Toolkit for preparing city action plans for reuse of treated used water
India is witnessing high pressure on its limited freshwater resources. As per India's Composite Water Management Index, about 70 per cent of the country's water supply is contaminated (NITI Aayog 2019). Thus, both the quantity of freshwater available and its quality are of concern. The situation will likely worsen in the urban areas with rapid unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation putting pressure on stressed freshwater resources. Therefore, there is a need to look beyond the conventional freshwater supplies. Reusing treated used water offers one such opportunity for cities. This toolkit aims to guide Indian cities in adopting a step-by-step approach to planning for treated used water (TUW) reuse by assessing the current availability of treated used water, identifying suitable avenues for its reuse, and implementing reuse projects on the ground.
