plan 48Drinking Water Project (9 villages in arid region)

Summary

WOTR's main focus is promotion of watershed development and women's empowerment through promotion of SHGs. The villages selected would be from the drought prone area where there is acute drinking water shortage and water is provided through

Background

Under BPR , out of 5 projects 3 projects have been successfully completed and 2 projects are nearing completion.

The learnings from these projects are as under -

- The drinking water activity has helped the village community to come together for a common cause and helped to strengthen their unity and integrity.
- the illiterate rural women are capable to implement honestly and parsimoniously large projects with big budgets by maintaining transparency if their capacities are built through training interventions and given opportunity to implement the projects

- if the drinking water problem is identified and the work is initiated by the women , the strong support and cooperation is possible from the local governance (Gram Panchyat), CBOs and men folk irrespective of village politics, groupism and bureaucratic interference

Location

, Western Maharashtra, India

Focus

Primary Focus: Drinking Water - Community
Secondary Focus: Capacity Building

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 3,000

Approx. 2800 -3000 inhabitants from 8-9 villages would be benefitted.

The demographic details of the villages will be submitted by end of February 2007

School Children Getting Water: 0

It is proposed that after completion of the drinking water project one stand post would be constructed for the school where children could access water from it.

People Getting Sanitation: 0

People Getting Other Benefits: 0

Start Date: 2007-04-01

Completion Date: 2008-03-31

Technology Used:

It is proposed to dig and construct a new well at the appropriate location of water source after the hydro geological surveys are carried out for water investigation. The appropriate required horse power motor will be installed on the well. The water will be lifted from the well through the electric pump and transported to the water storage tank through underground HDPE pipe lines and will be stored at newly constructed water storage tank. The water will be distributed through standposts at different locations in the village/hamlet.

Proposed Activities :
•Hyrdo Geological surveys for water investigations.
•Digging and construction of new/old well
•Digging and refilling of the trench for the rising main and distribution pipe line
•Construction of Water Storage tank
•Installation of electric pump with accessories including MSEB electricity deposit.
•Construction of chambers and stand posts and assembling of underground pipeline.
•Water testing for drinking purposes
•Trainings to SMS, SHGs, water committees and Gram Panchyat members

Phases:

The project will be completed in one phase within 3-4 installments. After the monitoring for the first installment, the next installment and so on will be released. The funds will be directly deposited to the water committee's bank account.

Community Organization:

The Gram Sabha (local village meeting) would be conducted several times with the villagers to discuss the problems and immediate needs of the village. Those villages which have identified the drinking water problem as their immediate need will be selected. In the awareness phase, regional resource centre team will visit the villages and the preliminary surveys would be conducted in view of existing drinking water problem and appropriate suggestions would be given.

The process of community organisation is as follows:

•Participatory Rural Appraisal would be conducted to determine the available infrastructure, resources in the village and the social locations of the household.

• The villages where women have been organised into self help groups would be a precondition. These group should be federated under the body of the SHGs called the Samyukta Mahila Samitee (SMS).

•The SHGs and the SMS will take the initiative to solve the water problem.

•The designing and initial planning of the drinking water project will be done with the help of Village Development Committee (VDC) and the Gram Panchayat. The plan and design of the project would be technically approved by WOTR's technical staff and if required modifications would be suggested.

•All the households should be willing and agreeable to contribute 15% of the total cost of the project before the initiation of the activity.

•A separate water committee of the women will be formed.

•The water committee and the SMS will be responsible for the implementation, supervision, quality control and monitoring of the activity. The project fund will be deposited directly to the water committees bank account. The committee will handle the transactions and would be responsible for maintenance of the accounts.

•2 trainings regarding the safe drinking water, health and hygiene will be conducted for the SMS and the water committee, Gram Panchayat members for the sustenance of the project after completion.

•After the successful completion of the project the water committee would be responsible for the distribution of water, collection of water tax and also repairs and maintenance of the project.

Government Interaction:

Ancillary activities:

1. Regular health and hygiene education will be imparted to the SMS (apex body of SHGs) and the SHG members by WOTR officials.
2. The capacity building of the Water Committee and the SMS will be done through trainings.
3.The self employment opportunities will be provided to the SHG members through micro credit and bank linkages

Other Issues:

Maintenance Revenue:

The monthly water charges will be collected from all the eligibile families (excluding single parent holders and widows). This water charge will include the operational cost such as electric bill, water distributors honorarium, minor repairs and maintenance, purification of water expenses (TCL powder).

