial as pipes or filters. It demands a soul searching that can set minds to a visionary process towards conceiving, implementing and operating water systems- in a people based format.

The focus should be upon participatory approach wherein private sector must be encouraged with promising incentives. In addition the misuse of groundwater must be prohibited and the polluter tax must be levied on industries. Water pricing should be done even covering the O&M aspects of water treatment and distribution system. The grey water usage needs to be adopted by general public by providing conservation incentives.

Water resources should be managed in the context of a national water strategy that reflects the nation’s social, economic and environmental objectives and be based on an assessment of the country’s water resources. The assessment should include a realistic forecast of the demand for water, based on projected population growth and economic development, and a consideration of options for managing demand and supply, taking into account existing investments and those likely to occur in the private sector. The strategy should spell out priorities for providing water services; establish policies on water rights, water pricing and cost recovery, public investment, and the role of the private sector in water development; and institute measures for environmental protection and restoration. The framework should facilitate the consideration of relationships between the ecosystem and socioeconomic activities in river basins. In essence, this comprehensive approach breaks down very complex problems in a river basin into more manageable elements to achieve coherent cross-sectoral water management.

Although the complexity of the analysis will vary with the circumstances, it is often possible to clarify priorities and to take account of key interdependencies, using relatively uncomplicated frameworks. Regulations governing pollution, health standards, and environmental protection address water quality interdependencies among users.