How do India’s policies and guidelines look at ‘urban lakes’?
The country has come a long way in the fight to protect these bodies of water, but much more needs to be done
War over water
Mismanaging water can create a crisis and lead to panic. This is exactly what led to a water riot near Jamnagar in Gujarat
Stressed city fathers
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Growth thirsty
Groundwater level is plunging in Dhaka. Experts call for making rainwater harvesting mandatory
COVID-19: ‘Miniscule traces’ of novel coronavirus found in Paris’ non-potable water
It is essential that wastewater and sewage workers should use standard practices, practice basic hygiene precautions, and wear personal …
An urban puzzle
India’s population and cities are set to double by 2030. Can it cope with the pressures?
Day Zero is meant to cut Cape Town's water use: what is it, and is it working?
Tough water restrictions and punitive tariffs will drive down water demand, helping to postpone Day Zero
Holes in the pipeline!
Water supply in urban areas is met partly by public systems and partly, by the private sector
World Cities Day: Clock ticking for India’s urban areas; act now, say experts
The time has come for active policies to make sustainable modes work for all income levels, they say
Value your local water system
Bengaluru floods should draw our attention to how the same tragic story of loss of waterbodies in almost all Indian cities. But will it?&…
How we source water for cities: Lessons Tehri taught
A look at how complex the ecological and social consequences of our urban water management can be
New Delhi is running out of water
Access to clean and regular water remains a challenge for New Delhi, a city that could easily tackle its water crisis with greater effort
A trial with too many errors
Infighting within AAP post its brute win in Delhi raises doubts about civil society's tryst with electoral politics
Reflection in a pond
As urban residents switch to municipal water, the labour class struggles with disappearing ponds, their main water source. Sorit Gupto …
Double whammy
Increasing pollution, depleting water table make groundwater in Kathmandu unfit for drinking
Water scarcity may cause upto 6% loss in GDP: World Bank
Water shortage may also increase migration and conflicts in some regions, finds a World Bank report
Review finds ADB's policy doesn't hold water
Since 1998, adb has invested us $960 million in urban projects in India.
Sanitary insights
January 2, 2017, is the 15th death anniversary of Anil Agarwal, founder of the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth. This year, …
Asian, African cities rank low on water sustainability
Poor quality of water and inability to withstand natural disasters are affecting sustainability index of cities
Tax rebate to promote rainwater harvesting
Various municipal corporations in the country are offering concession of property tax in exchange of a rainwater harvesting system. Is the scheme …
A slum's daily struggle with water
A 17-year-old boy, a resident of Jagdamba Camp in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar captures how his community deals with the lack or excess of water. …
Why better sewage management in Chennai will help fight floods
Down To Earth Editor Sunita Narain explains how the city's three rivers and 320 tanks and lakes that worked as flood barriers are used mostly for …
The flush, the city and the river
For the modern Indian city, the principle behind management of water and waste is a simple one: flush and forget. Not surprisingly, most cities …
Dream stuck in pipeline
The Melamchi project promised to end Kathmandu’s acute water shortage. But 15 years later, it is nowhere near completion
Karnataka pinning hopes on unseasonal rain to tide over drought, water crisis
The state is staring at a severe drought for second consecutive year with coastal Karnataka experiencing a shortfall in southwest and northeast …