NOTE ON 24x7 WATER SUPPLY

THE CURRENT SITUATION IN INDIA
Due to the rise in economy and the increase in migration to cities there is tremendous increase in water demand in recent years in urban areas and this is bound to grow in times to come. Piped water systems have been setup by the Government in most cities. The water supply in most Indian cities is intermittent i.e. a few hours per day, pressure is irregular, and the water is of questionable quality. No major Indian city has a 24 hour supply of water, with 4 to 5 hours of supply per day being the norm. State Governments in India are responsible for choosing urban tariff structures, and the result is wide variety in pricing practices. Currently in states where water and sanitation responsibilities have been legally transferred to ULBs, the reality has been that the ULBs have not become fully empowered, for instance: * The state retains responsibility for the appointment of key staff, who are often employees of centralized state organizations; * Decision making and implementation for capital expenditure remains largely under state control; * Key decisions on tariff remain at the state level; and * Arrangements for fiscal transfers between state and ULBs are complex, and do not provide incentives for improved financial performance.
In effect, responsibility for the services is split between the ULB and the state. Inevitably, there is role confusion and a lack of overall accountability to the consumer. There is clearly a need to put in place a simple, less ambiguous relationship between the states and ULBs.
As a result water distribution system that is operated intermittently can neither be efficiently nor effectively managed. * Supply management cannot be practiced, that is, controlling the amount of water produced and distributed through the practice of active leakage detection, pressure management, etc.; and * Demand management cannot be practiced as this requires a combination of accurate customer metering and a tiered, volumetric tariff and only very high quality electronic customer meters can measure water use by customers with any reasonable accuracy under intermittent supply conditions.

CONSTRAINTS
1. Technical: The following are the principal technical reasons for the inability, at present, to achieve 24-7 supply: * In most cities, reliable data on distribution networks and customers do not exist. Knowledge of pipelines, their diameter, material, location and state of repair depends heavily upon the experience and memories of line inspectors; * Most – in many cases, all – pipelines comprising the distribution system are totally interlinked. This means that water pumped into the system at any point affects the dynamic balance of the entire network to a greater or lesser extent. As water enters the network at a number of points and is consumed with an irregular pattern, the direction and volume of the flow of water at any point in the system are virtually unpredictable. Clearly, this renders the management of the water distribution system impossible. In some cities, transmission pipelines, the sole purpose of which should be to transmit bulk water to Operational Zones (OZs) for distribution, are themselves used as part of the distribution network; * There is virtually no metering of bulk water produced and distributed within the operational areas; neither is it metered at any point in its transmission to operational areas for distribution to customers. Without metering, the main operational parameter of a water service provider, it is impossible to effectively manage the system; * Without reliable plans or knowledge of pipelines or valves – combined with the totally interlinked nature of systems – control of leakage on a routine, planned basis is virtually impossible. It is rendered even more difficult under intermittent supply conditions as modern, efficient detection methods work effectively only when the system is pressurized. Without the possibility of the repair of the multitude of “hidden” leaks that occur in every distribution system in the world, a water supply system must inevitably be in a continuous state of deterioration; * It is unusual for a water utility to measure pressure within its distribution system. An ability to control system pressure is essential to the management and reduction of leakage from systems. In general, pressures are higher under intermittent supply systems – at least at entry to the points of distribution and in their immediate surroundings – as it is necessary to “push” a large amount of water into and through the system in a short space of time. These pressures also often peter out to nothing at the ends of the system supplied; and * It is a little recognized point – but a major one from the point of view of system management – that customer meters do not function with any predictable accuracy under intermittent supply conditions. This is in part due to the sand and grit that enters the system but also in great part due to the fact that the meters measure the flow of air – in both directions – at each period of intermittency and this, in turn, also leads to a rapid burn-out of meter bearings.
Labouring under these conditions, urban water service providers throughout the country find it impossible to achieve 24-7 supply.

