The tap, the toilet and the handwash station, checked in person
Bharat Survey is a survey agency for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) NGOs, CSR foundations and water and sanitation departments. We check whether household taps deliver water, whether toilets are used and maintained, and whether villages sustain their sanitation gains, combining household interviews with direct observation and geo-tagged photos, so a report shows what was seen, not only what was said.
- Household tap functionality checks
- Toilet access, use and maintenance surveys
- School and anganwadi WASH facility audits
- Handwashing and menstrual hygiene studies
- In areaInside approx. boundary
- Accuracy±12 m
- Time09:42 · fresh fix
- Mock GPSNot detected
- Interview length11 min
India's sanitation and drinking water missions have built infrastructure at very large scale. The survey question has moved from whether it exists to whether it works and is used.
Survey agency for sanitation water supply and cleanliness assessment
Toilet use and upkeep
Sanitation water supply and cleanliness assessment survey services India
Under Jal Jeevan Mission, the Ministry of Jal Shakti assesses functionality of household tap connections through independent third-party agencies on quantity, quality and regularity. NGO and CSR programmes use the same logic for their own water projects.
- 01
Locate the household and connection
The enumerator reaches the sampled household, records GPS, and confirms a tap connection exists at the premises.ArrivalSurvey 3/6 · AmenitiesOfflineHow is drinking water in your area?- Comes regularly
- Comes sometimes
- Rarely / never
- Don't know
✓ Section saved on phone · autosaveBackNext - 02
Observe the tap
With permission, the enumerator opens the tap during supply hours and records whether water flows, with a consented photo.ObservationSurvey 5/6 · PhotoPhoto of a public issueCamera · no faces5 MB → 210 KB · with location/timeSkipTake photo - 03
Ask about regularity and quantity
Hours and days of supply in the last week, whether water was enough for the household's needs, and any breakdown and repair time.InterviewHome #17 · Visit outcome- Complete
- Partial
- Declined
- No contact
- Home locked
- Revisit
- 04
Record water quality perception
Colour, smell, taste complaints and any testing the household knows of. Laboratory testing, if required, is done by a lab you appoint.Quality3,000Target households2,184Visits1,962Completed1,871AcceptedDaily accepted interviewsLast 12 days
- Comes regularly
- Comes sometimes
- Rarely / never
- Don't know
- Complete
- Partial
- Declined
- No contact
- Home locked
- Revisit
Our view on WASH evidence
Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II, running from 2020-21 to 2026-27, focuses on sustaining open defecation free status and moving villages to ODF Plus with solid and liquid waste management. A WASH baseline today should therefore cover sustained toilet use, faecal sludge and greywater arrangements and waste segregation, not just toilet ownership.
Independent and fieldwork roles
Departments and funders that need a third party evaluation agency for sanitation water supply and cleanliness assessment get assessors who did not build or maintain the assets. Programmes that only need a data collection agency for sanitation water supply and cleanliness assessment get fieldwork to their protocol, with raw data, photos and GPS handed over.
Baseline modules
- Water source and tap status
- Toilet access and use
- Handwashing station and soap
- Menstrual hygiene materials
- Waste and drainage arrangements
| Indicator | Self-report only | With observation |
|---|---|---|
| Tap delivers water | Household says yes | Tap opened during supply hours |
| Toilet used | Household says all use it | Signs of use, water nearby, not used for storage |
| Handwashing with soap | Respondent claims practice | Handwash station with water and soap seen |
| Village cleanliness | Sarpanch reports clean | Photos of drains and dumping spots |
Data collection app for Water Sanitation and Hygiene WASH NGOs
Your field staff record tap checks, toilet observations and school facility audits offline, with GPS, time and photos attached to each record. Supervisors see coverage by village and flag visits made outside the assigned area.
- Observation checklists
- Consented photos with GPS
- Village coverage view
Not the right fit if
- Water quality laboratory testing
- Official ODF or ODF Plus verification or certification
- Swachh Survekshan assessments
- Engineering design of water supply schemes
A good fit if
- Household tap and toilet functionality surveys
- Observation-based WASH audits in schools and anganwadis
- Baselines for SBM-G Phase II style outcomes
- Offline apps for WASH field teams
Straight answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
Can you check whether household taps actually work?
Yes. Enumerators visit during supply hours, open the tap with the household's permission, and record flow, hours of supply, adequacy and quality perception. Each record carries GPS, time and a consented photo. We use sampling so results can be stated for a block or district.
Do you test drinking water quality?
Not ourselves. We record household perception of quality If you appoint a laboratory, enumerators can collect samples following that lab's protocol, and results are reported by the lab.
How do you know if a toilet is being used?
By combining questions with observation: signs of use, a clear path, water nearby, and whether the toilet is being used for storage. Observation happens only with permission, and enumerators follow a neutral checklist rather than personal judgement.
Can you audit WASH facilities in schools?
Yes, with permission from the education department or school. Checks cover separate toilets for girls and boys, functionality, water availability, handwashing stations and menstrual hygiene provisions, recorded with photos where the school allows.
Share your villages, assets and indicators. We will reply with a sampling and observation plan.