Water Resources Group South Asia

completed

2030 WRG is a public-private-civil society partnership, established in 2008. The objective of 2030 WRG is to accelerate water reforms and generate action to ensure water does not become a barrier to economic growth, while ensuring long-term environmental and social sustainability. The program covers activities in line with the 2030 Water Resources Groups (2030 WRG) A-C-T approach of operation: (1) Analysis - Developing hydro-economic analysis to highlight the macro water issues and catalyze water sector transformation and collective action; (2) Convening - Bringing together public & private sectors, community organizations, development agencies and international organizations in structured discussions for identifying solutions for water resources management through Multi-Stakeholder Platforms and identified workstreams for engagement; (3) Transformation - Implementing/ enacting policy, incentives, technical, financial, or governance-related water solutions through local stakeholders. The choice of priorities and initiatives to champion are determined by the Multi-Stakeholder Platform. 2030 WRG does not itself implement the identified solutions on the ground. However, it enables the formation of partnerships, identification of implementing entities, and unlocking of funding, in tandem with the members of its Multi-Stakeholder Platforms, so that implementation can be carried out effectively. Current program for South Asia covers four engagements Ganga/ Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bangladesh. GANGA/ UTTAR PRADESH: The Ganga/ U.P. engagement focuses on pollution reduction and water use efficiency: (a) Municipal & Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: (1) Improving the enabling conditions for wastewater treatment and reuse models, and/or (2) area-based wastewater treatment action plans (e.g., Hindon river). (b) Agri Water Use Efficiency and Non-Point Source Pollution Reduction: Implementation of good agricultural practices & technologies for area-specific action (e.g., Hindon) covering defined stretches of the river. KARNATAKA At the request of the Karnataka state government, 2030 WRG has been involved in Karnataka since 2010 to tackle its growing water problems, which are impacting the Krishna and Cauvery river basins, the state's largest and most economically significant basins. The Karnataka engagement focuses on: - Agri Water Efficiency: Facilitation of implementation roadmap and financing for technology use in agriculture. - Wastewater Reuse Opportunities in Urban-Industrial Settings. MAHARASHTRA 2030 WRG's Maharashtra engagement was initiated in 2014 to focus on the agriculture sector and grow the state at 4% or more agri-GDP with the same or reduced water consumption. Key planned activities include: - Technology acceleration in agriculture: Interventions for watershed development and on-farm efficiency in the agriculture sector. - Urban-industrial water and wastewater management: Circular economy solutions and improvements to the enabling environment. BANGLADESH: 2030 WRG initiated its Bangladesh engagement in 2013 on the basis of interest expressed by government, industry, and research institutes for its analytical studies. Key focus areas include: - Water Governance: Recommendations for policy reform, institutional capacity building, access to green finance, and improved governance. - Greater Dhaka Watershed (GDW) Restoration: Wastewater treatment, and aquifer & wetlands management. - Agri-Water Efficiency: Introduction of water-efficient practices & technologies, innovative financing mechanisms, and market linkages.