AquaWise: Decision Support Tool for School Water Management in India

Implementing Partner: Build Change

Project Name:Decision Support Tool for School Water Management in India

This initiative strengthens water management in government schools across India’s Deccan region, addressing water security challenges caused by limited resources and unplanned interventions.

By integrating structured guidance and data-driven decision-making, it enhances water availability, treatment, and sustainability. This approach ensures reliable access to clean water, fostering healthier learning environments for students and staff while promoting long-term resilience.

Through strategic implementation, the project advances sustainable resource management and supports educational institutions in securing essential water infrastructure.

Schools lacking
drinking water in India
0 +
Schools without
toilets in India
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Impact and Key Findings

1

AquaWISE develops tailored water treatment solutions for schools, integrating research and real-world data to address site-specific challenges. This approach ensures sustainable improvements in water quality and availability, fostering healthier learning environments and long-term resource resilience. 

2

The tool integrates surveys, water testing, and insights from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment’s Bengaluru projects to develop data-driven water management strategies, ensuring government schools receive effective, sustainable solutions tailored to local challenges. 

3

AquaWISE ensures long-term sustainability through comprehensive operation and maintenance guidelines, simplifying system upkeep. By enabling schools to manage water treatment solutions independently, it supports reliable access to clean water while fostering self-sufficiency and resource resilience. 

Resources

Aishwarya Pillai

Lead Specialist

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes. 

Alpana Saha

Director, Partnerships, Governance, and Resource Mobilisation 

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes.