India’s rural sanitation sector has witnessed significant progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), with increasing emphasis on sustaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) outcomes and strengthening Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) systems across villages. As rural communities continue to evolve and generate higher volumes of greywater and wastewater, there is a growing need for decentralized, cost-effective, and sustainable rural used water management solutions that are technically sound and easy to implement.
Despite the availability of various treatment technologies and management approaches, Gram Panchayats, Rural Development Departments, and implementation agencies often face challenges in selecting appropriate technologies, preparing technical designs, estimating costs, and planning site-specific interventions. The lack of standardized technical resources and easy access to implementation-ready designs further slows down the execution of rural sanitation infrastructure.
To address these challenges and support the effective implementation of rural used water management systems, WASH Institute has developed this dedicated web-based Rural Used Water Management Portal. The portal is envisioned as a comprehensive technical decision-support platform to assist states, districts, blocks, Gram Panchayats, and practitioners in planning and implementing sustainable rural sanitation infrastructure.
The portal provides a curated repository of commonly adopted rural treatment technologies and management systems, including soak pits, leach pits, waste stabilization ponds, DEWATS, drain-end treatment systems, co-treatment models, FSTPs and other decentralized greywater management solutions suitable for rural contexts. Each technology package includes standard design drawings, technical specifications, implementation guidance, and quantity estimates (BoQs) that can be readily adapted for field implementation.
The technical resources available on the portal have been prepared by experienced sector experts in alignment with CPHEEO guidelines, SBM-G operational guidelines, and established field practices. The technologies featured on the portal have been successfully implemented across multiple villages and states, ensuring their practicality, scalability, and suitability for diverse rural conditions.
By making standardized designs and implementation resources easily accessible, the portal aims to strengthen planning capacities, reduce duplication of technical efforts, improve the quality of infrastructure implementation, and accelerate the adoption of safe and sustainable rural used water management systems across India.
Importantly, the portal is designed as a dynamic and evolving knowledge platform rather than a static repository. It will continue to expand through contributions from sector practitioners, government departments, and technical institutions. Future enhancements will include state-specific schedule of rates, GIS-based planning support, case studies, operation and maintenance guidance, and real-time cost estimation tools to further support rural sanitation planning and implementation.
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