Access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation is both a right and a basic need.Inadequate access to safe drinking water leads to intestinal mortality and intestinal diseases.The diseases commonly caused due to  contaminated  water  are  diarrhea,  trachoma,  intestine  worms,  and  hepatitis.About  27  percent  and  75  percent  of  rural  and  urban  households  were  access  to  safe drinking  water  facilities  in  1981  increased  to  55  percent  and  81  percent  of  rural  and  urban  households  in 1991  respectively.The problems have become more acute in the slum areas where such basic  necessities  of  life  are  either  non-existent,  or  are  inadequate  and  very  low  in  standard.The  percentage distribution  of  households  having  safe  drinking  water  facilities  is  presented  briefly.In  India,  almost  all surface  water resources are contaminated and unfit for human consumption.