Implications of Water Insecurity and Future Prospects in Asian Cities

Abstract

The world has witnessed unprecedented urban growth since the beginning of the twenty-first century, concentrated mostly in the less developed countries of Asia. Cities are particularly vulnerable to water scarcity and water stress, being the centres of economic growth and population concentration. There is also an increased demand for water in order to maintain the intense pace of activities in urban areas. This chapter intends to focus on the problems of water insecurity in the cities of Asia and to highlight some of the best practices adopted in urban water governance. As cities grow in terms of population and diversity of urban functions, demands on the urban water systems rise and hence the existing water systems and available water resources are faced with daunting and multifarious challenges as they are often exploited beyond their sustainable limit. Communities in urban areas are hence seeking resilience in the existing urban water systems and to future uncertainties in water supply because of climate change and population growth. An attempt is hence made for integrated water management approaches involving different stakeholders instead of compartmentalized management of urban water systems. It is already evident and documented that the existing water management approaches are inadequate to address water insecurity and water stress. Transforming urban water systems into more resilient and hence more sustainable systems would require innovative approaches. These approaches have also been discussed under two broad categories—the infrastructure-based approaches and the system-based approaches.