Rural households suffer from various health hazards due to unsafe water. Rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRH) has been recommended by various experts as a safer alternative to contaminated ground and surface water. The rural households, however, for various reasons, may not be willing to adopt RRH. The present study was based on primary data collected from 923 rural households in 4 blocks of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India to identify the socio-demographic factors influencing the occurrence of health hazards and willingness to adopt RRH (WRRH). The study was focused on how health hazards and WRRH were related to water insufficiency, water awareness, poverty level and other socio-demographic variables. RRH not only depends on its feasibility but also on the willingness of the household to install it. A set of indices, namely health hazard index (HHI), water insufficiency index (WII), water awareness action index (WAAI), willingness to adopt RRH index (WRRHI) and Poverty Level Index (PLI) were developed from the relevant indicators. A binary logistic regression of HHI and WRRH was carried out on these indices along with some other socio-demographic variables. Most of these indices were found to have a significant effect on HHI. WRRH, however, was not found to depend on these indices, rather on religious belief and awareness of the adverse effects of arsenic poisoning in the village. The study also highlights the significance of undertaking awareness programmes on the consequences of using unsafe water by the government and non-governmental organisations.

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Rural households of North 24 Parganasare adversely affected by combined qualitative and quantitative water stress. An attempt is made to establish a relationship between RWH potential based on hydro-geological and socio-economic characteristics. Total 924 rural household data were collected through a rigorous socio-economic survey in four study blocks viz. Barasat II, Amdanga, Barrackpore II, and Basirhat I to assess the water insufficiency. Land-use and Land-cover study showed a rapid increase in the built-up area to the extent of 21.69%, 10.44%, and 4.08% for Barasat II, Amdanga, and Basirhat I blocks, respectively during (2010–2020). Over this period, water bodies were reduced by nearly 19% and 6% in Barasat II and Basirhat I, respectively. The upper aquifer within 40 to 60 m depth was suitable for artificial recharge from the fence diagram. Artificial recharge structures like percolation tank with recharge shaft were suggested (within 40 m depth) for Amdanga block, re-excavation (up to a depth of 3 mbgl) for Basirhat I block and recharge well or pit to be excavated up to(30, 10, and 10 to 20 m) for highly built-up areas of Amdanga, Barasat II and Barrckpore II, respectively. Water quality parameters viz. TDS, ammonia-N, and chloride were found reasonably safe for drinking purposes in the rain water samples. The storage tank's capacity was calculated as 6,000 litres for individual rural households, with 60 gm of bleaching powder estimated for a full tank. The suggested methods would help local authorities successfully execute the RWH schemes inwater-stressed areas.