The stepwell, a large storage tank where water is accessed through flights of steps, is part of a historic water-harvesting system built in the early 1800s. Until 2021, water levels in the stepwell, which covers around 1.3 acres (0.5 hectares), were inconsistent and heavily contaminated. Today, though, it holds water at depths of up to 30ft (9m). Vijay Sarswat, a 60-year-old Alwar resident, says it rarely drops below 20ft (6m) even in the driest months of the year.
