The Himmotthan Water Supply and Sanitation initiative, Uttarakhand

This document presents the experiences of the Himmotthan Water Supply and Sanitation initiative in developing community-managed rural water systems in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. It contains twenty case studies of successful community managed rural water supply programmes across 17 states in India. Through these case studies, the research has gained insight into the type and amount of support to community organisations that is needed, and the resources and implications of this 'plus' – in terms of money, staffing, and other factors.

As part of the initiative, Village Empowerment Committees (VECs) are set up that are responsible for daily operation and maintenance of the gravity-fed schemes. They collect tariffs to cover all operation and minor maintenance costs, but also contribute to an insurance scheme for capital maintenance. They receive intensive support during the implementation phase by an NGO, which also provides ongoing support to 'phased-out' villages. Through this approach, communities now receive a supply that meets the standards.