In December 2004, the Indian coastline experienced the most devastating tsunami in the area’s recorded history. In India, nearly 80 percent of deaths along the country’s southern coast were centered in Tamil Nadu, which also suffered approximately two-thirds of the property damage. Within Tamil Nadu, the districts of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore incurred particularly severe damage and loss of life.

Both districts are home to cities of the same names that serve as their administrative centers. In 2005, USAID/India and ICMA initiated the Post Tsunami Recovery Program to help these two cities redevelop damaged areas, reestablish municipal services, and design disaster preparedness and response plans for the future.

This case study describes one facet of the Post Tsunami Recovery Program: the improvement of municipal water supply services in the two Indian municipalities. An ICMA CityLinks team, including partners from Port Orange, Palm Bay, and Oldsmar, Florida, surveyed citizens to obtain their views of municipal water services, assessed the water distribution system, tested water quality, and helped Cuddalore and Nagapattinam implement sustainable improvements in the system itself and in citizen access to water services.