Local water resource management through stakeholder participation: case study, arid region, India

Abstract

Access to clean water is important for socio-economic development worldwide. Bhuj, in an arid region in Gujarat State in India, has an ancient and unique water resource management system. The city's visionary king developed a catchment system of lakes so that, despite minimal rainfall and frequent droughts, sufficient water could be stored to sustain the city for around 300 years. However, over the years, with rapid urbanization and the introduction of a piped water supply, this ancient supply system was abandoned and was not maintained well. As a result, the city's water resources became polluted and defunct, which forced it to depend on distant water sources. This study shows how the city's water management strategies changed before independence (1947), and pre-earthquake (1947–2001) and post-earthquake (2001 to present). The paper mainly documents how the city's own water resources can be managed successfully by following the concepts of IUWM through effective stakeholder participation, to make the city water-secure. Highlights In the era of ‘Smart City’, city managers are focusing on creating centralized smart piped water infrastructure, focusing on importing water from distant water sources. Instead, to make city water secure, the focus should move towards integrated urban water resource management (IUWM). The paper highlights the case of an arid city – Bhuj, Gujarat, India, which has demonstrated excellent ways of water management and is moving towards water security with an active participation of local community including women from vulnerable groups. From the Bhuj experience, it is clearly understood that when institutions are supportive and stakeholders are mobilized, IUWM can be implemented for long term sustainability.;

Keywords

• ancient water supply system
• local water resource management
• stakeholder participation
• water security