Water and Sanitation

UNIT 1 WATER AND SANITATION

Structure
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Water and Sanitation: Concept and Importance
1.3 Water-Sanitation and Development Relationship
1.4 Health Effects of Water and Sanitation
1.5 Challenges of Water and Sanitation Problems
1.6 Water and Sanitation Policy of India
1.7 Let Us Sum Up
1.8 References and Selected Readings
1.9 Check Your Progress-Possible Answers

1.1 INTRODUCTION
The provision of safe drinking water and basic sanitation are critical to sustainable
development of any economy. Improvement in safe drinking water supply and
sanitation has been seen to have produced significant impact on decrease in
diseases and recurring health problems among urban population. However, the
problem of urban sanitation and water supply is particularly evident in urban
slums both in developed as well as developing countries. Inadequate access to
clean water and safe sanitation places slum dwellers at particular risk of several
communicable diseases such as diarrheal diseases and helminthic infections.
Government of different countries, particularly government of India has
formulated water and sanitation policies for ensuring safe drinking water and
sanitation to its people. This unit deals with sanitation and drinking water problem
in urban areas and its consequences and the policies formulated by the government
of India to deal with these two vital basic issues of development.
After reading this unit, you will be able to:
• Explain meaning and importance of water and sanitation
• Spell out relationship between water-sanitation and development
• Discuss the health effect of water and sanitation
• Analyse challenges of water and sanitation problem
• Describe national water policy and national sanitation policy of government
of India

1.2 WATER AND SANITATION: CONCEPT AND

IMPORTANCE
For the past few decade, the World as a whole, experiencing a wave of
urbanization. Rapid urbanization has given rise to a host of problems, water and
sanitation are important among them. The Mar Del Plata Conference in 1977
focused exclusively on the drinking water and sanitation needs of the poor and
vulnerable. This resulted in the designation of the period from 1981 to 1990 as
the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (IDWSSD). The
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Urban Infrastructure-I Global Water Supply and Sanitation 2000 Assessment shows that 1.1 billion
people lack access to improved water supply and 2.4 billion to improved
sanitation. The report mentioned that, if improved water supply and basic
sanitation were extended to the present day “unserved”, it is estimated that the
burden of infectious diarrhea would be reduced by some 17 percent and if
universal piped water supply and well-regulated water supply is ensured and full
sanitation is achieved, this would reduce the burden by some 70 percent.

Water is the most basic, precious and indispensable resources of life and
fundamental to the survival of human being. Worldwide, agriculture use 69
percent of the total water available, 23 percent is used by industries and 8 percent
is utilized domestically. Water, which is essential for life, growth and health, can
also be a source of spread of diseases and cause of ill-health, if contaminated or
improperly handled and stored. Safe drinking water plays a major role in the
overall well being of people, with a significant bearing on infant mortality rate,
death rate, longevity and productivity. It is warned that in India, millions of
people suffer the consequences of drinking contaminated water, thereby, seriously
affecting the health of future generations who are growing up with bouts of
debilitating diahorreal diseases. The General Covenant on the Right to Water
adopted by the Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in November,
2002 recognized water as a fundamental human right and stated that everyone
has right to access to safe and secure drinking water, equitably without
discrimination.

Like water, sanitation is also important for human health. Sanitation is defined
as safe management of human excreta, including its treatment, disposal and
associated hygiene related practices. The package of environmental sanitation
largely include: (i) Solid waste disposal both human and animal; (ii) Liquid waste
disposal; and (iii) drainage. Indiscriminate defecation and throwing of garbage
are the most uncivilized types of environmental insanitation.

The problem of urban sanitation and water supply is visibly evident in urban
slums. Many studies and reviews have noted that the urban slum dwellers have
inadequate access to clean water, good sanitation and waste disposal and are
vulnerable to risk of several communicable diseases. A World Health Organization
Study estimates that the daily fecal output of the urban population in developing
countries is greater than 500,000 tons. A study show that in Mumbai, it is estimated
that approximately 73 percent of the slum primarily use community toilets
provided through the municipal authorities and approximately 25 percent rely
primarily on open defecation. Water supply is likewise inadequate, with many
slum dwellers required to carry bucket water some distance, thus both increasing
their workload and also decreasing the volume available per household.

