Despite increasing rates of access to improved water sources (68% in 1992-93 to 89.9% in 2015-16), India continues to face its worst water shortage in history. Approximately six hundred million people are affected by high to extreme water shortages, according to a report published by Niti Aayog, an Indian policy think-tank. About three quarters of the households in the country do not have access to drinking water on premises. Taking into account that nearly 70% of its water sources are contaminated, India ranks 120th out of the 122 countries on the water quality index. In addition, climate change is exacerbating the water challenges faced in India today. The River Ganges is more than 2,500 km long and has the most populated river basin in the world. During the monsoon season, flooding in the Ganges impacts many millions of people who rely on the Ganges. During the rest of the year, irrigation, navigation, and ecosystems suffer because of water scarcity. WaterAid India has been working in two most populous states around river Ganges - Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Both of the states have seen significant population increases, yet are behind on various development indicators including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). WaterAid has prioritised marginalised districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are facing challenges such as seasonal floods, inappropriate sanitation systems, depleting ground water and water contamination.