Regularizing Private Supply of Water

The use of groundwater in Rajkot has grown over time as a result of inadequate water supply management of Rajkot municipal corporations. The corporation is claiming that they have 98% tap connection coverage in the city but on ground from the survey it is observed that many people rely on other water sources like their own bore wells, private suppliers of water and community hand pumps etc. For this project the focus is on private suppliers of water who are without any permission extracting the groundwater and selling it in the market at higher prices. Private water suppliers of both potable and non-potable water have a sizable business in Rajkot. Additionally, people are increasingly buying private drinking cans (jugs) because they believe that municipal water, despite being treated, is unfit for human consumption. Since there is no official organization to keep an eye on and regulate the over-exploitation of these sources, these private water suppliers are extracting water from the ground. Since the groundwater levels are dropping and everyday water extraction is out of control, there is a need to govern and control this activity. The proposal is for institutional framework and suggesting the roles and responsibilities of various government organizations.