---
title: "Necessity and impacts of water supply scheme"
subject: "Water Supply Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_5/water_supply_engineering:necessity-impacts-ws"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/necessity-impacts-ws
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Necessity and impacts of water supply scheme

Water Supply Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: 2079 Bhadra, 2+2 marks; 2070 Asar, 2+2 marks; 2067 Asar (old course) (asked 3 times)
- Video: [Importance of water supply engineering | WSSE | 3350603 | Niketa Patel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIFUuuSOmIQ) — VPMP POLYTECHNIC
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/necessity-impacts-ws
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/water_supply_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

What is the necessity of a water supply scheme in a community? Describe the (positive and negative) impacts of water supply schemes.

## Short answer

Necessity: provides safe water, prevents diseases (cholera, typhoid), saves time/labour, supports health, education, economy. Positive impacts: reduced illness, time saved, improved sanitation, higher living standards. Negative impacts: reduced downstream flow, waste water pollution, over-extraction, land loss, high cost, possible wastage.

## Answer

#### Necessity of a water supply scheme
Water is needed for life, but natural sources are often far, polluted or seasonal. An organised scheme is necessary because:
- It provides safe water, and so prevents diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and hepatitis.
- Quantity is assured for drinking, cooking, hygiene and sanitation, which are needed for good health.
- It saves time and labour of fetching water, mainly for women and children.
- It supports schools, hospitals, industries, agriculture, livestock and fire fighting.
- It raises living standards and supports economic growth and planned settlement.

#### Impacts of water supply schemes
**Positive impacts**
- Reduced incidence of water-related diseases and lower child mortality.
- Time saved for education, income and rest; better women's participation.
- Improved sanitation and hygiene; growth of toilets, kitchen gardens and small industries.
- Higher land value and better quality of life; employment during construction and operation.

**Negative impacts**
- Reduced downstream flow, and conflict over water rights when the source is shared.
- Waste water and sludge, causing pollution and mosquito breeding if not drained properly.
- Lowering of ground water table due to over-extraction.
- Land acquisition, loss of forest or farmland during construction, and soil erosion on pipeline routes.
- High capital and maintenance cost, and tariff burden on poor households.
- Over-use and wastage when water is easily available.

Proper planning, environmental assessment and user participation keep the negative effects small.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Why is an organised scheme necessary regarding health?
   A. It supplies safe water preventing cholera, typhoid and dysentery
   B. It increases hardness
   C. It stops rainfall
   D. It removes need for sanitation
   Answer: A. Safe water prevents water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and hepatitis. (Key point: Necessity: disease)

2. Which is a negative impact of a water supply scheme?
   A. Lower child mortality
   B. Time saved for education
   C. Lowering of ground water table due to over-extraction
   D. Better women's participation
   Answer: C. Over-extraction can lower the water table; the others are positive impacts. (Key point: Negative impact)

3. Why can waste water from a new scheme become a problem?
   A. It raises land value
   B. If not drained it causes pollution and mosquito breeding
   C. It improves ground water
   D. It reduces tariff
   Answer: B. Undrained waste water and sludge cause pollution and mosquito breeding. (Key point: Waste water problem)

## Related in Water Supply Engineering

- [Importance and objectives of water supply](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aimportance-objectives-ws) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1
- [Convincing community on water source disputes](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Apre-feasibility-water-disputes) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 2
- [Objectives of supply; wholesome water requirements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aobjectives-requirements-wholesome) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1, asked 2×
- [Typical water supply system and components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Atypical-ws-system-components) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1, asked 4×
- [Protection and maintenance of water supply](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aws-maintenance-types) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 7, asked 4×
- [Objectives of water supply and components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Aobjectives-ws-rural-diagram) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1, asked 3×

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