Evaluating the Efficacy and Impact of the Drink From Tap Mission in Odisha
Resource Partners: Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) , Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUDD) , Government of Odisha
Partners: Sparsh Social Foundation (SSF)
Duration: August 2021 - February 2022
About
In August 2019, the Government of Odisha launched the seminal "Drink from Tap" Mission, revolutionizing urban water supply by ensuring 24/7 tap water that was safe to drink and use directly — eliminating the need for filtration or boiling.
To pave the way, Odisha rolled out pilot water supply schemes in select areas of Bhubaneswar and across the entire city of Puri. To assess their impact and sustainability, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) was engaged to evaluate the efficacy and impact of the scheme.
This assessment focuses on:
- Technical efficiency – The performance of the system on service level benchmarks
- Consumer perception – Public trust and satisfaction with the initiative
- Institutional capacity – Readiness for long-term implementation
With a vision to expand the mission across all 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha, the insights offered by NIUA will be critical for refining strategies, overcoming challenges, and ensuring the mission's long-term success. The evaluation done serves as a valuable blueprint for cities embarking on 24x7 potable water supply schemes in the near future.
1600
Consumer perception surveys conducted in Bhubaneswar and Puri
27
District Metering Areas (DMAs) surveyed as part of the project
1000+
Slum households were involved in the evaluation study that was conducted by the team
Events
Orientation Workshop for Surveyors of Drink from Tap: A Consumer Perception Survey
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
October 2021 - October 2021
<p dir="ltr">In line with the objectives of the project, NIUA developed an ’Evaluation Framework’ for WATCO to assess projects in Puri and Bhubaneswar. </p><p dir="ltr">The framework comprises 3 pillars:</p><p dir="ltr">1. System Efficiency (quantitative indicators) </p><p dir="ltr">2. Sustainability (both qualitative and quantitative indicators) </p><p dir="ltr">3. Consumer Perception (qualitative indicators) </p><p dir="ltr">To evaluate consumer perception, separate survey questionnaires were developed for slum and non-slum households to capture diverse perspectives. A total of 1,600 surveys were planned, for which NIUA partnered with Sparsh Social Foundation. An orientation workshop was conducted to train surveyors on administering the questionnaire and assessing the performance of the Drink from Tap Mission.</p>
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