Why should cities care about safe water and sanitation?

• Vital to human health
• Generate economic and social benefits
• Contribute to social and cultural values
• Helps the environmental sanitation
• Check morbidity and mortality
• Indicators of a health city
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1.3 WATER-SANITATION AND DEVELOPMENT Water and Sanitation

RELATIONSHIP
Water and Sanitation are intrinsically interconnected with the Millennium
Development Goals, (MDGs) fixed by United Nations. The halve by 2015, the
proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic
sanitation is one of the numerical and time-bound targets defined for the MDGs.
The relationships between water-sanitation and various development goals are
described below:
1) MDG-1: Eradication of Extreme Poverty & Hunger- Ensuring safe
drinking water and sanitation will have positive impact on poverty and hunger
by reducing time spend on fetching drinking water and walking a mile for
open defecation and expenses on drinking water and sanitation. A reduction
of the distance to the nearest water sources will have a positive impact on the
energy required for securing the household water needs. Besides, access to
sanitary toilet will reduce the sanitation related problems and make human
being hearty and healthy and devote considerable time for income earning
activities. With the reduced time, burden from improved water services, more
time can be spend on productive activities either on food production or in
other income generating activities. Further more, reduction of working days
lost to water and sanitation related diseases will also have a positive impact
on the household’s income situation. The relationship is depicted in Figure 1.

Time saving due to Engagement in

improved access productivity activities

Reduction of
Water & Sanitation
Poverty & Hunger

Physically fit
Better Health for work

Figure 1: Water and Sanitation vs. Poverty and Hunger

2) MDG-2: Achieve Universal Primary Education- The improved water

supply and sanitary environment in school will enhance enrolment and
retention of boys and girls in the schools. Besides, relieving girls from their
water fetching duties, it can improve their school attendance rate. It is
observed that the girl child attendance rate is higher in schools having
separate toilets for girl children. The better health care of children through
the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation in the school will keep
children physically and mentally sound and thus will have impact on child’s
learning achievements. It will also motivate parents to send their children
particularly girls to the schools. The relationship is depicted in Figure-2.

Time saved on Precondition for

fetching water employment & attendance

Water & Sanitation Achieve universal

primary education

Regular school
Better health
attendance
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Figure 2: Water and Sanitation vs. Primary Education
Urban Infrastructure-I 3) MDG-3: Gender Equality- Fetching water and maintenance of sanitation
are under the responsibilities of women in most of the societies, particularly
in rural societies and those who are staying in urban slum to remain in
queue for fetching a bucket of water. Considerable amount of time of women
in rural areas is lost on collecting water and caring for members suffering
from water and sanitation related morbidities. Improving water supply and
sanitation would produce positive impact on women’s living conditions by
giving them more time for productive activities, caring of children, pursuing
adult education, empowerment activities and leisure. Ensuring safe drinking
water and sanitation make both male and female equally responsible for its
maintenance, there by promote gender empowerment. Besides, carrying
water pots during the advance stage of pregnancy may cause maternal
morbidity and miscarriage. The relationship is depicted in Figure-3.

Empower women for

Time saving/ less other production
burden activities

Water & Sanitation Promote gender

equality

Better health Reduce family care

Figure 3: Water and Sanitation vs. Gender Equality

4) MDG-4: Child Mortality- Water related diseases are the most common
cause of illness and mortality especially among children under-5 in
developing countries. Children are more vulnerable to unsafe drinking water
and healthy sanitary practices. In India, children of the impoverished families
and those are residing either at home or in educational centres in urban
slums do not have adequate access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
The main causes of child morbidity and mortality are water and sanitation
related. The diseases associated with drinking water and sanitation is
diahorrea, typhoid, cholera, malaria, warm infection, etc. Provision of safe
drinking water and sanitation will reduce the occurrences of these diseases
and restrict infant and child mortality. The relationship between water and
sanitation and child mortality is given in Figure-4.

