India already faces endemic water shortages in many places, and this situation could worsen due to a combination of urbanisation and industrialisation, both of which will add to the demand for water, as well as generate more effluents, sewage and wastewater, which must be treated and ideally, reused.
The current water supply and sewage disposal capacities are inadequate and there is a growing gap between demand and supply. It will require significant efforts across states, municipalities and at the centre to create adequate water supply capacity, tackle sewage and effluents, and detoxify polluted freshwater sources. Financial resources are necessary to scale up capacity across thousands of urban centres. Substantial investments in technology are also required to carry out this task effectively and sustainably in order to cope with future demand.
Efforts are being made to achieve 24×7, pressurised water supply through schemes such as the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), which aims to ensure water security. The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) targets water security through the provision of safe drinking water to rural households using household taps.
Projects such as the Arth Ganga and Pavitra Ganga, which aim to rejuvenate the river Ganga through the treatment of wastewater and sludge discharged into it, could also be replicated across other rivers and water bodies if they prove successful.
Initiatives such as AMRUT and the JJM must incorporate technology at scale, which will require the sector to reinvent modes of operation. This will involve the adoption of aggregator-based public-private partnerships (PPPs), with urban local bodies and aggregators leveraging their respective skills and strengths. New financial models will also be necessary. For example, there could be viability gap funding under the PPP mode, allowing for risk-sharing.
There will also need to be collaboration between stakeholders, including agencies such as the National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance and the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation.
With India’s expansive coastline, one possible source of supply is the desalination of seawater for industrial and household consumption. State governments and private players must collaborate to set up decentralised desalination plants. Sustainable desalination requires multiple technologies since it is energy-intensive and leaves toxic brine residue, which must be treated. There is significant indigenous research and development being undertaken in this area. Ideally, the energy should come from renewable sources and the brine treatment should aim for zero liquid discharge.
Technology induction is necessary across the board. Using digital twins to model entire systems is one possibility – this offers a fast and efficient way to optimise design. Modern water supply and sewage management systems should incorporate supervisory control and data acquisition systems, geographic information systems, internet of things-based devices, remote sensors and other advanced solutions. Automation could also play a key role, for example, the use of nanobots to monitor pipelines. Digital platforms are essential for the JJM to manage information and inform policy decisions as well as enhance efficiency in technical aspects. Smart meters are another necessity.
Solving India’s water supply and sewage management challenges is mission critical. Moreover, such solutions have to project for future, long-term demand. Achieving this will require a huge shift in mindset with due attention being given to sustainability, financial prudence and user needs.