A sanitary well is one that is properly located, well constructed, and well protected from possible locations of contamination so as to ensure supply of safe water. The criteria for a sanitary well are:

1. Location
   • A sanitary well should be located atleast 15m away from possible sources of contamination
   • It should be located a higher level than nearby sources of contamination
   • It should not be located too far away from the people’s houses – it is suggested that no user should have to carry water for more than 100m
2. Lining
   • The inside of the well should be lined with bricks upto a depth of atleast 6m
   • This is to ensure that the water enters the well from the bottom,  not from the sides
   • Also the lining should be continued till about 60-90cm above the ground level
3. Parappet wall
   • A sanitary well should have a parappet wall upto a height of atleast 70-75cm
4. Platform
   • A cement concrete platfrom should be constructed around the well with a radius of atleast 1m in all directions
   • The margin of the platform should have a drain for collecting the spilled water
5. Drain
   • The spilled water should be channeled away from the well using a proper drain system
   • It should be conneted to the public drain system or to a drainage pit located outside the cone of filtration of the well
6. Cover
   • A proper cement concrete cover is essential for maintaining the quality of the water of the well
   • It increases the bacterial quality of the well water considerably
7. Hand pump
   • A hand pump should be installed to draw water from the well
   • It should be of good quality so as to endure the rough handling by the people
   • It should be regularly serviced and there should be provision to repair it quickly if any fault were to arise
8. Consumer responsibility
   • The people who use the well should observe certain precautions to ensure the quality of the water
   • They should dump waste materials around the well
   • Washing of clothes and animals in the vicinity of the well should be prohibited
9. Quality
   • The physical chemical and biological parameters of the well water should conform to acceptable standards

1. AIIMS May 2011 – MCQ 66
2. Sanitation barrier
3. RGUHS Karnataka PGET 2011 – MCQ 66
4. RGUHS Karnataka PGET 2011 – MCQ 188