A tap in every rural home: the central mission behind the Melattur water work

Background

This background goes with the master reservoir nearing completion at Melattur in Malappuram, which is being built under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The mission's stated vision is that every rural household gets drinking water in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on a regular, long-term basis. It is run by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Its target was a Functional Household Tap Connection, or FHTC, for every rural household by 2024. An FHTC is defined as a household tap connection that actually works and delivers water in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on a regular basis. Because the mission counts working connections and not just pipes laid, State schemes such as the one at Melattur have to build storage, pumping and branch lines together.