The document discusses participatory water security plans (WSPs) in India. It notes that demand for water is increasing while access remains inequitable, especially in rural areas. The national government launched a program to promote local WSPs. A WSP ensures minimum water access and involves collecting data, identifying sources, and analyzing current status with communities. WSPs are drafted and implemented in phases with community participation and institutional collaboration. The plans survey water sources and quality, access, and related sanitation issues to achieve water security objectives.

1. learning briefParticipatory Research in Asia
Preparing Participatory Water Security Plans
The demand for water will steadily increase in India; yet, even the current demand is not being met.
Access to water remains inequitable in urban and rural areas, and of growing concern is the quality
of water that is supplied. The 69th Round (July–December 2012) of the National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO) estimated that only 85.8 per cent of India’s rural population has access to drinking
water. Out of these households, not even half have sources of water at their doorstep. The meagre 15
per cent households which do have taps in their houses do not get water at home throughout the year.
As per estimates of the Government of India, the current availability of drinking water, from various
sources, is 1123 billion cubic metre. It is estimated that the current demand for water is 710 cubic metre
per year. An analysis by the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources shows that with the
current growth rate the total demand for water would be 1093 cubic metre by 2025. The 12th Five Year
Plan document estimated that only half the total demand for water would be met by the year 2030.
To meet the challenge of providing adequate, equitable access to water, in particular safe drinking
water, the Government of India launched the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) in
2013. An important guideline of NRDWP enjoins upon state governments to prepare water security
plans for promotion of access to water at the local level.

2. 2 Participatory Research In Asia
Learning Brief
What Is a Water Security Plan?
A water security plan (WSP) is a plan that ensures a minimum quantity of safe drinking water to each
individual throughout the year at her doorstep. A WSP of a particular village (or city) can be drafted on
the basis of its geography (physical/natural), its demography and its water budget (demand and supply
of water). A WSP is a live document, and needs to be revisited on a regular basis.
Preparing a Participatory Water Security Plan
A WSP is usually prepared in three phases:
Phase 1 - Before drafting the plan
Phase 2 - Drafting the plan
Phase 3 - Post drafting of the plan
Inform community
about preparation of
WSP
Selection of local cadre
and their capacity
building
Identification of local
partner organisations
Phase - 1
Before drafting the WSP
Collection of basic data and
information
Identification of water sources
and verification of quality
Information about schemes
related to water and sanitation
Analysis of current status of
water with community (SWOT)
Finalise WSP
Phase - 2
Drafting the WSP
Submission of WSP to
Gram Panchayat
Organising discussion
on WSP in Gram Sabha
Submission of WSP with
a resolution to higher
officials for technical and
financial sanctions
Regular monitoring
during implementation
Phase - 3
Post drafting of the WSP
Preparing Participatory Water Security Plans
ACTIVITIES
ANALYSIS
Requirement of safe
drinking water in village
Availability of safe
drinking water in village
Requirement of toilets
and Nadeps in village
Availability of toilets
and Nadeps in village
ParticipatoryWaterSecurityPlan
Construction of new
water source/structures
Awareness generation
Construction
of new toilets
Construction of drain-
age and sewage system
Maintenance of existing
water source/structures

3. LB/2015/001E
Preparing Participatory Water Security Plans
3
Institutional Convergence
State level Water And
Sanitation
Committee/Mission
District level Governing
Council on Water and
Sanitation
DISTRICT PLANNING
COMMITTEE
Block level Water and
Sanitation
Committee/Mission
Discussion on WSP at
gram sabha to pass it
Block level officials
concerned with drinking
water
Drafting of WSP by Village
Water and Sanitation
Committee
Discussion on WSP at
gram panchayat to pass it
Direct relationshipIndirect relationship
District level officials
concerned with
drinking water
District level Water and
Sanitation
Committee/Mission
An important aspect in preparing the WSP is
surveying the sources of water used by the
community, the availability and quality of water at
each source, and current access to the source by
all households. Sanitation and waste management
are connected aspects to water availability and
quality. A WSP in the absence of a proper solid
and liquid waste management plan will not be
able to achieve its objectives.
Community Participation and
Institutional Convergence
Community participation in preparing a WSP
ensures its sustainability. The village water and
sanitation committee (VWSC) is a committee at
the panchayat level which can take the lead in
preparing the WSP. Local level community based
organisations and non-government organisations
can be very useful in promoting community
engagement before plan preparation and during
preparation of the plan. Elected representatives and
community outreach personnel such as jal sahiyas
help in raising awareness and monitoring of plans.
Water and sanitation are key subjects for
panchayats to prepare plans and implement
them. Gram panchayats must play a key role in
getting the plans approved in the gram sabha
and in getting relevant sanctions to enable its
implementation. This involves submitting the
gram sabha resolution on the WSP to the district
officials, and obtaining technical, financial and
administrative sanctions before implementing the
plan. Collaborating with various departments like
rural development, drinking water and sanitation,
public health and engineering, irrigation, forests,
etc. will help to build linkages between village
level plans and annual district plans.

4. Learning Brief
With support from:In partnership with:
This document has been prepared under the project “Decentralised drinking water security in 6 Arsenic affected
GPs of Sahibganj district” supported by Arghyam, Bangalore.
Author: Dr Alok Pandey, Deputy Director, PRIA
42, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110062, India
Tel: + 91 – 11 – 2996 0931/32/33; Fax: + 91 – 11 – 2995 5183; Email: info@pria.org; Web: www.pria.org
PRIA is a global participatory research and training centre
About PRIA
Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) is a global participatory research and training centre. PRIA’s
professional expertise and practical insights are utilised by other civil society groups, NGOs, governments,
donors, trade unions, private business and academic institutions around the world.
Since its inception in 1982, PRIA has embarked on a set of initiatives focusing on empowerment
of the poor and excluded. PRIA has consistently worked on issues of citizens’ access to rights
and entitlements, such as basic services in health, education and water in rural and urban areas;
women’s literacy and livelihood; forest rights of tribals; prevention of land alienation and displacement;
and workers’ occupational health and safety. In all its interventions, PRIA emphasises gender
mainstreaming institutionally and programmatically. Its perspectives on participatory research generate
innovative participatory methodologies.
The intensive field programmes of PRIA are currently located in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Haryana, Jharkhand and Rajasthan. In addition, through its network of partners, these interventions
extend throughout India. PRIA is also involved in programmes in countries like Afghanistan, Indonesia,
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka.