applying sustainability analysis to rural water services

Applying

Sustainability

Analysis to Rural

Water Services

Dr. Peter Harvey

Regional WASH Adviser

UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa

Why analyse sustainability?

To identify the constraining factors/bottlenecks

that are resulting in low levels of water service

sustainability;

To determine appropriate intervention levels at

which action is needed (national, sub-national,

community, private sector etc.);

To identify areas of intervention (for respective

levels) to increase sustainability;

To develop a sustainability improvement plan;

To increase rural water service sustainability.

Sustainability

A water supply service can be said to be

sustainable if: the water sources are not over-exploited but naturally

replenished;

water systems are maintained in a condition which

ensures a reliable and adequate water supply;

the benefits of the supply continue to be realized by all

users indefinitely; and

the service delivery process demonstrates a cost-

effective use of resources that can be replicated.

Sustainability factors

Policy context (P)

Management and institutional

arrangements (M)

Financial issues (F)

Community and social aspects

(C)

Technology and environment

(T)

Supply chains (S)

Policy

• Programme approach

• Service delivery focus

Management

• Support to communities

• Private sector options

Finance

• Sustainable financing

• Realistic cost recovery

Community

• O&M management options

• Equity strategies

Technology

• Technology choice

• Local option priority

Supply chain

• Local procurement

• Integrated supply chains

Sustainability assessment and

planning process

Sustainability factor Score Rank

Policy context (P) 0 Weak

Management and institutional arrangements (M) 2 Medium

Financial issues (F) 4 Strong

Community and social aspects (C) 1 Weak

Technology and environment (T) 3 Medium

Supply chains (S) 4 Strong

TOTAL 14 Medium

Sustainability assessment

framework

P, M, F

M, F, C

F, C, T

C, T, S

S

Policy

Management

Finance

Community

Technology

Supply chain

Intervention levels and areas of engagement

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Paradigm shift required from:

Projects (time-bound, funding linked to

construction, handovers)

Facilities (infrastructure based,

maintenance focus)

to

Programmes (long-term funding

and operational strategies)

Services (focus on ongoing water

delivery)

Programmes & Services

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Institutional support is required and

must be budgeted for.

Accurate cost-determination and

sustainable financing mechanisms

are needed.

Sustained technical capacity must be

developed.

If community management is not

viable, private sector service delivery

models should be explored.

Making

community

management

work (or not!)

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Cost-recovery targets must be

realistic.

A tariff hierarchy can be developed to

assess and set targets.

Sustainable (innovative) community

financing mechanisms are needed.

Equity-focused financing strategies

can be developed for:

• cross-subsidy within communities;

• cross-subsidy across communities;

• households to access micro-credit facilities;

• institutional support to communities.

Financing

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Community management is one

option for O&M but it is not the only

one!

Different O&M options need to be

considered so that each community

has a choice.

Where appropriate, community

management may require

strengthening.

Alternatively, public-private

partnerships and private sector O&M

models may be implemented and

critically evaluated.

A flexible approach to O&M

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Ensure communities

have a real choice

Introduce

appropriate low cost

technology options

Improve artisan

skills and equipment

Support local

innovation

Monitor water

resource

sustainability

Technology & Environment

Policy



Management



Finance



Community



Technology



Supply chain



Support to integrated supply chains –

e.g. contractual options for provision

of equipment and O&M services

Local procurement

Quality assurance

Policy and co-ordination

Supply chains

Application of tool

The tool has been applied by Government sector

agencies (with UNICEF support) to develop rural water

service sustainability improvement plans.

It can be reviewed and adapted to the local context.

An appropriate entry point is needed, such as a sector

or programme review.

The tool raises awareness of issues affecting

sustainability and identifies potential ways to tackle

them.

It complements other sector analysis tools that focus

more on service coverage.

Monitoring service sustainability and functionality is

essential to measure impact of improvement plans.

Thank you

applying sustainability analysis to rural water services

Business

service delivery process

community management

adequate water

water sources

social aspectsc technology

financial issues f community

mediumsupply chains

mediumfinancial issues