Monitoring to improve performance
All rural water supply systems in Honduras are visited with some frequency by technicians. These visits include a review of a number of aspects of the service with key indicators for features including technical performance and condition of the infrastructure, management and organisational issues and the state of financing and investments needed. These dimensions seek to provide a composite picture of the underlying sustainability of the service and of the performance of the service provider. The results from these fact sheets collated in the field are grouped into four categories: A, B, C and D through a software programme called SIAR (Rural Water Supply Information Systems). The SIAR is managed and run by the National Autonomous Water and Sewerage Service (or SANAA).
How is it used?
Depending on which category a system is placed, recommendations can be given to address the points on which it scores low. This illustrates the utility of monitoring performance over time with a direct link to follow-up or remedial actions and the better informed planning of resource allocation. The type and level of support that communities may require to keep their systems in an optimal condition is easier to determine. See Table: Categorisation of sustainability of rural water supply systems in Honduras.
Where has it been used?
The categorisation is used on rural water supply systems throughout Honduras.
Further reading
Fragano, F., et al. (2001). Case studies on decentralisation of water supply and sanitation services in Latin America. Edited by Fred Rosensweig. Strategic Paper No. 1. Environmental Health Project.