2. Social Constrains: Generally, people oppose and obstruct field studies with fear that this study may lead to conclusion that they are getting more benefits and can pay less with flat rate billing. They have general feeling that this study will lead to make them pay by meter which, in turn, lead to additional burden on them. Also, some people are aware that they have unauthorized connection or making misuse of authorized connection or they are getting undue benefits than other people and such study may lead to fine/ penal action and hence, oppose field study. Water supply is treated as a social service and it is expected that this service shall be rendered free to all consumers. Volumetric measurements will bring rationalization. In fact fixing meters is not the control but the time to time billing and prompt penal actions using appropriate rules will increase efficiency. This is a thankless job. There should be an urge in the administration for self-sufficiency but the same is lacking. Such an administration is not encouraged nor is it targeted in the duty list of the administrator. What he is bound is about the day to day water supply to the city, but not for the strict administration. He is worried about to give the water, but not for recovery, which is thankless. Every system requires maintenance, so also meterization. But administration has dreams about permanent working of meters as accurate as possible. Intermittent operation creates problems in meter working. Air problem, less pressure problems are common. Continuous water supply is the answer, but is not supported by the staff and administration. Automation, meterization is not enough for success in the continuous water supply trained manpower is the key issue.

3. Political Constraints: Politicians also, are aware that using their power, they have extended additional or undue benefits to their voting areas such as providing higher dia mains in their area to extract more water, have used their power to give unauthorized connections/ additional benefits and any scientific study may lead to withdrawal of such benefits availed in their voter area and may lead to unpopularity due to dissatisfaction of their voters. Water politics is very common and safe for creating the political image. Allowing the consumers to use free water and giving unauthorized connections. At the same time they can blame the administration for creating a faulty scheme, having pressures and timings are unequal. Consumers do not receive water but the bills, is a very common complain. Political stakeholders are policy makers and they do hesitate for rationalizing the rates. They want to curtail the obligatory expenditure which can degrade the efficiency of the system. They are after cheap popularity. While planning they do suggest latest technology to be applied. But they do not want to contribute in terms of popular contribution. They do not want to increase the revenue by increasing the administrative efficiency and the applying the appropriate rates. They sometimes know the Govt. policies, but they want to make exceptions.
STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLANS (SBP)
The process of moving to self-sufficiency starts with a policy decision to move towards financially sustainable services. The next step is to develop an integrated financial turnaround strategy, based on a combination of: * Tariff and subsidy reforms, including changes to the tariff structure, better targeting of government subsidies and, if necessary, general tariff increases (tariff normalization); * Improvements in utility performance, including -- particularly – revenue collection, NRW and operating costs efficiency; and * Better targeting of investment, including targeting investment towards better commercial management, and fixing the network.
The SBP allows utilities and regulators to move away from annual budget and tariff reviews towards longer-term planning horizons of 25 to 30 years.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES
Improved performance can come by improving the management systems and processes within the utility. For example by: * Improving incentives: performance-related pay schemes and similar incentive arrangements can be introduced for management and staff to encourage them to achieve targets, and to give them a stake in the success of the organization; * Improving Management Information Systems (MIS): the adage that “if you don’t measure it, you cannot manage it” holds good for water and sanitation utilities as much, or more, as any other business. New reporting and information systems (such as a Geographical Information System - GIS) take time to set up and become established. All information systems should be audited from time to time to check their robustness and the accuracy of the data they produce; * Benchmarking performance against others: benchmarking studies can be used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an organization relative to others; * Addressing corruption: corrupt practices can become entrenched in an organization. Corruption can be tackled by establishing checks and controls, by external audits, and by encouraging staff and the public to expose practices on a confidential basis. The issues are discussed in more detail later in this section; * Considering automation: Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) and telemetry systems are used extensively in the developed world. The principle benefits are that they provide utilities with superior system monitoring and control capability, and can improve manpower productivity. SCADA systems are less likely to be justified on purely cost grounds in India because of the relative lower costs of employing staff; * Outsourcing activities: outsourcing provides access to a wider pool of expertise, and can be used to open up non-core activities to competition; * Setting up a low-income unit: many utilities have established successful specialist low-income units. The purpose of such units is to develop practical approaches for providing low-income groups with reasonable services on a sustainable basis; and * Creating a learning organization: Organizations that do not learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them. Post-project assessments are useful tools for analysing what went well and what could be done better; * Government Support and Commitment for 24-7 Supply * National and Regional Government Support to 24-7 Supply Conversion Initiatives * Preparing the Technical Project * Preparing the Technical Data and Baseline Performance
STAGES FOR TRANSFORMATION INTO 24X7 WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
Achieving continuous water supply is the result of the combined efforts of various strategies adopted for improving the water supply.