Reduction of water
related diseases

Water & Sanitation Reduction in child

mortality
Improved health
condition of children

Figure 4: Water and Sanitation vs. Child Mortality

5) MDG-5 & 6: Maternal Mortality and other Diseases- Like child mortality,
the maternal mortality also depends on safe drinking water and sanitation.
Contaminated water and poor hygiene is a contributory factor of poor women
health, particularly slow postnatal recovery. Besides, carrying water during
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 advance stage of pregnancy may lead to miscarriage. Provision of protected Water and Sanitation
water, sanitation and hygiene has substantial relation with antenatal, natal
and post-natal care of women. The warm infection and water related
diahorrea during pregnancy can cause severe morbidity and even mortality
among the pregnant and lactating women. The relationship is shown in
Figure-5.

Energy saved due to Less miscarriage

improved access

1. Improved
Water & Sanitation
maternal health
2. Combat other
diseases

Reduction of water &

hygiene related diseases

Figure 5: Water and Sanitation vs. Maternal Health and Diseases

6) MDG-7: Environmental Sustainability- Insufficient and inadequate water

supply and insanitation are intricately related to sustainable environment.
Improved sanitation by safe garbage disposal and disposal of human excreta
reduces environmental and health risks. People residing in urban slums are
generally the victims of contaminated water supply and filthy environment.
Besides, improved water management, including industrial pollution control
and water conservation is a key factor for maintaining ecosystem integrity.
The relationship between water and sanitation and environmental
sustainability is shown in Figure-5.

Improved Sanitation Reduced

environmental risk

Water Environmental
& Sanitation sustainability

Ensuring safe drinking Improved coverage

water

Figure 6: Water and Sanitation vs. Environmental Sustainability

In this session you read about importance of water and sanitation to development.
Now answer the questions given in Check Your Progress 1.
Check Your Progress 1
Note: a) Write your answer in about 50 words.
b) Check your answer with possible answers given at the end of the unit
1) Briefly describe package of environmental sanitation.
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Urban Infrastructure-I .......................................................................................................................
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6) Explain how water and sanitation is crucial for prevention of child mortality.
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1.4 HEALTH EFFECTS OF WATER AND

SANITATION
Water and sanitation produces surmountable effect on health in general and health
of the children and pregnant women in particular. Some of the health effects of
water and sanitation are as follows:
i) Almost half of the population in the developing world is suffering from one
or more infectious diseases associated with contaminated water supply and
sanitation. The prominent among them are diarrhea, intestinal helminthes
infections, dracunculiasis, schistosomiasis and trachoma.
ii) More than half of the hospital beds in the world are occupied by people who
have water and sanitation related diseases.
iii) The diarrhea, the second leading cause of infant death is attributed to unsafe
drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.
iv) Intestinal helminthes which affects hundreds of million of people world
wide happens largely due to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. It is
estimated that 133 million have high intensity intenstral helminth infections,
which often have severe consequences such as cognitive impairment, massive
dysentery or anemia.
v) Due to lack of availability of basic sanitation, more than 160 million people
are infected with schistosomes, causing tens of thousand of deaths every year.
vi) Improving access to water and better hygiene could reduce the occurrences
of trachoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness. More that 150
million people need treatment for these diseases.
vii) Malaria, typhoid and dengue are largely occurring due to poor sanitation
condition in the cities in general and metropolis in particular. The outbreak
of dengue in Delhi not only take away several lives but also create a lot of
problems for the hospital to accommodate patients suffering from dengue
during the outbreak of this epidemic.
See figure 7 for summary on effects of water and sanitation on health.
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 Water and Sanitation
Intervention Effect Health Impact

Increasing the Quantity Better hygiene

of water
Reduced Morbidity
and Mortality
Reduced Ingestion of
Improving Quality of
Pathogens
water

Reduced number of
Providing means of safe pathogen in the
excreta disposal environment

Figure 7: Effect of Water and Sanitation on Health

1.5 CHALLENGES OF WATER AND SANITATION

PROBLEMS
Some of challenges associated with water and sanitation problem in urban areas
are as follows:

i) Inadequate investment in water and sanitation infrastructure is a major

challenge. Paucity of fund for building of infrastructure by the national and
state governments and international investments in water sanitation has been
declining.

ii) There is lack of political will to deal with the problem of water and sanitation.
Strong political will is necessary for rebuilding aging water resources and
building of garbage disposal tanks and also sewerage system for the safe
passage of liquid wastes. Political will necessary to enforce policies which
promote water conservation, safe water reuse, safe sanitation and disposal
of human excreta, equitable water sharing and sustainable water supply and
environmental protection due to insanitation.

iii) There is a strong requirement of proper solid waste management strategies.

