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In an industrial slum of New Delhi, a girl pumps water from a tanker supplied by the Dehli Water Board. The idea of having water 24 hours per day, seven days a week in India's capital city is "straight out of futuristic sci-fi," THE TIMES OF INDIA recently commented. With a population of nearly 14 million, Delhi now ranks as the worst mega-city in India for daily water supply, The World Bank reports. Supply meets only 83 percent of the city's estimated demand of 800 million gallons per day, the organization notes. Most families manage with 40 gallons per day; others as few as 7 gallons. (By comparison, New York City residents use roughly 75-85 gallons per day, according to the New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection.) One frequently cited cause? Bargain basement water rates -- Delhi's residents pay about 35 paisa (less than 1 U.S. cent) per 264 gallons of water used, making conservation a low priority.
Photo: Gurinder Osan/AP
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