1. Water infrastructure mapping: Under this, water infrastructure utility is studied and its operation mapping is recorded. Base Map is prepared with the help of topology survey, GIS, Mobile Mapper etc. Information of all important features of water supply system is collected. This information is modelled to simulate the network behaviour over a day and it is kept ready for further exercise. The information on with-drawls, leakages, also the valve operation is suitably modelled.
2. Population forecast: The population growth in one area is exorbitant whereas it is negligible in other area. Hence the population needs to be forecasted by taking development plan of the town into consideration. The population arrived by this method is found as reasonable and realistic.
3. Reframing of suitable water operational zones: With respect to study of present operation, new water operational zones are demarcated for effective operation. The proper reframing of the zones itself improves the water supply considerably. This needs to be carried out taking the cognizance of behaviours of peaking flow rates under the transforming phases which basically reflect the change in the consumer habits. The reframing involves introducing isolation valves to segregate operation zones, proper regulation of reservoir outlet valve and assigning the peak demands with respect to water audit study. Then the networks are critically analysed.
4. Storage Capacity: Considering the future demand and transformation of intermittent system into continuous systems, the works of constructions of future reservoirs are needed to take into consideration.
5. Water audit: This activity measures the total inflows and outflows of the system with the help of various methods, which involve use of instruments like pressure gauges, flow meters. The water audit needs to be repeated several times after every experimentation to evolve the appropriate decision making and to document the progress of the improvements. The water audits provide leads for leakage studies, for ascertaining the changing flow rates during transformations towards 24 x7, for throttling exercise for equitable pressures and also for assessing the progress achieving of 24 x 7.
6. UFW/NRW study and leakage reduction: This involves the activities of carrying out of various leak detection exercises. Also implementing various leak reduction measures to minimize the leakages.
7. Pressure reduction: This involves identification of high pressure pockets in an operation zones or DMAs. These pockets are critically studied for applying suitable pressure reducing measures which help both ways, maintaining the desired flow rates and also reduction of leakages. The valve operation information essential to achieve the desired results are studied and then appropriately used for further improvements.
8. Phasing of transformation: Though it is decided to transform the existing intermittent system of the town into 24x7 continuous systems, it is proposed to implement this transformation in phases.
9. Further activities: After critical analysis 30% of the entire city has attained the transformation from intermittent water supply to 24x7 continuous water supply. It has been achieved through different possible operation zones. Further activities involved attaining the transformation from intermittent water supply to 24x7 for the remaining part of the city. Also, in parallel for the sustained Operation Zones, they shall be critically studied and as required shall be divided in DMAs for further improvements with the help of modelling exercise. Water utilities have only limited online monitoring and analysis capabilities within their systems and usually only at demand metered area level. At this level it is hard to determine the area within the system where specific problems are related to leakage, water age and quality may be found. Water distribution systems are essential civil infrastructure that must be adequately managed and maintained in order to provide expected level of service to consumer. As such, they have a need for online decision-support based on continuous monitoring of hydraulic and water quality parameters within system. An accurate, continuously updated view of states of water distribution system (i.e. pipes within system) allows a water utility to improve optimization of system operation, manage leakage control more effectively, and reduce the duration and disruption of repairs and maintenance.