Abstract
Urban water management policies aim to create liveable and sustainable cities while addressing the complexities of climate change and the evolving urban landscape. These policies often rely heavily on technological solutions or economic valuation. While there has been a recent shift towards a participatory approach, its effective implementation remains a challenge. This paper highlights the need for an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the cognitive, intrinsic, and perceived values of all domestic water users to enhance liveability in policy development. Using the Environmental-Portrait Value Questionnaire (E-PVQ) combined with principal component analysis, we conducted a study in Gurugram City, located in the northern state of Haryana, India. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the values and behaviours of diverse domestic water users to tackle urban water management challenges for future liveability and sustainability. The study also reveals that different demographic and socio-economic segments often coexist within the same community, ranging from mainstream urban to informal settlements and peri-urban areas, each with diverse perceptions and competition for natural resources such as water. Therefore, urban water policies must prioritize the agenda of ‘equity’ and ensure the inclusion of voices from those most affected by water-related challenges. This is critical for achieving truly liveable and sustainable cities.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Human Values, Equity, Liveability, Sustainability, Urban Water Management Systems, Resilience