Intermittent Versus Continuous (24 × 7) Water Supply System: Empirical Findings from Hubballi–Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi Cities in Karnataka, India

Ranging over decades and across many cities in India, several World Bank (WB)–funded projects have aimed to transform India’s intermittent water supply (IWS) to a 24 × 7 model, involving local governments and parastatal bodies. Faced with extreme water scarcity, with supply as infrequent as once in every 15 days in some areas, Karnataka partnered with the WB to launch the Karnataka Urban Water Sector Improvement Project (KUWASIP) in 2004. This analysis is based on a comprehensive primary survey of households evaluating the transition from intermittent to continuous water supply (CWS) in Hubballi–Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi cities. The survey reveals a strong preference for CWS among households across these cities, with many willing to pay higher tariffs for reliable water access. Despite this positive reception, the transition to 24 × 7 supply in areas other than the demo zone has been slow. Since its implementation in 2008, only 10% of households in each of the selected cities (demo zone) have achieved full 24 × 7 coverage. The efforts by municipal bodies of three selected cities continue, aiming to extend this service to all the households in the respective cities through private operators.