A study on cistern drinking water tanks programme in Anantapuramu district-Issues and suggestions

The Rayalaseema region is majorly affected by drought. There is scarcity of pure drinking water. The groundwater is very low in the district of Anantapuramu in Andhra Pradesh state. Majority of the People living in this region face severe drinking water related issues mainly related to health. People often face the issues related to fluoride and algae content in the drinking water. Several minor rivers flowing in this region are mainly rain fed and during summer these river waterways appear dried out. The Sathya Sai Trust has undertaken many developmental projects in the region and one among such projects is the provision of pure drinking water to the people. Through this drinking water project the water is supplied through pipelines to the cistern drinking water tanks in the villages from where the local population fetch the water for various daily needs both by the State Government and the Sathya Sai Trust drinking water supply programme. The people are highly benefitted by this project that fulfils their drinking water purposes regularly. It is also noticed that the maintenance of these cistern tanks is not upto the mark because in these tanks due to the long duration of water storage the formation of algae has been observed and it is also mixed with water in small particles that is further affecting the health of the people drinking it because these rural masses do not have the filters to further purify it and use for the drinking needs. The maintenance of these tanks especially in removing the algae is not adequately undertaken by the concerned staff that is slowly affecting the population dependent on it and who are not able to afford the filtration units in their homes due to poverty and lack of awareness.