Chapter 1 Typical scheme life

Urban body have greater autonomy than rural local bodies like Zilla Parishad in scheme
planning and execution. Generally rural water supply department of Zilla Parishad is supposed to
monitor planning and execution of all rural schemes. Construction up to Gravity distribution
main is done by private contractor appointed by Implementation agency (VWSC or Zilla
Parishad).

1.1.1 Tentative timeline of scheme life

Tentative timeline for scheme as per GR, WSSD dated 17 March 2010 is listed in table
(for 3 years)

Figure 1
Tentative timeline of activities over scheme planning life in NRDWP
 Figure 2Tentative timeline of activities over scheme planning life in MRDWP

1.1.2 Major activities over scheme cycle

Rights of Technical approval, administrative approval and implementation agency

for RWS projects: - Rights of technical approval, administrative approval and corresponding
implementation agency are listed in table 1. Following guideline has to be follow during scheme
life.

1. During project preparation, a detailed project report (DPR) is prepared by

Implementation agency
2. Administrative approval for rural water supply scheme should be given only after
obtaining technical approval from competent authority. While submitting proposal for
 administrative approval, detail project report (DPR), budget, and copy of technical
approval order should be submitted along with the proposal.
3. According to currently applicable government resolution dated 17 March, 2010, it will be
mandatory for the contractor to run this scheme for at least 1 year/ after completion of the
scheme. After that, concerned village water supply and sanitation committee (VWSC)
will be responsible for maintenance and repairs of the scheme. Apart from this option of
maintenance and repairs of rural water supply schemes can be taken up by the agency to
which scheme is transferred. For all scheme 3 to 5 years after completion of scheme by
concerned contractor.
4. Third party technical inspection of rural water supply schemes will be mandatory for all
schemes at 2 stages of construction.
5. Prequalification of contractor by MJP for scheme with budget of above 5 Crores is
mandatory
6. There is requirement of financial audit, social audit, and Technical audit and correction is
essential before exit phase.
 Table 1 Technical approval, administrative approval and implementation agency for
RWS project

Sr no Scheme Budget Administrative Technical Implementation agency

approval approval

1 Independent Up to 50 Gram Sabha Executive Village water supply and

rural water Lakh engineer sanitation committee
supply scheme
(Single village
scheme
2 50 Lakh District Water Executive Village water supply and
to 2 Management engineer sanitation committee
Crores committee
3 From 2 District Water Superintend Zilla Parishad
Crores to Management ent
7.5 committee Engineer
Crores

4 All above Water Supply and Chief MJP

7.5 Sanitation Engineer
Crores Department
5 Regional Rural Up to 2 District Water Executive Zilla Parishad
Crores Management engineer
water
committee
supply scheme
6 From 2 District Water Superintend Zilla Parishad
(RR PWS) Crores to Management ent
7.5 committee Engineer
Crores
7 All above Water Supply and Chief MJP
7.5 Sanitation Engineer
Crores Department

1.2 Scheme life

Scheme life include four distinct phases of scheme.

1. Scheme planning phase/design phase

2. Execution phase
 3. Validation and handover phase
4. Operation and maintenance phase
Each phase has been discussed next.

1.2.1 Scheme planning phase/Design phase

After official demand of a scheme and sequential inclusion of scheme in the Annual
Action Plan (AAP) takes places, a Detail Project Report (DPR) is prepared by Utility. DPR
include design of all components of scheme and financial estimation for the same. Design stage
of PWSS is most important stage because only at design stage preventive measures can be
included in scheme to make it fail-safe. Problematic design is recipe for failure of scheme
because mistake at design stage cannot corrected at later stage.

1.2.2 Execution phase

Implementation and Commissioning phase is generally divided into 3 different stages.

Stage 1: Development of source

Stage 2: Construction of Pump House, Pumping machinery, Rising Main, WTP

Stage 3: Construction of ESR and distribution main

Execution of work should happen in phase by phase order only. Only after satisfactory
yield test of source well by Ground water Survey and Development Agency (GSDA)
construction of phase 2 can begin. (GR dated 17 March 2010 by Water Supply and Sanitation
Department (WSSD), Maharashtra). Construction up to Gravity distribution main is done by
private contractor appointed by Implementation agency. Responsibility of laying and authority of
granting household connection lie with Gram Panchayat.

1.2.3 Validation and handover phase/Exit phase

After construction till gravity distribution main by private contractor, GP is responsible

for planning and execution of household connection and stand post.
 Usually private contractor is responsible for operation and maintenance during trial
period of one year. After Handover usually GPs are responsible for operation of Single Village
Scheme (SVS) and Zilla Parishad is responsible for operation of Multi village scheme (MVS).

Current practice of validation includes 2 stage technical audits during construction by

third party institution. No technical audit is provisioned before exit either supply to household is
established or before handover of scheme to Gram Panchayat. Audit at either of these two stage
will be helpful in identifying early indicator of failure and making scheme fail-safe.

1.2.4 Operation and Maintenance phase

After handover GPs are responsible for operation and maintenance of Single Village
Scheme (SVS) and Zilla Parishad is responsible for operation of RR PWS or Multi village
scheme (MVS).

Smaller scheme is typically run by low skill operator from village appointed by Gram
Panchayat. Operation and maintenance of MVS is outsourced to Private contractor which
appoint a team of low skill operators.

1.3 History of scheme in Maharashtra

Our collective reality is grim and requires ruthless scrutiny. Very few schemes
implemented and maintained by government agency are able to serve its entire service area over
design life (30 or 15 Years) with reasonable efficiency and consumer satisfaction. Most of the
schemes are currently functional in only part of original service area. Even for this limited
service area, schemes are unable to satisfy the existing demand. Poor financial recovery and, lack
of maintenance and augmentation are major problems.
Following prevalent situation of schemes are found from multiple field visits of multiple
schemes.
1. Generally, operation of scheme is not continuous (24X7) but intermittent (For
limited duration of supply).
 2. From source water is collected to an Elevated storage tank directly by available
water provision of pumping/gravity.
3. Stored water is distributed by gravity from the tank to the consumers through the
distribution network at the peak demand periods for one or two hours.
4. All consumer are not systematic users (habituated to Intermittent system that to
collect water for storage of entire day demands)
5. Generally, Operation of scheme is based on intuition of operator. Schedule of
operation is not based on engineering consideration.
6. Non availability of continues power quality power Supply is prevalent in rural
scheme.
7. Water quality is a big issue for these schemes: No WTP is provisioned for SVS;
Although WTP is generally provisioned for MVS, only few MVS has functional
WTP. TCL provision is only disinfection activity taking place in most schemes.
In this report we have tried to understand reasons of these prevalent situations of
schemes.