The most promising options for safe high-volume water supplies are: dugwells (with floating intake), sand filters (clean pond or river), and deep tubewells (if safe aquifer known). For convenience and acceptance, each requires a supply system, preferably a pump (hand or electric), an elevated tank and reticulation (in-ground plastic pipes, concrete aprons and taps). Low-volume supply options are: rainwater harvesting (optimized for size and elimination of first-flush; expensive), very-shallow tubewells (to dugwell depth) and air/iron treatment systems (for arsenic-affected tubewells). All options, except deep tubewells, can be constructed by villagers using local equipment/materials. Dugwells with supply systems may be economically viable without external aid and suitable for more than half the affected villages.
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