Integrated Management of Water Supply for Large Cities

The main source of water in any urban city is surface water. In developing countries, about 70% of untreated industrial wastes are dumped into surface waters where they pollute the usable water supply. Hence, a need exists to safeguard the sources of drinking water and to regulate groundwater withdrawal in India. Urban flooding is a major problem urban cities face, and stormwater management can help in this regard. Treating, using, and retaining stormwater in the catchment can reduce the amount of stormwater reaching waterways and help reduce the frequency and severity of urban flooding. Integrated management of water resources with the help of modeling techniques is necessary in urban cities as all the water sources are interdependent. An efficient urban water management system should include a broad rainwater harvesting plan to counteract source water scarcity.