Drinking water mission (Swajal)

============================

>> Potential cost of piped water supply to 58% population can be Rs 130,000cr (2017 prices)

Piped drinking water is available to only 42% of households. In deprived districts, the figure is lower at 25%. Water fetching consumes 12% of working hours of rural women. Unsafe drinking water has replaced open defecation as a major threat to children. It accounts for 200,000 deaths of children.

A) Drinking water mission provides safe water, good distribution and reliable source of water:

-- Safe: testing (BIS standard), treating, storage and delivery without re-contamination risk

-- Accessible to every person: plan for 100% piped water, available 24 x 7 and ready to drink

-- Adequate & sustainable: reliable supplies from local sources such as ground water, surface water, rainwater, piped water or processed seawater

B) Choices under Swajal
1. Minimum size of habitation: all habitations chosen
2. Choice of power source: mounted solar is preferred to grid power

3. Design elements: mandatory - pumps, pipes, recharge structure, standposts, soak pit, etc
4. Where water treatment?: at source, optional water treatment plant and/or chlorination

5. Sustainable supply: should factor in population & demand increase, depleting groundwater, reduced rainfall, diversion to other uses : safe blocks will use ground-water

6. Storage eg. new or desilted ponds, ground-water aquifer : man-made structures
7. Equity issues, eg. conflicts due to diversion for agriculture, by dominant communities, dealing with shortages : village community decision ratified by GP
8. Metering water use or charge per household: charge per household
9. Payment of capital cost/ redesigns / restoration: Centre, State & GP, upto Rs 50 lakh

10. Responsibility for water administration
i) installation: contractor
ii) macro-level operations and maintenance: contractor or maintenance firm, for min 3 yrs
ii) local maintenance : certified "bare-footed" engineer
iii) collecting dues, meeting O&M expenses: village community, balance by Gram Panchayat
see https://mdws.gov.in/sites/default/files/Swajal_PPT.pdf