Land fill is currently the most preferred alternative for waste disposal by
local municipal authorities as it is still the cheapest and easiest method of
getting rid of waste away from towns. There is lack of recycling infrastructure
with the municipalities which is a cause of concern and it also varies from
one municipality to that of the other.

iv) Operation and maintenance of the urban infrastructure. This is one of the
critical areas in almost all municipalities. Because of paucity of funds with
municipalities on the one hand and reluctant of beneficiaries to pay for user
charges on the other, the operation and maintenance of water and sanitation
projects are badly affected. This has also resulted in wastage of investment
in these infrastructures.
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Urban Infrastructure-I v) Public private partnership in urban water and sanitation is another important
area to be taken into consideration for the effective handling of water and
sanitation problem in urban areas. It has been urged upon developing
countries by international lending agencies as an essential component of
water sector reform. The Government of India (2002) has urged upon “private
sector participation in planning, development and management of water
resources projects for diverse uses wherever feasible”.

PPP in Water Supply-A Case Study

The Government of Maharashtra had issued guideline to the Municipal
Corporations and Municipal Councils Class ‘A’ for encouraging PPP to
increase efficiency and investments in water supply and sewerage projects
vide Govt. Circular dated 12th June, 2001. According to the Govt. Circular,
the following options for PPP were suggested:
i) Management agreement/contract
ii) Tax agreement
iii) Concession agreement
As the water supply scheme of Municipal Council Chandrapur City was in
loss, this case was put in the General Meeting of the Council held on 26/02/
2002 to explore PPP.
In the General Body meeting resolution was passed and decided to collect
the required information regarding privatization of the scheme. So rules and
conditions were prepared/framed to privatize the scheme as per the guidelines
of Government.
Through tendering route, the water supply scheme of Chandrapur was
privatized on 23/04/2004. The scheme was handed over the M/s Gurukrupa
Association & Pvt. Ltd. for 10 years.
As the scheme has been privatized, the council is not required to spend any
amount on the scheme. On the contrary, in 10 years, during /period the Council
will get income of Rs. 1.59 crore from the private agency.

Key Features and Findings of PPP

 There will be no financial burden on the Council.
 In the next 10 years, the council will get an income of Rs. 1.59 crore
from the contractors.
 From the date of privatization in the last 4 years there is no serious
complaint received regarding to the water supply except some casual
ones.
 During scarcity, the contractor supplies water through tankers without
taking any extra charges from the Council.
 It is in the agreement that the contractors should lay at least 1 KM pipe
line every year.
 It is also mentioned in the agreement/contract that the number of the
public stand posts shall be kept intact.

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 Water and Sanitation
 The minimum water rate notified by the State Government (Rs. 806/-
per year from ½ inch connections) will be continued for 3 year and
afterwards 10% additional charges will be levied for 3 years. Finally
after 10 years the rate will grow from Rs. 806/- to Rs. 1072/-.
 Municipal workers collect the water samples and sent it for checking to
the District Health Centre.
 Rs. 75/- Lakhs bank guarantee is located from private contractor as
security.
 The contractor will be responsible to maintain machineries, pipelines,
etc. with any additional cost.
 In case of default by contactor, there is a proper penal action prescribed
by Municipal Council as per the agreement.
 The contractor is also responsible for repairing all bore wells and hand
pumps in the City.
 Regarding to the regular water supply by the contractors, there are some
special clauses in agreements.
Source: Compendium on Public Private Partnership in Urban Infrastructure case study, https:/
/doc-o4-94-docswieer.googleusercontent.co

vi) Water pricing is another important and challenging area of urban services
management. According to Mathur and Thakur (2003) the main objectives
of water pricing are to be: (1) revenue efficiency: the revenue from the
water users should be sufficient to pay the operation and maintenance cost
of water utility’s operations, to pay loans undertaken to replace and expand
the capital stock and to provide a return to capital at risk ; (2) economic
efficiency: it requires that prices be set to ensure that consumer face the
avoidable costs of their decisions: (3) equity: means that water tariff treats
similar customer equally and that customers in different situations are not
treated the same; and (4) poverty alleviation: water services are often seen
as a “basic right” and their access as necessary regardless of whether or not
people can pay. Effective pricing mechanism needs to be evolved by the
municipalities which will not be very taxing.

vii) Community based management of water supply and sanitation through

decentralization is now days proved to be better solution for water and
sanitation problems. The urban local bodies can play vital role in the
management of water problems and collection and disposal of garbage in
their respective municipalities. The community and community based
organizations can become indomitable source of sustainable water and
environmental development in their respective areas.

