Inequality, Sufficiency and Sustainability of Urban Drinking Water in Uttar Pradesh. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tiwari, Rashmi
• Is Part Of: Social change. Volume 47:Number 2(2017:Jun.)
• Page Start: 214
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Drinking water -- inequality -- adequacy -- municipal water supply -- quality -- quantity; Social change -- Periodicals; India -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; 303.405
• DOI: 10.1177/0049085717696393
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0049-0857

Abstract

Water services in India are typically known to have high levels of coverage yet relatively lower levels of service and quality. Through a study based on primary data from Lucknow and Kanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh, this article attempts to find determinants of accessing drinking water from within a household's premises. In terms of achieving sufficiency, the percentage of households getting sufficient water throughout the year is reported to be the highest for bore-well and the lowest for public taps. Our analysis shows that disadvantaged and lower income groups have to face greater hardship in accessing drinking water compared to upper caste and upper income groups. Education, income levels of the households, occupation and the size of the family are important socio-economic factors affecting access to drinking water within premises. Since disadvantaged groups have to face great hardship in accessing drinking water as compared to upper caste communities, it is suggested that policymakers should formulate people-centred policies while looking at the supply of water rather than target-oriented ones.