Cornell University, Cornell, USA
Online published on 13 December, 2019.
This paper uses panel data collected from field surveys in 30 villages of Jharkhand, a state in India, to analyse the determinants of drinking water quality in rural areas where the objective measures of water quality are generally not known to the public. We collect water samples to test the presence of E. coli bacteria and create an objective measure of drinking water quality. We find that choosing safe water sources tends to improve the chances of having good quality water at home. Additionally, the households that use water filters and wash hands after using the toilet tend to have significantly better drinking water quality at home.