Besides this a provision of reserved fund will be made inorder to ensure the replacement of pump sets ( the life of the pump set is estimated for seven years) and minor repairs of valves, pipes etc.

Maintenance Cost:

Metrics:

Prior art before metrics

Cost: $55,000

The estimated unit cost of one project would be approx. 6000-7000 USD.

The detail costs involved of each project would be submitted after the identification of the project villages and by end of February 2007

Co Funding Amount:

Community Contribution Amount: $8,250

The community's contribution would be 15% of the total cost of the project. This would be in form of cash and voluntary (free) labour.

Fund Requested: $55,000

  • 2 participants | show more

    Budget considerations

    Rob Bell of El Porvenir

    Hi again, I understand that many details are not available, however, can you provide an example budget? What is covered by the $6000-7000 in each village? The cost per person ratio is very good, just $2-3 per person. I guess these are fairly large and dense villages. In Nicaragua 3000 people would be a town. A village here can be j...

    Hi again,

    I understand that many details are not available, however, can you provide an example budget? What is covered by the $6000-7000 in each village?

    The cost per person ratio is very good, just $2-3 per person. I guess these are fairly large and dense villages. In Nicaragua 3000 people would be a town. A village here can be just 100 people.

    Rob

    • Marcella D'Souza of Watershed Organization Trust

      Thank you very much for your feedback. The proposal submitted is for 8-9 villages for the drinking water project amounting to $55,000. It is envisaged that the average cost would be in the range of 6,000-7000 USD. But the budget of this project may vary according to site specification specially the distance of the permanent water ...

      Thank you very much for your feedback.

      The proposal submitted is for 8-9 villages for the drinking water project amounting to $55,000.

      It is envisaged that the average cost would be in the range of 6,000-7000 USD. But the budget of this project may vary according to site specification specially the distance of the permanent water source from the village. At present the distance of the water source cannot be predicated as well as the number of persons who will be benefited.

      We are submitting a model estimate with expenditure details for the activity e.g. For 75 families and 400 inhabitants the proposed water requirement would be approx 25,000 litres per day. The cost details are –

      Estimated Budget:

      A. Digging and construction of new well of 6 m diameter
      i.upto 3 m - Rs. 7500/-
      ii.3 to 6 m - Rs. 12000/-
      iii.6 to 9 m - Rs. 24000/-
      iv.RCC ring construction -Rs. 36000/-
      The total cost of well is Rs. 79500/- (US $ 1502)

      B.Digging of trench for pipeline:
      i.66 m x 0.45 m wide and 0.75 m deep -Rs. 7980/-
      ii.Cost of pipe HDPE 2.5” - Rs. 31255/-
      iii.Assembling and fitting charge - Rs. 5000/-
      iv.Air valve, non return valve etc - Rs. 3000/-
      The total cost for the above is Rs. 47235/- (US $892)

      C.i. 3 HP mono block submersible electric pump set and accessories - Rs. 15235/-
      ii Electricity connection charges - Rs. 30000/-
      The total of the above is Rs. 45235/- (US$ 854)

      D.Construction of water storage tank of 25000 litre capacity @4.5 per litre - Rs. 112500/- (US$ 2125)

      E.The total cost of the project Rs. 284470/- (US$ 6322)

      F.Management cost Rs. 56894/- (US$ 1264)

      The grand total Rs. 341364/- (US$ 7586) [E+F]

      Less : people’s contribution (15% of total cost) Rs. 42670/- (US$ 948)

      BPR assistance : USD$ 6638

      2. Regarding the cost per person ratio, we would like to clarify the following.
      The total cost of 9 project villages is estimated at 55,000 USD benefiting 2800 – 3000 inhabitants. Thus the per person cost works out to 18.33 USD. Normally the average village size is 150-200 households having a population of 1000 -1200 inhabitants.

      Do let us know if you require any other information.

      Best wishes,
      Thomas

  • 2 participants | show more

    7 year lifetime on a pump?

    Rob Bell of El Porvenir

    I wonder what kind of pump is being used? I am no expert, but my pump advice person here in Nicaragua had implied to me that solar pumps indeed have a low lifetime of 7-10 years while the electric (grid power) pumps can often last twice as long. Sounded like you were doing electric pumps, not solar. I know he is a fan of Grundfos pumps, s...

