The growth of industries and the policies governing their location both, have set in motion powerful forces of urbanization in the State.

Of the estimated population of 48.97 million for the year 2001, as much as 37.68% live in its more than 225 urban agglomerations, consisting of 6 municipal corporation, 21 class I, 27 class II and other small towns. While the decadal growth rate of the urban population came down from 41.42% during 1971-1981 to 34.38% during 1981-1991, the projections about the growth in absolute numbers in the coming twenty years is, to say the least, frightening. The total population of the State is expected to grow to 62.80 million by the year 2021 from the estimated 48.97 million in 2001. During the same period urban population is projected to increase from 14.24 million [37.68%] to 27.92 million [44.46%]. The implication is that virtually the entire increase in the total population in the State, during the next 20 years, will have to be accommodated in the urban areas alone.

Already 51.47% of the total urban population lives in the six municipal corporation towns of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar. Ahmeadabad alone accounts for roughly a quarter of these [census 1991].

Two clear trends are discernible as far as urban growth is concerned. The first, is the alarming rate of growth of the peripheral areas at 81.02, 56.30 and 115.48 per cent respectively in the corporation, class I and class II towns during 1981-1991, a trend which is continuing unabated. The other, is the emergence of the north south and the coastal corridors, which take the major share of the urbanization process in their various nodes, giving rise to a large number of urban industrial clusters.

The high degree of urbanization coupled with industrial growth has already made its adverse impact on the physical quality of life in urban areas and also on the natural environment.

About 87% of the municipal towns depending exclusively on ground water resources. Insufficient per capita availability and poor coverage of the population characterize provision of urban water supply. While the six municipal corporation towns have better coverage varying between 67-98%, the per capita availability varies between 100-135 lpcd against the norm of 160 lpcd. In other towns the coverage varies between 56-59% and availability varies between 70 –102 lpcd against applicable norms varying between 100-140lpcd. [Annexure-VII].

Intermittent supply, old and rusty supply systems, poor cost recovery, minimal investment and depletion of source and deterioration of quality [including pollution] are the other pronounced features of urban water supply scenario in the State. In Ahmedabad alone, close to 10% samples fail bacteriological test during the monsoon period.