Regulation of Domestic and Livelihood Water

Abstract

This chapter examines law and policy reforms concerning drinking water. It emphasizes drinking water over other law reforms considered in Chapter 4 because of the direct link with the realization of the human right to water, the relative lack of interest given to drinking water, and the specific ways in which law and policy reforms are being introduced. The chapter focuses on rural drinking water supply that has seen a major policy shift since the mid-1990s with the introduction of water sector reform principles to drinking water supply, including a new focus on demand-driven schemes, cost recovery, and user participation. It analyzes in particular the Swajal pilot project that kick-started the reforms and the Swajaldhara guidelines that have contributed to mainstream them. The final section places the analysis in the context of the realization of the human right to water.