Report: Integrated Drinking water project Yeoti, Block Shrigondha Dist. Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

Yeoti is situated in the interior and barren area at the distance of 30 km. from block and 50 km from district HQ. The livelihoods of the communities is dependent on rain fed agriculture, which is insufficient to support their families

Before the watershed development the village faced acute drinking water problem. Therefore, the drinking water project was implemented under the ‘Bharat Nirman’ government scheme in the village in 2009. Under this scheme the main pipeline of 1000 meters and distribution of pipeline of 6000 meters is completed. Excavation of water source well and water storage tank of 40,000 litres capacity has been completed. In the initial stage, the drinking water was provided through the four common stand posts. Due to the common stand posts, the wastewater flowed in the interior part of the village and led to more wastage of water. Therefore, the Water Committee with the support of the Grampanchayat has successfully completed the cost effective and community managed drinking water project in their village. Under this, the drinking water is being provided to 100 households (to those who live at the long distance from the distribution pipeline) through individual water connections at their doorstep. A separate water connection has been provided to primary school and kinder garden. Each family has constructed soak pits or developed kitchen garden for the safe disposal of domestic waste water.

Before the initiation of the project, the people were faced acute drinking water problem in summer. During this period, due to the project intervention there was plenty of water. Earlier the water was provided through four common stand posts, resulting more wastage of the water and becoming marshy land in the surroundings of the houses and in the village.

Now as individual tap connections are provided through the project, all the families get water at their doorstep. The degree of wastage water has been reduced. All the families have made the provision for safe disposal of wastewater through either soak pits or kitchen garden, therefore, there is no flowing wastewater in the surroundings of houses or in the village as seen earlier. The village now looks orderly and clean without marshy land. The village has become tanker free. Henceforth, the people will not have to depend on the irregular supply of water through tankers. Since there is sufficient water, all the families make use of the toilets. The village community especially, women and girls are very happy, as now they have sufficient time for other productive activities as they don’t have to fetch water for about 3-4 hours per day which has saved their time and also reduced their drudgery.
The drinking water has been provided to the primary school and kinder garden. Therefore, now there is access to the drinking water and water for school toilets as well as for the school garden. Since there is sufficient water available for the school, the villagers have erected permanent wire mesh compound in the school premises for the school garden. In the rainy season, the flower and show plants will be planted by the schoolchildren. Due to the successful implementation of the project, there is greater cooperation among the people, and the people are united due to the common cause of drinking water.

The maintenance Revenue model is worked out. In the revenue model, we have considered the operational costs, such as electric bill, honorarium to the caretaker and water distributor, regular maintenance cost like, TCL powder (chlorination), cocks, etc. Besides this, the provision for the reserve fund of 20 % of the annual cost is made, so as to ensure the sufficient fund for the replacement of major parts of the pump, minor repairs of the valves, pipes etc. after 5-7 years period. As per the Revenue generation model the maintenance cost works out to 802 USD. However, the Gram Panchayat has collected USD 1169 towards the maintenance cost per year. Besides this the Gram Panchayat has collected deposit of $ 10.63 from each family. The total deposit of $ 1670 is collected from 157 families.

Since the responsibility to provide the safe drinking water to the people is of the government, hence the local governance council i.e. Grampanchayat is responsible for the collection of water tax, water distribution, water chlorination etc. However, the Water Committee will support the Grampanchayat for the collection of the water tax regularly. While implementing the drinking water project due the involvement of the Water Committee and support of the women SHGs, the collection of the water tax for the year ending 2011 is 100%. The Gram Panchayat will do the repairs and maintenance as required. The Gram Panchayat has appointed one paid person for the distribution of the drinking water.

SURABHI Rural Development and Research Organization (NGO) is a partner NGO of WOTR and since last 8 years are involved in promotion of rural development. So far the NGO has successfully completed watershed development programme and poverty alleviation programs in 17 villages costing 47,050 USD and three drinking water projects costing 24,050 USD (including BPR projects costing 16733 USD with the support of WOTR.) Besides this Surabhi is engaged in promotion of SHGs through the support of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD ) in 110 villages in 5 blocks of Aurangabad district and 20 villages in Jalna district. So far the NGO has promoted 941 women’s SHGs and build their capacities in 2 districts with the support of NABARD