Chapter 3 - Multiple Water Needs of Rural Households: Studies From Three Agro-Ecologies in Maharashtra

Abstract

Rural water supply schemes in India are generally designed for domestic uses. However, the multiple water use priorities of poor rural households in order to reduce their hardship and enhance food production, health and income mean that in water-scarce areas, domestic water use can run into conflict with productive water use. The failure of water supply agencies to design a water supply system for multiple uses results in communities not being able to realize the full potential of water as a social good. This chapter identifies various domestic and productive water requirements of rural households. Thereafter, a composite index which captures the vulnerability of rural households to problems associated with lack of water for multiple needs was assessed for three selected regions of Maharashtra, each representing a different agro-ecological and socioeconomic setting.