1.6 WATER AND SANITATION POLICY OF INDIA

Water supply and sanitation is sole responsibility of state government, however,
with the passing of 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, the state can assign
these responsibility and power to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban
Local Bodies (ULBs). Government of India has formulated National Water Policy
and National Sanitation Policy at different points of time to deal with water and
sanitation issues effectively. Let us discuss them one by one. 13
Urban Infrastructure-I 1.6.1 National Water Policy
National Water Policy was adopted in September, 1987. It has enabled the
government to gather, a number of issues and challenges emerged in the
development and management of the water resources. The National Water Policy
(1987) was reviewed and updated in 2002 with the issue of National Water Policy
2002 (NPW 2002). The salient features of the NPW 2002 are:

 The NWP Defines Water as a Prime Natural Resource: Water is a basic

human need and a precious national asset, to be planned, developed,
conserved and managed in an integrated and environmentally sound basis,
keeping in view the socio-economic aspects and the needs of the states. It
recognizes water as a crucial element in developmental planning, to be
managed in a sustainable manner and guided by the national perspective.
Water as a resource is one and indivisible: rainfall, river waters, surface
ponds and lakes and ground water are all part of one system.

 Private Sector Participation: It encourages participation of private sector

in planning, development and management of water resources projects with
a view to introduce innovative ideas, generate financial resources, and bring
in better management practices. All models of private sector participation,
viz. build, own, operate and transfer, are acceptable.

 Emphasis of Asset Utilization: It stipulates that there is an urgent need for

paradigm shift from creation of new projects to improvement of the
performance of existing projects.

 Practices for Water Conservation: It acknowledges the importance of all

types of practices, the traditional practices like rainwater harvesting,
preservation of forests; the modern conventional practices like water shed
management, soil conservation; and the modern non-conventional methods
like inter-basin sharing of water, artificial recharge of ground water and
desalination of sea water.

 Multi-Pronged Approach: It emphasizes multi-sect- oral, multi-disciplinary

planning with participatory approach, for the entire river basin. The water
allocation priorities and drinking water, irrigation, hydro-power, ecology,
industrial use and navigation, in that order. It specifically stipulates that
drinking water requirement shall be first charge on any available water.

The NWP 2002 is aimed at improving existing strategies to improve water quality
and reduce ground water and surface water pollution. Use and application of
scientific tools and techniques to improve water resources development has also
been emphasized. Further the policy encourages those projects development and
proposals, which account for the sustainable use of surface and ground water,
incorporating quantity and quality as well as environmental considerations.

There are 24 goals of the National Water Policy 2002 among which key areas
related to water supply and sanitation being: Water Resource Planning, Project
Planning, Groundwater Development, Drinking Water, Private Sector
Participation, Water Quality, Water Zoning, Conservation of Water, Project
Monitoring.

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1.6.2 The National Urban Sanitation Policy 2008 Water and Sanitation

The National Urban Sanitation Policy 2008 aims to achieve 100 per cent sanitation
coverage under the 11th plan. The Policy focuses on generating awareness about
sanitation and its linkages with public and environmental health among
communities, encourages behavioral changes to adopt healthy sanitation practices.
The policy hopes to achieve sanitized towns and cities ensuring affordable hygiene
and sanitation facilities for urban poor and women.

