A bridge too far: an analysis of WASH KAP study from four Indian states

In India though there has been improved WASH coverage in the last decade but yet only 35% of the population have access to drinking water within the premises and 600 million people continue to defecate in open. To understand challenges and analyze gaps in the knowledge and practices a facility survey and KAP study was conducted in one urban and three rural locations across four Indian states. The findings indicate that only 18% of the population have access to safe drinking water within premises, 86% of the population still practice open defecation and underlying causes are functional, physical and attitudinal barriers. Though there is improved awareness on key hygiene indicators, a huge gap remains in actual practices. A key finding indicates that 86 % of respondents are willing to construct toilet within households, which means people are willing to adopt improved practices if an enabling environment and required knowledge are ensured.