National Conference on Operation & Maintenance of Rural Pipe Water Supply Systems (February 19, 2025 | YMCA, New Delhi)

(left) Mr. Kamal Kishore Soan IAS, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission, Govt of India (centre) Mr. Sunderrajan Krishnan - Executive Director, INREM Foundation (right) VK Madhavan, Chief Executive, WaterAid India

WaterAid India, in collaboration with leading stakeholders in the water sector, hosted a landmark conference focused on the sustainability and efficiency of rural piped water supply systems. With the Jal Jeevan Mission extended until 2028, the event convened technical experts, policy makers, community representatives, and researchers to address the critical challenges in the operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural water systems.

Conference Overview
The conference provided an in-depth examination of:

• Sustainable O&M Models: Evaluating strategies to transition from merely building infrastructure to ensuring its long-term functionality.
• Financial and Technical Sustainability: Discussing innovative tariff collection methods, water metering practices, and community management to enhance revenue and accountability.
• Community Participation & Governance: Highlighting the role of women, local institutions, and decentralized governance in building resilient water supply systems.
• Policy & Capacity Building: Analyzing state-level O&M policies through comprehensive SWOC analyses and emphasizing the need for continuous capacity building and institutional support.

Key sessions included technical deep-dives into water tariff collections, metering innovations, and trust-building measures in multi-village schemes. The event also featured discussions on incorporating gender perspectives in O&M and strategies to bridge the gap between infrastructure development and effective maintenance.

Hosted Resources
To provide detailed insights from the conference, the following documents are available for download:

• [Proceedings of National Conference on Operation & Maintenance of Rural Pipe Water Supply Systems (February 19, 2025)]
  A comprehensive document detailing the discussions, keynote addresses, and session highlights.
• [Presentation on Rural Pipe Water Supply Systems by Biswanath Sinha, Director, Policy & Technical Support Unit, WaterAid India]
  This presentation set the contextual framework for the conference.
• [Presentation on Water Tariff Collections for Ensuring Sustainability of Piped Water Supply Scheme (PWSS) – Findings of the Study by Rajesh Rangarajan, Strategic Lead – Evidence, Policy & Innovation, WaterAid India]
  An in-depth study on tariff models and their impact on sustaining water supply systems.
• [Presentation on Water Meters for Strengthening Community Management of Village Piped Water Supply Systems by Liby Johnson, Executive Director, Gram Vikas, Odisha]
  Insights into metering practices and their role in enhancing community ownership and efficient management.
• [Presentation on Involving Women in O&M in RDWS by Prof. Amita Bhide, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai]
  A detailed discussion on the critical role of women in improving operational practices and ensuring sustainable water service delivery.
• [Presentation on Understanding Challenges in Developing Trust in Rural Drinking Water Supply Systems – A Case of Multi-Village Schemes in Maharashtra by Ambrish Bombade, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay]
  An examination of trust deficits in rural water systems and proposed mechanisms to rebuild community confidence.
• [Presentation on O&M Policies of Different State Governments for RWSS – A SWOC Analysis by Pranjal Deekshit, Centre for Water Policy and Governance, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai]
  A comparative analysis of state policies aimed at enhancing the operational performance of rural water supply schemes.

A key highlight of the event was the launch of the report “Tapping Tariffs for Tap Water”—a pivotal publication that provided critical insights into sustainable water tariff models and the financial sustainability of rural piped water systems.