1.6.2.1 Policy Goals

The overall goal of this policy is to transform Urban India into community-
driven, totally sanitized, healthy and livable cities and towns.
The specific goals are:
a) Awareness Generation and Behaviour Change
b) Open Defecation Free Cities
c) Integrated City-wide Sanitation
d) Sanitary and Safe Disposal
e) Proper Operation & Maintenance of all Sanitary Installations.
a) Awareness Generation and Behaviour Change
i) Generating awareness about sanitation and its linkages with public and
environmental health amongst communities and institutions.
ii) Promoting mechanisms to bring about and sustain behavioral changes
aimed at adoption of healthy sanitation practices.
b) Open Defecation Free Cities
All urban dwellers will have access to and use safe and hygienic sanitation
facilities and arrangements so that no one defecates in the open. In order to
achieve this goal, the following activities shall be undertaken:
i) Promoting access to households with safe sanitation facilities (including
proper disposal arrangements).
ii) Promoting community-planned and managed toilets wherever necessary,
of groups, of households who have constraints of space, tenure or
economic constraints in gaining access to individual facilities.
iii) Adequate availability and 100% upkeep and management of public
sanitation facilities in all urban areas, to rid them of open defecation
and environmental hazards.
c) Integrated City Wide Sanitation
i) Mainstream thinking, planning and implementing measures related to
sanitation in all sectors and departmental domains as a cross cutting
issue, especially in all urban management endeavours.
ii) Strengthening national, state, city and local institutions (public, private
and community) to accord priority to sanitation provision, including
planning, implementation and O&M(operation and maintenance).
iii) Extending access to proper sanitation facilities for poor communities
and other unserved settlements. 15
Urban Infrastructure-I d) Sanitation and Safe Disposal
100% of human excreta and liquid wastes from all sanitation facilities
including toilets must be disposed of safely. In order to achieve this goal,
the following activities shall be undertaken.
i) Promoting proper functioning of network based sewerage systems and
ensuring connections of household to them wherever possible.
ii) Promoting recycle and reuse of treated waste water for non potable
applications wherever possible will be encouraged.
iii) Promoting proper disposal and treatment of sludge from on site
installations (septic tanks, pit latrines, etc.).
iv) Ensuring that all the human wastes are collected safely confined and
disposed of after treatment so as not to cause any hazard to public
health or the environment.
e) Proper Operation & Maintenance of all Sanitary Installations
i) Promoting proper usage, regular upkeep and maintenance of household,
community and public sanitation facilities.
ii) Strengthening ULBs to provide sustainable sanitation services delivery.
1.6.2.2 Components of National Urban Sanitation Policy
Government of India shall support the following components:

a) Awareness Generation
A country wide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Strategy
will be designed and implemented for raising awareness on the public health
and environmental importance and sanitation. The socio cultural basis against
sanitation and sanitary work need to be targeted, and dignity and humane
approach promoted in the elevation of priority to sanitation in public affairs.
Further, the public good nature of urban sanitation necessitating collective
action needs to be highlighted in the minds of all stakeholders.

b) Institutional Roles
The Government of India will support clear assignment of roles and
responsibilities, resources and capacities and institutional incentives in
relation to setting standards, planning and financing, implementation,
knowledge development, capacity building and training, Monitoring &
Evaluation (M&E), and regulatory arrangements. The government will help
states and cities in ensuring sanitation as a core responsibility of Urban
Local Bodies as envisaged in the Constitutional (Seventy fourth) Amendment
Act, 1993. The special roles of NGOs and Community Based Organizations
(CBOs) will be recognized in mobilizing communities, raising awareness
and in working with poor communities to assist them in finding affordable,
community-managed solutions to sanitation.

c) Reaching the Un-Served and Poor Households

The national policy will help urban areas adopt a city-wide, demand based
participatory approach to individual (resolving tenure, space and affordability
constraints), and community sanitation where individual sanitation facilities
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 are not feasible. Towards this, special slum and community sanitation plans Water and Sanitation
will be formulated as a part of the City Sanitation Plan. Provision of public
sanitation facilities will also be supported.

d) Knowledge Development
The policy recognizes the importance of developing and disseminating
knowledge on institutional development, technology choices and
management regimes, planning new developments and up gradation, and
sustainability issues.

e) Capacity Building
Government of India will help to formulate and implement a National level
strategy on capacity building and training to support states and cities to
build their personnel capacities and organizational systems for delivery of
sanitation services.

f) Financing
The Govt. of India, wherever possible, will explore possibilities of providing
assistance for funding projects proposed as part of city sanitation plans
through its schemes like JNNURM, UIDSSMT and 10% lump sum for North
Eastern States, Satellite Township Scheme, etc. However, the emphasis will
be on improving the efficiency of existing sanitation infrastructure and
service delivery.

g) National Monitoring & Evaluation

At the national level, the Govt. of India will support periodic rating of cities
by independent agencies. A National Annual Award will be instituted on the
basis of this rating.

h) Coordinator at the National Level

National Investments in urban infrastructure and housing shall accord high
priority to sanitation. Towards this, sanitation will be mainstreamed into all
relevant programmes of all the relevant sectoral ministries.

