Household strategies for coping with unreliable water supplies: the case of Delhi

In official statistics, the percentage of population with access to potable water is considered a relevant measure of water supply. This hypothesis can be discussed but reality is more complex, as water supply has a quality dimension. Even for households with municipal piped water supply, the supply is not reliable: water is not distributed round the clock, pressure is not sufficient and there are sudden breakdowns. This research is designed to provide an understanding of the reality of water supply for households with piped water supply and at assessing the consequences of unreliability on household behaviour. The study is conducted in Delhi among 700 households with in-house connections. The findings highlight the importance of individual households’ strategies in order to reach a certain degree of autonomy from a deficient municipal supply.