    I wonder what kind of pump is being used? I am no expert, but my pump advice person here in Nicaragua had implied to me that solar pumps indeed have a low lifetime of 7-10 years while the electric (grid power) pumps can often last twice as long. Sounded like you were doing electric pumps, not solar. I know he is a fan of Grundfos pumps, so was just wondering what yours was? Not a make or break question though...

    Take care,
    Rob

    • Thomas Palgadhmal of Watershed Organization Trust

      Thank you for your feedback. -Yes, we use electric pumps. The technical design of the electric pump is decided as per the specification such as total length, height, storage capacity, required discharge etc. The lifetime of any electric operated pump may be more than 10-15 years. -The installation of solar pump requires huge amo...

      Thank you for your feedback.

      -Yes, we use electric pumps. The technical design of the electric pump is decided as per the specification such as total length, height, storage capacity, required discharge etc. The lifetime of any electric operated pump may be more than 10-15 years.

      -The installation of solar pump requires huge amount of capital investment in India. Secondly, in the rainy season when there is no sunlight the solar equipment will not yield as per required and eventually the people will have to fetch water manually. The expertise regarding the repairs and maintenance of solar equipments is not available in the village. Hence use of solar equipments is not advisable in our area.

      Best regards,

      WOTR

  • 2 participants | show more

    Gender Equity

    Susan Davis of CARE

    I definitely appreciate the value of working through women to achieve your goals. I wonder what your experience is down the road with the eventual involvement of men? thanks, Susan

    I definitely appreciate the value of working through women to achieve your goals. I wonder what your experience is down the road with the eventual involvement of men? thanks, Susan

    • Thomas Palgadhmal of Watershed Organization Trust

      WOTR believes that since the major stakeholder in development intervention is the community. Natural resource regeneration in an integrated manner is possible only when all the people living within the particular eco-space come together and work together as a collective. WOTR is engaged in supporting over 300 villages (3,50,000 villager...

      WOTR believes that since the major stakeholder in development intervention is the community. Natural resource regeneration in an integrated manner is possible only when all the people living within the particular eco-space come together and work together as a collective.

      WOTR is engaged in supporting over 300 villages (3,50,000 villagers) to undertake watershed development activities and natural resource management in 264,102 ha. Our focus has been organizing people and communities for harvesting rainwater through a variety of approaches extending from basin to individual water harvesting measures in a participatory manner. While implementing the watershed activities we establish, strengthen the village level community based organisations. There are two key institutions developed at the village level- the Village Development Committee (VDC) and the Joint Women’s Committee (SMS) representing the interests of women. The VDC is nominated consensually by the villagers at a formal village meeting with a representation of both men and women from different class and caste. The landless are also represented. At least 50% of membership is reserved for women in these institutions.

      The VDC is actually the direct implementing partner and is fully responsible for all aspects of project implementation – securing the consent of villagers, resolving conflicts and disputes, developing the watershed plan, organizing labour, maintaining records and reporting activities and expenditures to their fellow villagers and the supporting agencies. Major decisions are taken in the gram Sabha.

      The issue of water mainly revolves around women. Therefore, to get active participation and strengthen the decision-making ability of women, we entrusted the drinking water project in the hands of the SMS. They are also supported by the VDC, Gram Panchayat (which involves men) and the gramsabha in implementation and maintenance of the project.

  • Rating: 8

    review by Blue Planet Network

    Continue to extend your great track record

  • Rating: 8

    review by El Porvenir

    Thomas seems to know what he is doing from his replies, gives me a good feeling that they know what they are doing. Our wells are just 2m wide, interesting that they make theirs so big. Wishing them all the success in the world, Rob.

  • Rating: 8

    review by Barefoot College

  • Rating: 8

    review by CARE

  • Rating: 8

    review by Gram Vikas

    The project rightly identifies the potential of water as a great unifier - brining communities together.

  • Rating: 8

    review by Utthan

Name Status Completion Date Final Cost
1 of 8 Drinking Water Project (Parkhatwadi) completed May 2008 17,876
2 of 8 Drinking Water Project - Parchundi completed Mar 2008 4,021
3 of 8 Vaitagawadi drinking water project completed Apr 2008 3,081
4 of 8 ; 4 hamlets of Darewadi - drinking water project completed May 2008 7,345
5 of 8 Drinking Water Project - Thakarwasti completed May 2008 1,098
6 of 8 Drinking Water Project - Nandora completed May 2008 13,297
7 of 8 Drinking Water Project Morewadi completed May 2008 10,696
8 of 8 Drinking Water Project - Narlewadi completed Apr 2009 4,197