The Karnataka Water Initiative

Background

As per recent reports by NITI Aayog, India is one of the most water strained nations in the world
and is home to 18% of the total population with only 4% of the total water resources. The impact
of this disproportion is already evident in regions across the country, and further exacerbated by
the growing urban population, which is resulting in increasing levels of demand for water. At
present, the water supply available in urban bodies is approximately 69.25 liters per capita per
day, whereas the demand in most urban areas is roughly 135 LPCD. This gap between the
availability and demand of water is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.

The increase in groundwater depletion as well as the pollution of water sources is further
compounding this water crisis. Official projections show that over half of the Indian population
will be residing in urban areas by 2050, and facing a severe water shortage. To ensure continued
access to safe and clean water, especially among socioeconomically weaker communities that
already face staggered access to clean water supply, efforts to conserve and preserve water need
to be amplified. Thus, sustainable and environmentally conscious urban planning is the need of
the hour.

About the Project

Established in October 2023, the Karnataka Water Initiative (KWI) aims to tackle the problems
of water conservation and encourage socially equitable urban planning practices. The project
utilizes infrastructural interventions such as improved access to water recycling plants to
improve availability of drinking water among underserved communities in semi-urban areas. In
addition, with the use of accessible educational resources, KWI aims to foster greater awareness
regarding water conservation and encourage the implementation of simple conservation practices
within homes and communities. Ultimately, through these interventions, KWI aspires to promote
innovative and socially conscious approaches to ensure clean drinking water access within the
urban ecosystems.

The ‘Home Water Rules’ handbook is conceptualized to equip communities with the information
needed to implement sustainability within their homes, and focuses on low-cost water
conservation practices that are designed keeping cultural context in mind. Through this resource,
KWI aspires to create a tangible impact in the lifestyle and water conservation practices followed
by low-income communities. Further, KWI utilizes an interview series to highlight the efforts of
relevant stakeholders such as municipal engineers, and green technology advocates to raise
awareness about the significance of timely water conservation. To supplement these educational
efforts with on-ground action, the ‘1,000,000 Gallons Project’ will focus on collaboration with
local NGOs to improve the use of waste-water treatment services, and consequently the
availability of safe drinking water. Finally, KWI will organize an online fundraiser to meet these
operational costs and support initiatives to improve water conservation.

Our Work
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Our Partners
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Resources
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About the Founder

Varun Jain is a grade 11 student at The Indus International Bangalore School. He studies
Mathematics, Economics, Physics, Computer Science, Spanish, and English Literature and
Language. Varun feels strongly about environmental action, and thus founded KWI to address
the growing water crisis in his country, particularly in urban areas. Additionally, he has also been
working on “TrafficQuit” alongside his peers. TrafficQuit is an initiative targeted at raising
awareness of the issue of human trafficking.

Beyond a commitment to excellence in his academics, Varun is equally committed to pursuing

his interest in Economics and Computer Science and has participated in several engagements for
the same, such as The Wharton Investment Challenge, the JHU CTY Data Analytics Course, and
the Mosaic Stonehill Competition. In his free time, he plays the keyboard, which he has been
training in professionally since 2013.