Baseline and Data Collection
a. Stakeholder Mapping
Rural liquid waste management involves multiple stakeholders—Gram Panchayats, community leaders, households, local masons, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), MGNREGA functionaries, and technical institutions.
Mapping these stakeholders helps identify their roles, responsibilities, and influence in planning, implementing, and maintaining LWM systems. It also ensures inclusive participation, effective coordination, and ownership of interventions.
Through stakeholder mapping, planners can determine existing capacities, resource availability, and areas requiring technical or institutional strengthening.
b. Primary Survey – Reconnaissance of Multiple Villages
A detailed reconnaissance survey should be carried out across multiple villages to capture the diversity of rural settings, settlement patterns, and water use behaviors. The survey gathers data on:
- Household water usage and disposal practices
- Presence and condition of open drains, ponds, or soakage structures
- Sources of water supply (piped, handpump, borewell) and consumption rates
- Local practices and attitudes towards reusing or disposing wastewater
These steps also help identify the extent of greywater stagnation, mosquito breeding, and contamination of surface or groundwater sources.
c. Flow Measurement in Drains
In rural areas, greywater often flows through open or unlined drains before merging into low-lying areas or natural water bodies. To estimate the total volume of used water generated, it is essential to conduct flow measurements at representative drain points.
Techniques such as the float method, velocity-area method, or volumetric flow gauging can be used based on site feasibility. These measurements provide baseline data for sizing treatment or infiltration systems like soak pits, or drain-end point solutions.
d. Used Water Quality Analysis
Water quality analysis of greywater samples helps determine the concentration of key parameters such as BOD, COD, TSS, pH, and oil & grease.
The results indicate the level of treatment required before reuse or discharge. For instance, kitchen greywater tends to have higher organic load compared to bathroom or laundry water.
Understanding water quality variations across households and seasons ensures that treatment solutions are neither under-designed nor over-engineered, thus optimizing cost and performance.
Strategy Formulation
a. Identification of Problems/Challenges
It is crucial to understand the key challenges associated with liquid waste management in rural areas. The problems observed during baseline assessments and field studies reveal a mix of infrastructural, environmental, and behavioral issues that collectively hinder effective management of used water.
b. Typologies of Greywater and Toilets based on Situational Analysis
The typology of sanitation systems (e.g., twin pits, septic tanks, or direct discharge) must be documented, as they influence greywater disposal patterns.
The study should categorize the types of greywater generated—from kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and other household sources—and map their discharge routes (to drains, open land, soak pits, etc.).
c. Formulation of Technical Strategies
Based on the collected data, a set of technical strategies is formulated to address the specific needs and typologies of villages. These strategies consolidate findings from the baseline assessment and recommend feasible, scalable, and community-friendly solutions.
Key considerations include:
- Hydrogeological suitability (soil type, groundwater depth)
- Land availability for treatment units
- Topography and natural drainage patterns
- Community readiness and operation & maintenance capacity
The technical strategies may range from simple household-level soak pits to community-based drainage treatment systems, ensuring that each village achieves safe management of its liquid waste with minimal environmental impact.
Case Study: Himachal Pradesh
d. Decision Matrix
A Decision Matrix serves as a planning and selection tool to determine the most suitable LWM solution for each settlement type.
It matches the village typology, population density, drainage layout, land availability, and water table conditions with the corresponding LWM technology options.
This systematic approach helps planners and decision-makers standardize the process of selecting interventions, optimize cost-efficiency, and ensure technical viability across varying contexts.