There is a direct relationship between water quality, sanitation, and health. In rural areas, high infant mortality rates and incidence of diseases are attributed to consumption of unsafe drinking water, improper disposal of human excreta, and poor sanitation. There is a great need for accelerating sanitation coverage in rural areas, generating demand for sanitation facilities through awareness creation and health education, promoting school sanitation, eliminating open defecation to minimize risk of contamination of drinking water sources and food, and converting dry toilets into pour flush toilets.

To achieve this it is essential that the demand for construction of toilets be driven by the community itself. This requires continuous long-term effort, to change the mindset of the village folk and inculcate in them the habit of living in a healthy and hygienic environment. Besides, women's specific sanitation-related needs, which usually go unnoticed because of the cultural taboos, should be recognized by the community. There is a need for greater household involvement, demand responsiveness, and promotion of a range of toilet options for increased affordability.