In Mumbai, slum and pavement dwellers (above) often begin their search for water at 3 a.m. Many are forced to buying water from the "water mafia" at Rs. 5 per handi (water pitcher). Considering that it takes up to 4-5 handis to just cook one meal, many of them end up spending up to 30 percent of their incomes on water. If we do not completely reassess our attitudes towards water, in the near future the daily life of most people in the city will be dominated by the search for water, leading to riots and inner city wars over water. Our cities will be ruled by the water mafia.
Lacking a water source, this girl fills up several buckets of water every day in steel tubs. Her life revolves around the procuring, saving, and careful usage of water. If there is a shortfall, she and her family might need to forgo the day's "bath" (which basically involves a mug or two of water splashed on the body after a quick soaping). Her life is consumed with being able to obtain enough water to meet the family's daily requirement, and over the years she has built an adeptness around water rationing.
With more than 40 liters of water on her head, and another 20 liters balanced on her left hip, this woman epitomizes the drudgery around water procurement for the poor in Indian cities. She will make several such trips to the tap during the course of the day. Of course, the tap might be dry when she visits it next, but hope lives eternal. I wonder for how long.
