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Water security and quality programme in Assam and Tripura

In the water-stressed regions of Assam and Tripura, access to safe drinking water remains a distant dream for many. Contaminated groundwater and disappearing springs jeopardize the health and livelihoods of thousands. In response, Tata Trusts, through the Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood (CML), is spearheading a transformative water security and quality initiative.

Water security and quality remain critical challenges in Assam and Tripura, where arsenic, fluoride, and iron contamination pose severe health risks, and erratic rainfall affects water availability. The Tata Trusts’ Integrated Community-Managed Water Security and Quality Programme seeks to address these issues through spring-shed management, water quality surveillance, and treatment interventions while also ensuring sustainable community-led water governance.

The initiative, led by the Trusts’ Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood (CML), focuses on preserving long-term water sustainability through a participatory approach. The programme is operational in water-stressed and contamination-affected areas in multiple districts of Assam and Tripura.

It builds upon previous interventions, including Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) for 13,917 households, arsenic and iron treatment systems for 1,600+ households, and community-managed drinking water solutions. Moving forward, the project seeks to enhance community resilience, ensuring access to safe drinking water, improved water governance, and sustainable conservation efforts.

Water quality and security challenges

Assam and Tripura face severe water quality and security challenges. In Assam, the health risks of long-term exposure to arsenic, fluoride, and iron contamination in groundwater include cancer and other chronic illnesses. Meanwhile, Tripura’s water availability is threatened by depleting springs, exacerbated by deforestation, soil erosion, and climate variability.

Additionally, many drinking water supply systems lack proper operation and maintenance (O&M), leading to system failures and unreliable water access. Microbial contamination due to poor disinfection further aggravates the health burden in these states.

The programme seeks to provide long-term solutions by implementing spring-shed conservation, community-led water treatment, and strengthening O&M systems.

The main objectives of the programme are to:
  • Enhance water security through integrated spring-shed management in 30 villages, covering over 70 springs
  • Improve water access for 5,000 households, achieving a 30% increase in the discharge of drinking water sources
  • Install arsenic, fluoride, and iron treatment systems in 13 villages, benefiting 5,050 households
  • Implement disinfection technologies to provide safe drinking water to 10,000 households
  • Conduct capacity-building programmes for 2,000 Water Committee members to ensure local water governance and monitoring
  • Strengthen O&M systems for 150 Village Water Committees (VWSCs) to ensure sustainable service delivery
  • Facilitate community engagement through social behaviour change communication (SBCC) initiatives to improve awareness and adoption of safe water practices
  • Advocate programme learnings with government agencies to promote sustainable water management practices
Coverage of the programme
  • Assam: Kamrup Rural, Nalbari, and other districts
  • Tripura: Dhalai, North Tripura, and Jampui Hills
  • 10,000+ households to benefit from improved water security and quality
Key achievements
  • Health camp on arsenic mitigation conducted in Nalbari in collaboration with Assam Cancer Care Foundation, National Health Mission-Nalbari, and INREM Foundation.
  • Collaborative meeting with civil society organisation (CSO) partners in Nalbari, including Gramya Vikash Manchya, PRISAM, CML, INREM, and Green Globe, to strategise arsenic mitigation
  • Water Resources Department (WRD) of Tripura expressed interest in collaborating for spring-shed management in Dhalai and North Tripura
  • Spring-shed work initiated in Tripura’s reserved forest areas after receiving approval from the Department of Forest
  • Spring census in Tripura planned in collaboration with WRD, with potential development of a spring atlas for the state
  • Community engagement on water safety strengthened in Kamrup Rural, using interactive tools adapted from CMF, Rajasthan
  • Installation of Arsenic Removal Plants (ARPs) in Nalbari initiated, with a capacity of 4,000 gallons per hour (GPH) to support Jal Jeevan Mission connections
  • Social Behaviour change communication (SBCC) tool development initiated, focusing on awareness of arsenic contamination
Major partners
  • Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood
  • State Water Resources Department, Tripura
  • Panchayati Raj institutions, Assam and Tripura
  • INREM Foundation, IIT-Guwahati, NHM Assam, and other CSO partners
  • Local water committees and gram panchayats
  • Department of Forest, Govt. of Tripura (Springshed Management work)
  • Jal Jeevan Mission, Assam (Springshed Management work)

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