A joint UN-HABITAT – ADB Mission visited Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur from 18-20 May 2005 to explore the feasibility of Small Scale Piped Water Systems for these cities. The Mission recommended setting up pilot projects in these cities that may be scaled up later for other areas and cities of Madhya Pradesh. The pilot projects will demonstrate that it is possible to quickly improve the lives of the urban poor and the disadvantaged by connecting them to piped water. It will show that with the appropriate support to small-scale water providers and homeowner associations, it is possible through the development of Small Scale Informal Provider groups to give immediate relief to a substantial number of un-served or under-served people.

Both Indore and Jabalpur offer possibilities in some areas where pilot projects can be implemented from either groundwater sources or bulk supply from the municipal corporation. In collaboration with Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC), UN-HABITAT is setting up a demonstration project to provide piped water supplies to 800 poor households in the Bagra Dafai slum of Jabalpur. This Community Managed Water Supply Scheme will demonstrate ways in which communities can be empowered and enabled to execute and manage safe drinking water projects based on their needs and affordability. The project will also focus on advocacy and public awareness activities to mobilize support for the improvement of water and sanitation infrastructure within the city slums. The collaboration will be based on a cooperation agreement with JMC.