Analysis of Inequity in Rural Water Supply Schemes—A Case Study from Central India

In water-scarce regions, it is common to design water networks for a continuous supply but operate them intermittently, resulting in a potentially inequitable supply. We analyze the case of a network in Central India designated to supply water to 107 villages from a single source. Several villages received zero or negligible inflow due to a variety of reasons. We developed a model of the network using the limited data available from the network and performed a pressure-driven analysis of the system. The key reasons for inequity in the supply were identified to be the excess withdrawal by villages located near the source, and the presence of air locks caused by the unevenness of the terrain. We report the effectiveness of several mitigating strategies. It is revealed that no single solution fits all, as different scenarios require different solutions.