Economic Outcomes
Economic outcomes of the WPP were assessed by taking into account the reasons for/not buying purified water, medical expenses, working days, savings, buying purified water from commercial companies, etc.
a. Affordability of purified water
- The average price of purified water from the BV WP plant is Rs.2/-, while the average price of purified water prior to the installation of the WP plant was Rs. 10/-.
- 56.32% of respondents, who could not afford to buy the purified water, started buying it after the installation of WP plant in their villages.
- 94.89% of respondents, who cited that they did not feel the need for purified water as their reason for not buying it, started buying it after the installation of the WP plant, probably because it is now available at an affordable price.
- On the whole, the installation of the WP plants has made a big and positive difference to 92.72 % of respondents who, prior to WP plants' installation, either did not have access, or could not afford, or did not feel the need for purified water.
- 98.31% of those, who were buying the purified water from commercial companies, stopped buying from them after the installation of the WP plants in the villages.
b . Reduction in Medical Expenses
The medical expense on an average per family per year before the installation of the WP plant was Rs.3363.00, while after installation, it came down to Rs.1984.46, with a difference of Rs.1378.54 reduction.
c. Gain in the Number of Working Days
The loss of working days on an average per family per year before the installation of the WP plant was 47.75 days, while after its installation it is 31.20 days, with a gain of 16.55 days.
d. Increase in Savings
• The savings on an average per family per year before the installation of the WP plants was Rs.4876.65, while after its installation it is Rs.6987.48 with an increase of Rs.2110.83.
• 92% of the respondents indicated ‘Reduced price of purified water'; 94%, ‘Decreased medical expenses'; and 95%, ‘Increased income of family', as factors enhancing their savings.
Social Outcomes
Two dimensions were taken into account for assessing the social outcomes of the Water Purification Program, viz:
• representation of different social groups on the committees;
• enhancement of unity.
a. Representation of different Social Groups on the Committees
The first dimension, i.e., representation of different groups on the committees, helps foster unity in the village as every one feels important and included, and has something to contribute. When people of different social groups experience such feelings, there is integration and solidarity in the village.
The majority of respondents indicated that they were not denied representation on the committees in the village on the basis of social groups, religion, gender, political affiliation, or status, either before the WP plants were set up as indicated by 98.09% of respondents, or after, as indicated by 99.30% of respondents, with a small but positive difference of 1.21%.
b. Enhancement of Unity
The second dimension, i.e., unity in the village, is assessed by a number of indicators, like: feeling of togetherness in the community, ability of people to work together, desire to live in peace, and coming together to solve common problems.
Indicators, like feeling of togetherness in the community, ability to work together, desire to live in peace, and people coming together to solve common problems, were used to assess the enhancement of unity.
A majority of the WPP beneficiaries, 93.40% of community members and 95.28% of Water Committee Members, indicated that unity in the village is enhanced after the installation of WP plants in the villages.
