In Telangana State, the Water Quality Surveillance and Monitoring Programme covers 25,139 habitations, which is about 53% of the total habitations. Of these, 8,794 are affected by water quality issues - 3,980 fluoride, 4,147 iron, and 1,475 nitrate and are still increasing (GoI, 2014). The local institutions (Water Testing Labs, local government and Civil Society Organizations) lack resources/ knowledge/ capacity on the issues and opportunities to address water quality. Systemic challenges caused by lack of awareness on water quality, weak local institutions and water politics makes safe drinking water supply ever challenging.

The Water Quality Project is implemented in partnership with State Government of Telangana with the support of Water Aid India. The Project attempts to plug the gaps in the existing National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Program (NRDWQMSP) in the State of Telangana and activate the dormant systems and institutions at local level for sustainability. The Project aims:

- To assess the gaps in NRDWQMSP implementation,
- To assess the performance of Water Quality Testing Laboratories at district, division and sub-division levels in the State,
- To enable Government institutions to develop pilot villages and influence State government to replicate the models to streamline water quality monitoring in the state.
- To revive the defunct Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSCs) to sustain access and delivery of water supply and sanitation services.

This project is the first implementation project of the organisation. SaciWATERs, as a research institute, is implementing this developmental project on water supply and sanitation service delivery for knowledge mobilization. The project is implemented across 16 villages of Nizamabad district in Telangana.