MAHARASHTRA RURAL WS

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The project will raise the standard of living in rural areas through improved health productivity, by expanding access to potable rural water supply systems and environmental sanitation facilities. The rural water supply component will include about 75 large regional piped water supply schemes, 170 individual village piped water schemes and the installation of about 3,000 hand pumps. In a country where the incidence of water-related diseases is high and public sanitation standards poor, the project will promote enhanced approaches to environmental sanitation and health communications through the development of new strategies and the implementation of those strategies through innovative programs. The environmental sanitation component will promote the disposal of waste water in villages with piped water supply through improved drainage and the construction of low cost latrines. The health communications component will create greater community awareness and demand for improved hygiene and environmental sanitation and will give field staff in the Department of Public Health a greater role in promoting a cleaner environment. NGOs will play a key role in the planning and implementation of the environmental sanitation and health communications components. The project will also strengthen the water quality monitoring system in rural areas throughout the state.