Call to Action for Maharashtra Water Alliance: Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on Climate-Resilient Water Safety under Jal Jeevan Mission

Mumbai: With Maharashtra facing rising challenges of water scarcity, climate change and overdependence on groundwater, the Water Supply and Sanitation Department (WSSD), Government of Maharashtra, in collaboration with UNICEF Maharashtra, Frank Water (UK), ACWADAM Pune, Water for People India, and Primove Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, convened a high-level consultation in Mumbai to push for climate-resilient water safety and security under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The workshop, held at the Taj President, brought together more than 65 experts and stakeholders from across the state and concluded with a strong call to action for the Maharashtra Water Alliance.

Senior government officials, civil society leaders, CSR representatives, philanthropists, international NGOs, technical experts and grassroots champions explored collaborative solutions to ensure reliable and sustainable drinking water access. Key discussions focused on the role of civil society organisations, the private sector and CSR in strengthening community-level water supply systems, integrating hydrogeological knowledge into local planning, advancing water resources management, and improving operations and maintenance under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

A major highlight was the announcement of a formal partnership between Frank Water and WSSD, with technical support from UNICEF Mumbai, signalling a renewed commitment to collaborative, climate-resilient water management across Maharashtra.

Mission Director of Jal Jeevan Mission, E. Ravindran (IAS), stressed that sustainable water systems require stakeholder integration, aquifer recharge, renewable energy adoption and robust monitoring. He said wastewater management and innovative private sector solutions are crucial for long-term resilience. Principal Secretary of WSSD, Sanjay Khandare (IAS), underlined that Maharashtra’s reliance on groundwater demands stronger local skilling, improved monitoring, recharge efforts and a sharper focus on water quality and asset functionality.

Grassroots perspectives added depth to the dialogue. Sachin Suryavanshi of Jnana Prabodhini noted that science and community participation must go hand in hand, and that empowering villagers with knowledge leads to greater program success. Ms. Gauri, a trained community representative, shared how skill training in water supply and sanitation transformed her role in the village and inspired her to improve her family’s life. From the corporate sector, Ms. Satya, CSR Manager at Marico India Ltd, emphasized that blended finance and strategic public funding can help unlock larger private investments for impactful water projects.

The consultation ended with a joint consensus and pledge among government agencies, private sector representatives, CSR foundations, trusts and civil society to work together for universal, climate-resilient and integrated drinking water services across Maharashtr