Existing Solutions

Water Quality, Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting Tank, Shallow Handpump, Women Support Groups

technical

Institutional

The institutional and household roof top rain water harvesting tanks are selected in a village where water source has high level of TDS, Chloride and hardness. The households for construction of Roof Top Rain Water Harvesting Tank (RTRWHT) are selected by the Village Health and Sanitation Committee in consultation with the project team. RTRWHT of 2000 litres capacity is constructed at household level for family of 5 persons. The cost of 20,000 litres RTRWHT constructed in brick masonry is Rs 35,000/

The solution has been implemented in 50 villages covering 6130 households having 34618 population, which includes 6487 children under five years in Rajgarh Block of  Churu district  in Rajasthan state of India.

Who had initiated the project? What were the stakeholders’ drivers?

With the support from Pepsico Foundation,Save the Children,India has initiated an integrated health,nutrition,water & sanitation project in partnership with three local NGOs ,two technical support agencies and several districts as well as local partners to decrease new born and child mortality and malnutrition in three districts of Rajasthan and water harvesting is one of the important component of that project.

Which actors proved strategic in the implementation? At what stage were they brought in?

Who has ensured follow-up of the solution at the local level?

The Village Health and Sanitation Committee and local NGOs proved strategic in the implementation. They were brought during the implementation of the project .Village Health and Sanitation Committee has ensured the follow up of the solution at local level.

How does the solution contribute to the target’s effective implementation and attainment?

The water quality is major problem in 50 project villages.The water quality testing results in 50 project villages reveal that the level of TDS,chloride and hardness in ground water are extremely high compare to their maximum permissible limits making the water unfit for consumption. The water collected in RTRWHT is fit for consumption as the TDS, chloride and hardness of Rainwater is well within the permissible limits. The RTRWHT provides safe water within the household round the clock. The waste water from the RTRWHT is used for kitchen gardening making available the good quality vegetables and fruits to meet the demand of the family.

RTRWHT of 2000 litres capacity constructed at household level cater to the need of 5 persons @ 10 litres per person per day for one year .The project provides construction materials viz. cement, sand, grit, mild steel bars, stone slabs, PVC pipes, windows with frame , shallow handpump and the households contributes 3000 bricks and the labour to build the tank.

Can the solution continue to deliver tangible impacts on the long term?* This solution can continue to deliver tangible impacts on long term basis as it fulfills the need of safe drinking water of each and every household. The RTRWHT is also constructed in a school to provide safe water to children

The key indicators are number of households drinking safe water from RTRWHT, percentage reduction in Diarrheal diseases, reduction in child mortality and malnutrition. The change is visible in terms of reduction in diarrheal diseases.

Given your experience, who would / should be most interested in this Solution and why? How will it help them?*

All those villages having water quality problem should be most interested in this solution as it provides safe drinking water within the household.

In what context do you think this solution could / would work best and why?*

This solution can work best in water quality and water scarcity problem villages because getting safe water round the year is a serious problem in those villages.

Given your experience, what would be needed to upscale this solution, for example to a political or/and a regional level ?*

The awareness creation activities are needed to create demand for safe water in water quality problem village as well as water scarcity villages.

Community mobilization and awareness creation activities should be taken up before implementing the solution.

What is the minimum investment necessary (in terms of human resources, time,

energy, infrastructure, financial resources, political will, etc.) in order to effectively implement this

solution?*

The material worth Rs 25000/=(US$ 500) would be required for implementing this solution in addition to the labour contributed by the family members and their friends for construction of 2000 litres capapcity RTRWHT to cater to the demand of 5 persons @10 litres/person/day for one year.

What are the main factors of success that you wish to emphasize?*

Regular monitoring by the members of the village health and sanitation committee is necessary for effective use and maintenance of RTRWHTs.

The local NGOs /Village Health and Sanitation Committees in the neibhouring villages/BlocksDistricts have committed to implement this solution in their respective villages with 100% community contribution both for material and labour by the households

People can contact Mr. G.L Gujar,Water and Sanitation Coordinator,Save the Children,Jaipur,Rajasthan(email: g.gujar@savethechildren.in  ) for help or advice on this solution