Addressing Inequities in Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Access
The growth of Hyderabad, India’s tech and financial hub, has been accompanied by widening disparities in access to essential water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. While affluent neighborhoods and high-rise developments enjoy reliable piped water, wastewater treatment, and hygienic sanitation, many of the city’s informal settlements struggle with limited and unsafe WASH infrastructure. This urban services divide has far-reaching consequences, trapping residents in precarious living conditions, undermining public health, and constraining economic opportunities.
To bridge this gap and promote more equitable and sustainable urban development, Hyderabad must rethink its approach to WASH service delivery and integrate it with holistic spatial planning processes. By prioritizing investments in neglected areas, strengthening partnerships with community organizations, and aligning WASH infrastructure with broader climate resilience strategies, the city can unlock cascading benefits for all its residents.
Unpacking the Urban WASH Challenge in Hyderabad
Hyderabad’s rapid urbanization has been accompanied by the proliferation of informal settlements, home to an estimated 1.7 million people, or nearly one-third of the city’s population. 1 These communities, often located on the urban periphery or in low-lying areas, face severe deficits in access to piped water, sanitation, and drainage systems.
Only 55% of households in Hyderabad’s informal settlements have access to piped water supply, compared to 95% citywide. 2 Sanitation coverage is even more dire, with just 35% of informal settlement residents connected to the sewerage network, as opposed to 80% city-wide. 2 The remaining population relies on shared or makeshift toilets, open defecation, and unsafe septage disposal practices that contaminate local water bodies and pose grave public health risks.
This urban WASH crisis is inextricably linked to broader patterns of spatial inequality. Informal settlements are often situated in low-lying, flood-prone areas lacking adequate drainage infrastructure. During the monsoon season, overflowing drains and sewers submerge homes, disrupt access to clean water, and heighten the spread of waterborne diseases. 3 Residents in these marginalized communities must also contend with unreliable electricity supply, hampering their ability to treat and store water safely.
“We struggle every day to get clean drinking water. During the rainy season, the drains overflow and sewage gets into our homes. Our children often fall sick with diarrhea and skin infections. We live in constant fear of disease outbreaks.” – Shanthi, resident of Banjara Hills informal settlement, Hyderabad
The consequences of inadequate WASH access are far-reaching. Poor sanitation and hygiene conditions contribute to the spread of waterborne illnesses like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, which disproportionately affect young children. 4 The lack of reliable water supply also forces residents to spend valuable time and resources procuring water from distant sources or expensive private vendors, limiting their economic productivity.
Integrating WASH into Hyderabad’s Urban Planning Processes
To address these deep-seated inequities, Hyderabad must move beyond a siloed, infrastructure-centric approach to WASH service delivery and instead embed it within the city’s broader spatial planning and climate resilience strategies. This integrated approach can unlock synergies, optimize resource allocation, and ensure that WASH investments benefit the most marginalized communities.
1. Prioritize WASH Infrastructure in Informal Settlements and Underserved Areas
Hyderabad’s municipal authorities should prioritize WASH infrastructure upgrades in informal settlements and other underserved neighborhoods. This could involve:
- Expanding the piped water network and ensuring affordable, reliable water supply
- Constructing decentralized wastewater treatment systems and safely managed sanitation facilities
- Improving stormwater drainage to mitigate flood risks and prevent water contamination
By targeting these investments to areas with the greatest needs, the city can make tangible improvements in living conditions and public health outcomes for the urban poor.
2. Strengthen Partnerships with Community Organizations
To ensure the equitable and responsive delivery of WASH services, Hyderabad should forge deeper partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) and resident welfare associations in informal settlements. These stakeholders can:
- Participate in needs assessments and co-create WASH improvement plans
- Support the operation and maintenance of community-managed water and sanitation facilities
- Assist in monitoring service quality and advocating for better infrastructure
Empowering local communities as active partners, rather than passive beneficiaries, can enhance the sustainability and responsiveness of WASH interventions.
3. Align WASH Infrastructure with Climate Resilience Strategies
As Hyderabad grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, it must ensure that WASH systems are designed to withstand future shocks and stresses. This could involve:
- Integrating flood-resilient features into water and sanitation infrastructure
- Promoting nature-based solutions like constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment
- Diversifying water sources and improving storage capacity to address droughts and water scarcity
By aligning WASH investments with broader climate adaptation efforts, the city can build the resilience of its most vulnerable communities while also generating environmental benefits.
4. Improve Data Collection and Spatial Planning Capacities
To drive these integrated WASH and urban planning interventions, Hyderabad must strengthen its data collection and spatial analysis capabilities. This could include:
- Conducting comprehensive mapping and surveys of informal settlements to understand WASH access gaps
- Leveraging geospatial technologies and participatory GIS to co-create neighborhood-level plans
- Enhancing the city’s ability to monitor service quality, track progress, and hold providers accountable
Robust data and planning tools will enable Hyderabad to target resources more effectively, evaluate the impact of its interventions, and adapt its strategies over time.
Unlocking the Potential of Integrated WASH-Urban Planning Approaches
By embedding WASH service delivery within Hyderabad’s broader urban development agenda, the city can unlock a range of cascading benefits that extend far beyond individual infrastructure projects:
Improved Public Health and Wellbeing: Enhancing access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene in marginalized communities will reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, alleviate the healthcare burden, and foster healthier living conditions.
Enhanced Economic Productivity: Reliable WASH services will save residents time and money, freeing up resources that can be reinvested in education, entrepreneurship, and other income-generating activities.
Strengthened Climate Resilience: Integrating WASH infrastructure with nature-based solutions and flood mitigation measures will bolster the city’s capacity to withstand climate change impacts.
Increased Social Equity: Prioritizing WASH upgrades in underserved neighborhoods will help bridge the urban services divide, empowering marginalized communities and promoting a more just and inclusive city.
Environmental Sustainability: Improved wastewater treatment and stormwater management will safeguard local water bodies, enhance groundwater recharge, and reduce pollution.
To realize these transformative outcomes, Hyderabad must cultivate a shared vision and collaborative governance model that brings together municipal authorities, utility providers, community groups, and other stakeholders. By working in partnership, the city can harness the power of integrated WASH and urban planning approaches to build a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable future for all its residents.
