Report: Community-led, gravity flow piped water supply and sanitation system in Adivasi Colony village

The project is facilitating the establishment of gravity-flow water supply system in Adivasi Colony village, an un-electrified village in Ganjam district, Orissa state.

The project is supporting Adivasi Colony village who have already built sanitation infrastructure, to access safe piped water supply and thus, assisting them to complete their water and sanitation intervention.
Adivasi Colony village is a small tribal village, having 19 households, out of which 53% are living bellow the poverty line (BPL). With Gram Vikas' assistance, the village have started building the sanitation infrastructure in April 2008 and all 19 families have completed the construction of their toilets and bathing rooms. The toilets and bathrooms were built at least 3m away from house. In order to avoid flooding of latrine pits during rainy season, the tops of the platform and the pits are 0.45-0.6m above ground level. Villagers were also encouraged to grow banana, papaya and coconout trees around toilet soak pits to leach excess water, so that the pit can be used for at least five years before it becomes full and waste must be diverted to the second pit. By the time the second pit is full, the contents of the first have been composting for at least five years and the pathogens have been killed. This compost can then be used as organic maneau. The design and layout of toilets-bathing rooms were done in consultation with the villagers. The whole sanitation infrastructure was built with full community participation and each family was involved in the whole process and thus, ensuring 100% inclusion at all times. Gram Vikas had also provided technical support and training during the course of construction.