Abstract
The majority of people in rural villages in Maharashtra, India, have access to improved drinking water sources. Nevertheless, the water quality at the point of consumption often does not satisfy the drinking water standard. In this study, we assess changes in water quality from its source to the point of consumption and explore the ties between water management practices and water quality. Water samples were collected at the water source and from 135 households’ drinking water storage tanks, and analyzed for fecal coliforms. In parallel, a survey was done to find out water treatment and storage interventions, sanitation and hygiene practices, and households’ perception of, and satisfaction with, drinking water quality. Our results show that even though 98% of the households in this study received their drinking water from an improved source, on average only 50% of sources, and even less during the monsoon, showed acceptable levels of fecal bacteria. Households’ engagement in treatment and storage interventions varied, but was considered crucial due to unreliable centralized chlorination at the village level. Further work is warranted to understand to what extent the different factors influence variations in water quality at the point of consumption and thus to determine what are the most effective interventions.
Highlights
In the year 2015, more than 90% of the Indian population had access to improved drinking water sources [1]
To assess the economic status of households, it was recorded if households were above poverty level (APL) or below poverty level (BPL) card holders
We found a significant difference between APL and BPL card households in terms of if Household water treatment and storage” (HWTS) interventions were practiced or not (χ2 = 16.77, df = 1, α < 0.001)
Summary
In the year 2015, more than 90% of the Indian population had access to improved drinking water sources [1]. Improved drinking water sources are defined as water sources that are protected from outside contamination, such as fecal matter, due to their construction, proper use, and/or other active interventions [2]. This definition includes water supplies piped into dwellings or to plots, public taps, tubewells and boreholes, protected wells and springs, and rainwater. The quality of the water sources vary with the season, often indicating higher contamination levels in the wet season [4,7]
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