Public-Private Partnerships – The way forward for safe water in rural India

Despite economic progress in India since the start of the twenty-first century, the rural-urban divide remains a stark reminder that the growth has not been equitable. One area that stands out in this stunted progress is the sanitation sector and water management in India. To put things in perspective, only about half of the urban population in India has access to a piped water supply as compared to over 90 percent in China. The situation in rural India has improved over the years but is still a weak indicator as only about 10 percent of rural households have access to piped water. The wastewater management situation is even worse with an absence of any kind of sewerage network across rural India. In addition, the wastewater generated is left untreated, which leads to its percolation back into the cycle, exacerbating the already-precarious situation.