This paper examines how the per capita standards of water supply are fixed, practised and delivered in cities in India. The per capita standard of water supply is a key figure in deciding the quantum of water cities can extract from adjacent regions and the amount of water individual citizens are entitled to consume. It is one of the critical parameters determining the sizing of the urban water infrastructure from the source to tap. The analysis of the per capita standard of water supply reveals a disconnect between setting per capita standards, practising these standards during the planning and designing of water supply infrastructure and delivering water as per these standards to the citizens. The per capita standards are prescribed with multiple objectives, changed frequently without providing any rationale and lack theoretical or empirical evidence substantiating them. The convenient values of per capita standards are used by the standard prescribing authorities, planners and engineers to achieve their own goals. Moreover, these standards are not monitored during service delivery to ensure water supply according to the design standards for all citizens. As a result, the per capita standard of water supply, a useful metric for planners (to allocate financial resources) and engineers (to design infrastructure), remains a fictitious number during service delivery for citizens.
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