Exploring ways to fill Delhi’s unmet water needs

Delhi—a city and union territory of India containing the country’s capital, New Delhi—continues to grow in population, posing challenges to civic agencies in the provision of citizens’ essential needs. This brief examines the experience of Delhi’s water agency in obtaining raw water, amid the growing gap in supply and demand that is only being exacerbated by climate change. The brief finds multiple reasons for the inadequacy of raw water, including infrastructure deficiencies, inter-state disputes in water sharing, and groundwater pollution. It highlights the need to augment the raw water base and improve its management in order to build Delhi’s water resilience.