AIWASI Compendium on Water Sensitive Urban Design

Indian cities are at a critical crossroads. With over 90% grappling with waterlogging and floods, 70% of water resources contaminated, and nearly three-quarters of urban water bodies lost in just four decades, the need for a new approach to urban water management has never been more urgent. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) offers a transformative pathway — one that moves cities beyond basic service provision toward adaptive, climate-resilient environments that serve both communities and ecosystems.

This Compendium brings together 50 water-sensitive initiatives — 14 from Indian cities and 36 from across the world — organised across five thematic areas: Lakes and Waterbodies Rejuvenation, River Related Initiatives, Parks and Public Spaces, Community-centric Interventions, and Planning Interventions. Each case study is examined through the lens of the Water Sensitive Cities (WSC) goals developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC), Australia, illustrating how WSUD principles translate into real, scalable action.

Developed as a technical reference for Indian urban practitioners, this document is designed to help urban planners, policymakers, and stakeholders understand, mainstream, and implement WSUD approaches across diverse urban contexts. It maps co-benefits, SDG alignment, and WSC goal linkages, while highlighting existing Indian policy frameworks that support this transition. Whether navigating the constraints of unplanned development, limited land, or siloed governance, this Compendium equips decision-makers with the knowledge and inspiration to build cities that work with water — not against it.