Although India faces serious problems of freshwater scarcity, groundwater depletion, and environmental pollution, there has been little effort to find a comprehensive solution. Rather, introduction of new technologies without prior testing in the Indian context has become a cliché in today’s water and sanitation programmes. This book critically examines what has been done and needs to be done to fulfil the promise of ‘drinking water and sanitation for all’. The authors have extensive experience on the issues pertaining to water and environmental sanitation. Apart from astute scientific description of these issues, importance of community involvement, particularly that of women has been singularly emphasised. Experience of the United Nations Children's Fund shows that sustainability of the water and sanitation programme is directly linked with the extent of women’s participation. The important point highlighted and reiterated throughout the book is that the complex water-related problems cannot have any single technological solution. The lucid language, clear depiction and analysis of data and field-based examples are bound to generate interest among various segments of readers — from research scholars to panchayati raj institutions, policymakers, politicians, social workers and doctors.