Mumbai, New Delhi ranked worst among 50 top cities indexed for sustainable water harnessing for future success

Ten worst cities

By A Representative
Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets, in a new report has ranked Mumbai and New Delhi lowest of the 50 cities it selected for sustainable cities water index in order to identify which cities are best placed to harness water for future success.
Ranking Mumbai 49th and New Delhi 50th in overall water index, higher than Jakarta (47th) and Manila (48th), the report particularly blames “poor sanitation and insufficient treatment of wastewater” as the main reason why these Asia cities “near the bottom”.
Analyzing three main criteria for ranking cities’ water index – resiliency, efficiency and quality –the report finds that New Delhi ranks 46th and Mumbai 50th in resiliency, which is sub-indexed into water stress, green space, water-related disaster risk, flood risk, water balance and water reserves.
Then, under the efficiency criterion, which is sub-indexed into leakage, water charges, service continuity, wastewater reuse, metered water, drinking water and sanitation, Mumbai ranks 49th and New Delhi 50th.
And, under the quality criterion, which sub-indexed into drinking water, sanitation, treated wastewater, water-related disease, water pollution, and threatened freshwater species, the report finds New Delhi ranking 46th and Mumbai 48th.
As for African cities, the report finds, they perform a little better in overall index than the two Indian cities, with Johannesburg ranking 45th and Nairobi 46th. They “perform well when it comes to resiliency due to geographic advantage but are held back by inefficiency and poorer water quality”, it adds.

Ranking the German city Rotterdam as the best, followed by Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Berlin, the report says, “European cities dominate the overall rankings, taking seven of the top ten places.” It adds, “Many of these cities have mature water systems that have been built up over a long period of time, many times in response to challenges they have faced with water.”
“The Dutch cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, for example, place at first and third respectively, having overcome challenges such as flooding in the last century. In general, European cities have high water quality through well-established drinking water supply, sanitation and wastewater treatment systems”, the report states.
“Asian cities trail their western counterparts by some distance overall, with Singapore (22nd), Seoul (23rd), Tokyo (26th) and Hong Kong (30th) the highest ranked in the middle order of the Index”, while New Delhi (50th), Mumbai (49th) and Manila (48th) rank “the lowest for resiliency and quality.”
The report says, “In North America, Toronto (6th), Washington DC (13th) and New York (14th) perform well overall. Los Angeles ranks second for efficiency, while Chicago and Philadelphia rank second and third for quality.”

Ten best cities

“Dubai (32nd) is the highest ranked Middle Eastern city, but other cities rank lower due to the many water management challenges in the hot, desert climate”, the report says, adding, “The Australian cities of Sydney (8th) and Melbourne (11th) score well thanks to efficient water systems and investment in desalination that creates better water conditions.”
As for Latin American cities, the report says, they “feature in the bottom half of the Index” with Buenos Aires (33rd) the highest placed in the region, and Rio de Janeiro (44th) placed near the bottom. “New investment is needed to boost water quality, particularly in wastewater treatment and sanitation”, it believes.

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

Midnight weeping: The sociology of tragic vision in Badri Narayan’s poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* Badri Narayan, a distinguished Hindi poet and social scientist, occupies a unique position in contemporary Indian intellectual life by bridging the worlds of creative literature and critical social inquiry. His poetic journey began significantly with the 1993 collection 'Saca Sune Hue Kaï Dina Hue' (Truth Heard Many Days Ago). As a social historian and cultural anthropologist, Narayan pioneered a methodological shift away from elite archives toward the oral traditions and folk myths of marginalized communities. He eventually legitimized "folk-ethnography" as a rigorous academic discipline during his tenure as Director of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram* April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

Catholic union opposes FCRA amendments, warns of threat to Church institutions

By A Representative The All India Catholic Union (AICU) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as growing threats to religious freedom, minority rights, and constitutional safeguards in India, warning that recent policy and legislative trends could undermine the country’s secular and federal framework.

'It's power grab, not reform': Uttarakhand hills fear marginalization under new delimitation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The proposed delimitation bill, coupled with the women’s reservation bill, is a calculated attempt to divert attention during state elections while laying the groundwork for long-term power consolidation through a north Indian hegemony. India’s constitution-making process was arduous, but it was guided by leaders deeply committed to unity and integrity. They ensured no community felt betrayed, and the foundation of modern India was laid on inclusivity. Any attempt to alter this balance must be approached with caution and respect for that legacy.

Search This Blog