Management of rural water services in sub-Saharan Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 159 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-184
Author(s):  
Peter Harvey ◽  
Junko Uno ◽  
Robert Reed
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Rural Water ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Why prepaid technologies are not a panacea for inclusive and sustainable rural water services in Tanzania?

Water Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 925-942
Author(s):  
Hans C. Komakech ◽  
Lukas Kwezi ◽  
Mansoor Ali
Keyword(s):  
Cost Recovery ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Revenue Collection ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Operation And Maintenance ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Rural Water ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
One Year

Abstract Poor sustainability of rural water schemes is a major problem in service delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. About half of the schemes fail one year after commissioning, mostly due to poor operation and maintenance. Many communities fail to collect and manage water revenue. Prepaid technologies are argued to remedy the poor water revenue management. However, it is not clear to what extent prepaid systems can contribute to the sustainability of rural water schemes. This paper assessed the performance of three different cases where prepaid technologies were used in Tanzania. Although the technologies used can simplify water revenue collection, they are not a panacea to deliver sustainable and equitable water services. The capital cost of the prepaid system is often paid for by donors, which is not being recovered, hence the notion of cost recovery is biased here. Also, a strong institutional capacity and knowledge is required alongside the technology. Therefore, the technology which is being promoted as better for improving cost recovery is, instead, causing a burden on water users.

Cost determination and sustainable financing for rural water services in sub-Saharan Africa

Water Policy ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
Water Users ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Cost ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Cost Determination ◽  
Sustainable Financing

Access to safe, sufficient and affordable water in rural Africa will not increase unless sustainable financing strategies are developed which ensure the sustainability of existing water services. There is a strong need for international donors and national governments to confront the true costs associated with sustained service provision in order to develop practicable long-term financing mechanisms. This paper presents a systematic approach that can be applied to determine the overall cost of service delivery based on respective cost estimates for operation and maintenance, institutional support, and rehabilitation and expansion. This can then be used to develop a tariff hierarchy which clearly indicates the cost to water users of different levels of cost recovery, and which can be used as a planning tool for implementing agencies. Community financing mechanisms to ensure sustained payment of tariffs must be matched to specific communities and their economic characteristics; a blanket approach is unlikely to function effectively. Innovative strategies are also needed to ensure that the rural poor are adequately served, for which a realistic, targeted and transparent approach to subsidy is required.

Utility-small water enterprise partnerships: serving informal urban settlements in Africa

Water Policy ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyrus Njiru
Keyword(s):  
Water Utilities ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Small Water ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Quality Water ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Informal Urban Settlements

Sustainable development cannot be realised when a large proportion of people do not have access to improved water services. Indeed, despite concerted international effort and publicity made in the last two decades to increase coverage of improved water and sanitation services, the number of people without improved water and sanitation services continues to increase. Water utilities are not serving a large proportion of the urban population and small water enterprises (SWEs) have moved to fill the gap. This paper looks at the growing urban water problem and outlines the role played by SWEs in providing water services to those un-served or under-served by water utilities. Typical constraints faced by SWEs are outlined and the rationale for developing utility–SWE partnerships for the benefit of water consumers (customers) is provided. Potential opportunities for developing utility-SWE partnerships are discussed. The paper argues that utility-SWE partnerships can enable SWEs to provide affordable good quality water services to customers, while providing benefit to the utility and thus also assisting the utility to meet its mandate. The paper proposes win–win utility-SWEs partnerships aimed at achieving the objectives of utilities and SWEs while improving water services to customers in informal urban settlements of developing countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

A regional approach to optimizing the location of rural handpumps

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 493-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar S. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Rural Water ◽  
Time Savings ◽  
Sub Saharan

Many rural water supply projects in sub-Saharan Africa are based on the installation of public handpumps. One of the key benefits of these projects is distance and time savings. Surprisingly, references to rural water planning rarely provide systematic approaches to optimizing distance-related benefits. This paper develops a conceptual model to identify the number and location of point sources that maximizes benefits to consumers, thereby serving as an aid to decision makers in identifying good alternatives. The proposed model is based on willingness to pay, a location model to identify optimal locations of sources, and a cost–benefit analysis. The model shows that as the number of sources increases, the distance between households and sources decreases but the user fee must increase to generate the revenue required to maintain them. Higher fees will dissuade households from using the point sources and hence reduce the aggregate distance savings that accrue. This suggests that there is an optimal number and location of point sources.

scholarly journals Community management does not equate to participation: fostering community participation in rural water supplies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine F. Shields ◽  
Michelle Moffa ◽  
Nikki L. Behnke ◽  
Emma Kelly ◽  
Tori Klug ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Collaborative Planning ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Community Management ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Rural Water ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Community management has remained the dominant paradigm for managing rural water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a widespread perception that community participation principles are inherently embedded in the community management model. In this paper, we analyze how an international nongovernmental organization engages rural communities in their rural water projects, and the ways in which community members are able to participate in the management and governance of their water supplies. Qualitative data were collected in 18 study communities – six each in Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia – through interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory mapping with community and water committee members. We argue that community management does not inherently lead to broader community participation, but rather that fostering community participation requires intentionality. We recommend implementers use collaborative planning processes and explicitly engage with intra-community diversity and inequalities in order to facilitate the opportunity for all community members to meaningfully participate in decision-making. Collaborative planning with diverse groups will also allow community members to realize their rights to transparency and accountability once community management structures are in place.

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