This study, covering more than 600 rural drinking water supply schemes, is a large-scale empirical analysis of the traditional target-driven (supply-driven) programs of the Government and the more recent model of decentralized community-driven approaches. It looks at various aspects of rural water supply, including flow of funds and expenditure incurred, performance of schemes, cost of supply, household coping strategies and costs, as well as household willingness to pay and affordability. The study focuses on the cost and performance of service delivery and does not seek to analyze either the health impacts, or the sustainability of sources for rural water supply. Both aspects are crucial elements
of success in the delivery of rural water, but would require separate detailed studies. On the supply side, according to data and information from the field, there appears to be ample scope for reducing costs under the traditional supply-driven programs.