Mapping Climate-Induced Risk for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene in Maharashtra

Abstract

This chapter assesses the risk in WASH caused by climate-induced stresses such as droughts and floods at the district level in two divisions of Maharashtra consisting of 19 districts using the composite index of Climate Risk in WASH. The value of climate risk was assessed at the district level using data on a total of 29 indicators that correspond to a whole range of natural, physical, socio-economic and institutional factors, influencing the three dimension of WASH risk, viz., hazard, exposure and vulnerability, collected from a wide range of secondary and primary sources. The WASH risk index was estimated to be varying from 0.22 for Chandrapur in Vidarbha division to 0.35 for Parbhani in Marathwada division. The factors influencing high climate risk in certain regions and the physical strategies to make water supply and sanitation systems climate-resilient and the capacity building needed for affecting these changes are also discussed.