Water and Wastewater Visioning for Large, Dense Unplanned Urban Settlements in an Era of Climate Risk

May 14, 2024

Cities, especially, large metro cities, are at increasing climate risk-induced water stress and flooding. Large, dense, unplanned urban settlements, already facing a crisis of water supply, wastewater and storm-water management, will bear the brunt of climate-change impact.

Sangam Vihar, Delhi, is representative of such a large, dense, unplanned urban settlement. Spread over 5 sq. km and housing a population of more than a million, it is the largest unauthorized colony in Asia.

This research offers valuable insights in terms of approach, methodology and analysis of urban water, wastewater and storm-water challenges of such settlements. It explores whether retrofitting solutions for water supply, wastewater and storm water can work for such unplanned settlements, and reimagines and explores decentralized sanitation and storm-water management solutions that are firmly anchored on principles of circular economy, equity and justice.