Latrines v. Wells in India - Any good experiences or water source protection methods from there or elsewhere?

Dear colleagues,

The issue of the separation distance between boreholes/wells and contamination sources has always been a thorny one, but it looks like India’s current sanitation drive is raising the issue up the agenda: A toilet or safe drinking water?

The stark choice facing many people in rural India: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jul/25/india-sanitation-drive-toilet-or-safe-drinking-water-stark-choice

The piece links to this new paper that looks at the issue in some detail: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b05797

Modeling  Cryptosporidium  and  Giardia  in Ground and Surface Water Sources in Rural India: Associations with Latrines, Livestock, Damaged Wells, and Rainfall Patterns

Abstract:
Surface and groundwater contamination with fecal pathogens is a public health concern especially in low-income settings where these sources are used untreated. We modeled observed  Cryptosporidium and  Giardia contamination in community ponds ( n = 94; 79% contaminated), deep tubewells (DTWs) ( n = 107; 17%), and shallow tubewells (STWs) ( n = 96; 19%) during the 2012 and 2013 monsoon seasons (June–August) in 60 villages in Puri District, India to understand sources and processes of contamination. Detection of  Cryptosporidium and/or  Giardia  in a tubewell was positively associated with damage to the well pad for DTWs, the amount of human loading into pour-flush latrine pits nearby (≤15 m) for STWs, and the village literacy rate (for  Giardia  in STWs). Pond concentration levels were positively associated with the number of people practicing open defecation within 50 m and the sheep population for Cryptosporidium , and with the village illiteracy rate for  Giardia . Recent rainfall increased the risk of  Cryptosporidium  in STWs (an extreme event) and ponds (any), while increasing seasonal rainfall decreased the risk of  Giardia  in STWs and ponds. Full latrine coverage in this setting is expected to marginally reduce pond  Cryptosporidium  contamination (16%) while increasing local groundwater protozoal contamination (87–306%), with the largest increases predicted for Cryptosporidium  in STWs.

Sean FUREY 
Water & Sanitation Specialist

Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) – 7th RWSN Forum (29 Nov – 2 Dec 2016): http://rwsn7.net/
Knowledge Broker for UPGro : Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor: upgro.org

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Taxonomy

• Public Health
• Sewage Treatment
• Groundwater
• Sanitation
• Sewage
• Sanitation & Hygiene
• Surface-Groundwater Interaction

1 Answer

1. In year 1992, my son got admitted in Malviya Engineering College, Jaipur. As Hostel was not available, he has to rent a room in a residential colony about 1.5 km away from the college. After renting the room he started residing in it. 2 days after residing in room, I came to Jaipur from Kota, to visit him. I observed that the latrine soak pit was near the bore well, water of which was being used for drinking , etc. I immediately told my son that you must vacate this room as early as possible. During the day I searched another room near Gandhi Nagar railway station, although about 3-4 km away, but was not having health problem. I shifted my son to the new rented room in the evening. Although one month rent of old room was forfeited by the room owner.   

    I am just trying to explain how dangerous is a situation in which bore or open well are near the latrine open soak pit. This situation is more dangerous than open defecation from health point of view.  This will contaminate the precious ground water, purification of which is practically not possible. 

   The policy planners must also think in this respect also.