Introduction
“Water is life, but access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right.”
– former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Even though the people possess the fundamental right to water in Article 47 of the Constitution of India, millions in India, especially in rural areas, lack access to safe and consumable water. Down to Earth reports that over 163 million people in India consume contaminated water, which leads to waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea. This exacerbates the already critical issue of clean water scarcity across the country.
Water pollution is very common in rural India. In addition, very few good water purification systems or infrastructures are in place to provide safe drinking water. This leaves millions of people vulnerable to health risks while depending on unsafe water sources for their daily needs. This can result in serious health issues.
According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the desired drinking water standard for total dissolved solids (TDS) is 500 mg/l. If no other water source is available, water with a TDS level up to 2,000 mg/l can still be used. But in many areas of rural India, this content is much higher, making the water unsafe and harmful.
This blog addresses why safe drinking water is so important and describes the challenges that rural India faces.
Importance of Safe Drinking Water in Rural India
“We are witnessing the role of safe drinking water in saving lives, empowering women and girls, and contributing to ease of living.”
—Dr V K Paul, NITI Aayog
More than 700 million people reside across about 1.42 million villages in fifteen different ecological zones in rural India. Though lots of efforts are made to make clean water more easily accessible, many rural areas still struggle with issues related to contaminated water. This causes health problems as well as a heavy financial burden to families.
Health concern
Waterborne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid are prevalent in rural communities that lack clean water and sanitation, resulting in reduced overall well-being of the population.
Economic burden
Poor water quality can create an enormous economic burden by causing frequent medical expenses, reduced work efficiency due to illness, and forcing communities to invest in alternative water sources or purification systems. Research by Russ, et al., (2022) highlights the significant economic impact of water pollution, showing that heavily polluted rivers can reduce downstream economic growth by 1.4-2.5 percent, depending on the development level of the region and the severity of the pollution.
Empowering Women and Children
Safe and reliable water changes the lives in rural areas, especially for women and girls who usually have to walk long distances to fetch water. This takes time and energy, and often keeps girls out of school. The 2019 Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) initiative of the Government of India, aimed to install a working tap-water connection in every rural household. A big part of JJM is having women involved in managing water. The mission requires that at least one-third of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) members be women. This way, they can help make decisions about their water supply.
Community-Led Solutions: The Jal Minar Story
A heartwarming story from Chhata, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh:
S M Sehgal Foundation launched the HDFC Bank Parivartan project to help fifteen villages in this area. The main goal is to solve the problem of unsafe drinking water.
This project is to empower local folks, especially women, to manage their own water systems by using smart solutions and involving the entire community. Because of this initiative, people in the community now have better access to clean water, which has led to healthier lives and even new job opportunities for the community.
Overall, this effort illustrates the power of a community that comes together to make a change.
Women-led Water Users Group (WUG) initiative
The Women-led Water Users Group (WUG) in Chhata, Mathura, is an example of how coming together makes things better. Recognizing that safe drinking water was hard to find, twenty-two community members, mostly women, joined together and started WUG to help improve water access and quality in their village. The women took the lead in addressing the water crisis, identifying contamination and high TDS levels as major concerns. Working together, they initiated the development of the Jal Minar, a community water tower that would provide clean water to all.
This group led by women made it easier for people to get water and also helped the community grow and do better overall. When women take charge, everyone benefits.
Solar-powered reverse osmosis (RO) system as a sustainable solution
The initial filter installed at the Jal Minar in Chhata, Mathura, was highly important in providing clean drinking water. However, this filter turned out to be ineffective in filtering out the high total dissolved solid (TDS) levels present in the water, which was much more than the recommended limit of 500 mg/L.
The Women-led Water Users Group (WUG) didn’t give up on making needed improvements. They took action in November 2023 to set up a solar-powered RO system at the Jal Minar with help from the project team. Now they have clean water available all the time, which further empowered the women in the group.
Enhanced financial conditions of the community
WUG initiatives not only improved the water crisis in the community but also helped them financially as well. At a cost of Rs 5 for 20 liters, Rs 3 for 10 liters, and Rs 2 for 5 liters, water is affordable for everyone, while also becoming a source of income for women in the community. These women make about Rs 4,000–5,000 a month from this project. They cover all their costs and save some for repairs and maintenance. The success of the micro-enterprise model has helped with water shortages and given these women financial independence, which is good for the whole community.
Conclusion
The story of Chhata in Mathura is inspiring. The HDFC Bank Parivartan project shows what local people can do when they team up. By focusing on helping women, they are dealing with tough issues like water shortages and health problems. Unsafe water can be really dangerous. We need to act fast across all of rural India to address this crisis with similar smart ideas and community support to get safe water to everyone!
FAQs
Safe drinking water helps stop waterborne diseases, cuts down on medical bills, and saves time, especially for women and children.
This project carried out by S M Sehgal Foundation brings clean water to rural areas, empowering communities, especially women, to run water systems and improve their health.
The solar-powered RO system uses sunlight to get rid of extra TDS and harmful materials in water, providing clean and affordable water all the time.
WUG empowers women to lead water management efforts, improving water access and generating income, which boosts their financial independence as well as community health.
These projects ensure sustainable water access, empower local communities (especially women), and improve health and local economic conditions.
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