Mahiti Rural Development


	Since 1981, Mahiti is a rural development organization based...

More...


	Mahiti works closely with communities in nearly 90 villages of Dhandhuka, Barwala and...

More...


	We are constantly looking for people who may be able to contribute to our programs and...

More...


	Our work is possible because of the support of numerous organizations / institutions and Individuals...

More...

Drinking Water Resource Management & Sanitation Promotion

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Access to clean drinking water and a reliable water and sanitation system is a public health issue. Water contamination is the main cause of illness in the villages, especially during the summer & monsoon. The health of the agriculture, location and density of villages, livestock, and water management all has an impact on the quantity and quality of water for domestic use.

Mahiti encourages the community to take care of their water resources by repairing existing sources, laying pipelines, building roof-top rainwater harvesting structures (tanks) and community water storage tanks, installing latrines and soak pits to prevent contamination of water sources. Along with latrines, we also encourage villagers to build a bathroom to provide some privacy for women. Up till now, Mahiti encouraged more than 300 families for construction of sanitation units (latrines) in Bhal region. The Sanitation activity is ongoing activity of Mahiti. Mahiti and Women’s Savings and Credit Cooperatives jointly provide loan facilities for construction of toilets & bathrooms to the women members of the cooperatives with a minimum interest rate (10 % per annum).

Mahiti now test the water sources in villages that we work in. Along with the tests, we inform families about ways to purify water – such as boiling and using chlorine. There is a growing water crisis in the region. The natural growth in population, construction and the growing importance of the region as a industrial hub coupled with a decrease in rainfall and in particular winter precipitation have led to rivers drying up and the demand on existing sources of water increasing. Rather than focus merely on the distribution of water, Mahiti is currently trying to enhance the rainwater harvesting structures and collection, storage of surface water in the region.

Right from Mahiti’s inception, it has been working for finding and applying solutions for the drinking water problem in the Bhal region. In fact, it is one of the most critical issues of the area. As mentioned earlier Bhal region has saline soil and ground water also is saline. In such circumstances

the only fresh water resources available here is rainwater flowing on the surface of the soil. Collection of this flowing rainwater is the only way which people can resort to get potable water. This area comes under Narmada Canal Water Supply Pipeline and water is being distributed to villages in the area but most of the villages do not get water throughout the year because they are far-flung and remote. Especially in summer months the quarrels for water often become violent.

Till now, Mahiti has constructed more than 900 Roof-top Rainwater Harvesting Structures (tanks) which have been able to provide safe potable drinking water to more than 7000 people with financial help of various agencies such as Council for Advancement of People’s Actions and Rural Technology – CAPART, District Rural Development Agency – DRDA, Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board – GWSSB, and Water & Sanitation Management Organization – WASMO. Moreover, Mahiti has also constructed 21 Rainwater Harvesting Plastic Lined Ponds with the coordinated efforts with Utthan to prevent the rainwater stored in it becoming saline.

Mahiti has been implementing this alternative since its beginning. After making presentations in this context to many levels we could convince government that collection of rainwater is the only alternative for mitigation of water scarcity in Bhal region. After discussing the issue with government through Pravah (a state level network of organizations and individuals working on drinking water issues) and other organizations at last Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) has accepted this scheme as a permanent scheme. At present this scheme is being implemented in all the districts of Gujarat state.

More over, Mahiti has so far implemented Swajal Dhara – Sector Reform Scheme as well as Coastal Area Development Program for ensuring drinking water security and sanitation in 15 villages of Barwala block of Ahmedabad district. Mahiti also implements the same schemes in 30 villages of Dhandhuka and Dholka block of Ahmedabad district. This scheme is supported by State Government - Water & Sanitation Management Organization, Gandhinagar (WASMO). Under this scheme, various activities have been implemented such as strengthening of Water Committees, in village water distribution system, water resource management activities like hand pump and well repairing / recharging, construction of cattle trough, soak pits, and construction of community water storage tanks etc

Top

Recource