COVID-19 and Water Security in Delhi, India

COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown have almost certainly had a devastating effect on vulnerable communities in Delhi, India who already live precariously and experience a daily struggle for survival.

This immediate confinement of people to their homes is likely to have compounded the ability to access to resources and essential services. One of the most important being access to water, not only for drinking and domestic use but also for hygiene to limit the spread of Covid-19 infection.

To explore this issue, University of Leeds (Dr Sarah Cooper from POLIS) has teamed up with the School of Planning and Architecture (Prof Ashok Kumar) in Delhi to explore how COVID- 19 and government lockdown measures have deepened and shifted inequalities in accessing water in different parts of the city. This understanding will assist decision-making in prioritising and improving access to water supply.

Funded through the Rapid Response Fund, Newcastle University.