Drinking and other Domestic Uses

 This report found on the World Health Organisation site has been brought out by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, that tracks the progress on target 10 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which is "To halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation".

2008 being the International Year of Sanitation, the report highlights the importance of sanitation, as being the crucial stepping stone to health , which offers:

This paper by the People's Science Institute informs that domestic water supply, mistakenly referred to as drinking water supply, is a state subject under the Indian constitution. However, policies and programmes are ususally set within a national framework as a part of the national five year plans. Domestic water supply programme performance in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have followed national trends.

When stakeholders come together, they can address critical water related issues.

This document describes the drought situation in India over the years, the earlier perspective at drought management and the gradual change in perspective at managing droughts that evolved over the years.

Arsenic contamination of irrigation water, soil and crops in Bangladesh: Risk implications for sustainable agriculture and food safety in Asia.

Click here to download the paper

Altered frequencies and intensities of extreme weather, together with sea level rise, are expected to have mostly adverse effects on natural and human systems.

This document from the Department of Drinking Water Supply (Government of Kerala) published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 92/2004, dated 12-01-2004 by the Government of Kerala includes a notification on the amendment of rules and includes:

Provision of Rain Water Harvesting Structure - Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2003 - Read more

The document informs that traditionally Indians worshipped both water and rain as “Jala” and “Varuna”. Even rivers were worshipped. Till 3000 B.C., RWH happened without human effort as rain got collected in rivers and natural depressions. Civilizations flourished on river banks all over the world Indus valley civilization in India.