In this session you read about water and sanitation policy of government of India.
Now answer the questions given in Check Your Progress 2.

Check Your Progress 2

Note: a) Write your answer in about 50 words.
b) Check your answer with possible answers given at the end of the unit
1) Briefly describe, the multipronged approach as emphasized in National Water
Policy.
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Urban Infrastructure-I 2) Explain objectives of National Sanitation Policy.
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1.7 LET US SUM UP

The provision of safe drinking water and basic sanitation are critical to sustainable
development of any economy. Improvement in safe drinking water supply and
sanitation has been seen to have produced significant impact on diseases and
recurring health problems among urban population. This unit has covered the
importance of water and sanitation to Millennium Development Goals. Further it
also describes the importance of water and sanitation to health. Finally the unit has
narrated the National Water and National Sanitation Policy of Government of India.

1.8 REFERENCES AND SELECTED READINGS

• Mathur O P and Thakur S. (2003): Urban Water pricing setting the State for
Reforms, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, 2003.
• National Urban Sanitation Policy, Government of India, Ministry of Urban
Development, Nirman Bhavan.
• National Water Policy, Government of India.
• Susanne Hesselbarth, (2005) Socio-economic Impacts of Water Supply and
Sanitation Projects, KFW, http://kfw-intranet/produktion/.PDF
• Moe, C L and Rheingans, R.D. (2006), “Global Challenges in Water”, Journal
of Water and Health, 04. Suppl.
• United Nations, http://unu.edu/publications/articles/quantifying-water-
supply-sanitation
• David Beversluis (2008), Water, Sanitation and the Urban poor of India,
Environmental Health Term Paper, www.cwru.edu/med/epidbio/mphp439/
watersanitationindia.pdf
• Compendium of Public Private Partnership in Urban Infrastructure, case
studies, Ministry of Urban Development, GOI, Confederation of India
Industrial, http://doc-04-94-docswieer.googleusercontent.co

1.9 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS POSSIBLE

ANSWERS
Check Your Progress 1
1) Briefly describe package of environmental sanitation.
The package of environmental sanitation largely include: (i) Solid waste
disposal both human and animal; (ii) Liquid waste disposal; and (iii) drainage.
Indiscriminate defecation and throwing of garbages are the most uncivilized
types of environmental insanitation.
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2) Explain how water and sanitation is crucial for prevention of child mortality Water and Sanitation

Water related diseases are the most common cause of illness and mortality
especially among children under-5 in developing countries. Children are
more vulnerable to unsafe drinking water and healthy sanitary practices. In
India children of the impoverished families and those are residing either at
home or in educational centres in urban slums do not have adequate access
to safe drinking water and sanitation. The main causes of child morbidity
and mortality are water and sanitation related. The diseases associated with
drinking water and sanitation are diahorrea, typhoid, cholera, malaria, warm
infection, etc. Provision of safe drinking water and sanitation will reduce
the occurrences of these diseases and restrict infant and child mortality.

Reduction of water
related diseases

Water & Sanitation Reduction in child

mortality
Improved health
condition of children

Check Your Progress 2

1) Briefly describe the multipronged approach as emphasized in National Water
Policy.
The National Water Policy emphasizes on multi-sect- oral, multi-disciplinary
planning with participatory approach, for the entire river basin. The water
allocation priority goes like drinking water, irrigation, hydro-power, ecology,
industrial use and navigation, in that order. It specifically stipulates that
drinking water requirement shall be first charge on any available water.
2) Explain objectives of National Sanitation Policy.
The overall objective of this policy is to transform Urban India into
community-driven, totally sanitized, healthy and liveable cities and towns.
The specific objectives are:
a) Awareness Generation and Behaviour Change
b) Open Defecation Free Cities
c) Integrated City-wide Sanitation
d) Sanitary and Safe Disposal
e) Proper Operation & Maintenance of all Sanitary Installations.

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