OneWorld South Asia ~ Water ATMs: Improving Water Accessibility In Delhi Slums

Photo: www.indiawaterportal.org

September 2014. New Delhi: Water ATMs may improve accessibility, affordability and quality of drinking water in slum areas. Experts studied the functioning of Water ATMs and Treatment Plant in Savdha Ghevra resettlement colony of North-West Delhi as part of the yatra on Innovations in Urban Water Services organised by global think tank – Development Alternatives Oct 14, 2014, New Delhi.
In the absence of piped water supply, several far flung areas in Delhi continue to remain inaccessible to safe drinking water supply. The problem is more serious when it comes to unauthorised localities, slum areas and resettlement colonies in the city, where drinking water remains a scarce resource.

The current civic infrastructure doesn’t have the capacity to provide for the growing demand of water in the city and what the situation urgently needs is innovations in water supply and usage. These and related issues were discussed today by experts in a yatra organised by Development Alternatives (DA) in Savdha Ghevra resettlement colony in North-West Delhi.
The objective of the yatra was to study innovations in urban water services, and how these small interventions could result in substantial improvements to system efficiency across varying water collection, purification and distribution mechanisms.
The yatra was attended by representatives from Central Pollution Control Board, Central Ground Water Board, Delhi Jal Board, World Bank, INTACH as well as NGOs including Center for Science & Environment, Darvajal and Gramvikas. Savdha Ghevra is a 250 acres resettlement colony near Ghevra railway station on Delhi-Rohtak rail route in North West Delhi.
It is divided into several blocks, where approximately 30 000 people live. The inhabitants have fairly regular access to electricity but not to water. Furthermore, much of the promised infrastructure has not been developed, resulting in inadequate civic amenities.