Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: an Institutional Analysis for Hyderabad, India

The current paper presents an institutional analysis of wastewater (non) treatment and reuse scenario using the case study of Hyderabad, India. The objective of the institutional analysis in the current study is to determine the extent and the character of an observed gap between declared rules (formal) and rules-in-use (informal practices) in the context of wastewater disposal, use and its adverse impact on environment and people of Hyderabad. The analysis shows that there is a wide gap between the declared rules and rules-in-use due to: insufficient organizational capacity to implement and monitor the rules, lack of awareness among people, poor water and sewerage pricing system, insufficient attention and budget towards environmental issues of water pollution and the fact that the rules have not kept pace with the changing socio-economic realities of the society. This gap has been used as an indicator to suggest that a change in the existing institutional framework of wastewater treatment and reuse scenario is essential. The suggested changes include: increase awareness among people on the need to protect our rivers and other fresh water sources; need to increase the general efficiency of the water boards; increased allocations of budgets for wastewater treatment and to improve the quality of our rivers; need to change the pricing strategy for the water supply and increase the sewerage cess; make efforts to increase the trust of people on the water boards; ensure solid waste management of the city; ensure treatment of industrial wastes before they are released into the river.