Delhi can solve its water woes

NEW DELHI: What is the solution to Delhi’s severe water crisis?
Recycling and rainwater harvesting are clear answers. Estimates indicate that rainwater harvesting can supply about 675 mld and recycling some 2.205 mld — exceeding the actual demand.
INTACH proposed harvesting rainwater from rooftops, canals and old monuments, which the Delhi government accepted.But the implementation is tardy.
Breaking the confused control of different agencies and simplifying the multiplicity of their tasks could improve matters. Water is a state subject. In Delhi, the Delhi Jal Board is in charge. But, not entirely. The NDMC manages VIP areas and MCD manages old municipalities. The Centre has under it — the ministry of water resources, the ministry of environment, the Central Ground Water Board, the Central Pollution Control Board and the Central Water Commission. All these agencies have some stake in water management. Says P S Datta, project director, Nuclear Research Laboratory, IARI: ‘‘Everyone wants to prove how well they are doing. No one is concerned with the big picture.�
Sorting things out with neighbouring states. Delhi remains dependent on adjoining states for supplies. The Haryana-Delhi dispute over sharing Yamuna water surfaces each summer and remains unresolved.
Implementation of capital-intensive projects: New schemes of inter-basin transfer have been drawn up but are costly. An estimated investment of Rs 2,415 crores will be needed to supply 805 million gallons of water daily. Besides, riparian states have to agree to such transfers.
Revising water pricing: The water tariff in Delhi is the lowest in India — Rs 1.6 per cubic meters of water. But people pay 30 times more. However, governments are diffident as revising tariff could have a political fallout.
Privatisation: Since water is a major political issue, privatisation would take time. However, experiments undertaken in Argentina, the Philippines and other developing economies have shown the way. Says Sudhirendar Sharma, director, Ecological Foundation: ‘‘Fearing backlash, Delhi hasn’t privatised supplies. It has tried its hands at privatising treatment and production with limited success. When the system is inefficient, tariff struc-ture lowest and collection rate poor, no private company will like to risk investment.’’
Some form of partnership between the public and private sector works better. A management contract is sometimes awarded and a fee paid to operate aspects of water for five years, as in Mexico.
A lease contract in which the private company operates the system for a finite period, in return for the right to share revenue from customers, as in France, Senegal and Australia.
A concession contract for 25 to 30 years under which a private party operates and maintains facilities as in Argentina, Ivory Coast, Brazil.
A build-operate-transfer contract under which the government sells its stake to investors who are granted the licence to operate the system for their own profit for a fixed term. In return, investors must invest in developing infrastructure. Once the licence runs out ownership reverts to the state.
Water cooperatives. Rare, but found in Bolivia and parts of Argentina.