eUpdate January 2012
MESSAGE FROM CATARINA FONSECA AND PATRICK MORIARTY
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to the first issue of Water and Sanitation Services That Last in 2012!
We start off by publishing the aggregate results of costs of sanitation services in the four WASHCost countries. Did you know that ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines are five times more expensive in Burkina Faso than in Ghana and Mozambique? For our Francophone colleagues, learn more in the French publications of the WASHCost Burkina Faso team.
We are also very proud to have cracked one of the most difficult areas of WASHCost: developing an effective methodology for costing hygiene effectiveness levels. “Assessing hygiene cost-effectiveness”—the new working paper from WASHCost, explains what indicators can be used as tools for analysing and comparing costs and outcomes of numerous hygiene promotion interventions.
Further, we have published two in-depth literature reviews on service delivery concepts and aid harmonisation & aid alignment which discuss how the two concepts are applied in the health and education sector, and what we can learn for rural water service delivery.
With so many research results becoming available, Catarina Fonseca will tweet one finding a day. Follow her Twitter feed: @FonsecaCatarina. The main focus of research for the year is all about “how can we fund capital maintenance and direct support? How much? What mechanisms are available?” Check the Ghana news for some out-of-the-box thinking on these issues.
Our feature bloggers, Stef Smits and Patrick Moriarty, are also busy sharing their stories, comments on current events, and exploratory questions pertaining to WASH services. Are MDG goals the direct competitor to MUS goals? And, are you aware that the poorest rural communities have a threshold for what they will pay to maintain (handpump) facilities? Read the blogs of Stef and Patrick—share your comments, questions, and rebuttals!
We would like to announce that since January 1, 2012, Patrick Moriarty has moved from Ghana to Ireland and has taken over as the head of IRC’s International Programme and as the Director of Triple-S. Vida Duti, the new IRC Ghana Director, also explains in an interview possible options to fund repairs of rural water supply in Ghana.
You can also hear opinions, anecdotes, and lessons from various WASH professionals from around the globe in more than 100 videos recorded inside the Story Booth during the 6th RWSN Forum from December 2011. These stories are being analysed to monitor over time, patterns in the WASH sector.
For more information on WASHCost, Triple-S, or any of these features please contact us.
Warm regards,
Catarina Fonseca and Patrick Moriarty
WATER SERVICES THAT LAST
1. Change in countries takes at least three to five years, says Director of IRC International Programme
Patrick Moriarty explains why the impact of IRC's international initiatives will take at least three to five years to realise. He says that large projects, such as WASHCost and Triple-S, are in essence about working with the national sector to bring about change, and to break from a project-based mentality. More
2. Renewing WASH commitments at RWSN Forum
During the RWSN Forum in Kampala, 500+ delegates agreed on ten commitments advocating for sustainable and inclusive rural water services for all. Increasing coverage means placing more emphasis on financing, and national and local coordination capacities. More
3. Moving from vision to action
Achieving sustainable rural water services requires a process of systemic change. To catalyse this process, Triple-S adopted a Principle-based Approach. Read the new working paper to learn key concepts behind the approach and how the Principles Framework is applied in Ghana and Uganda. Download Working Paper 1
4. Literature reviews now available: aid harmonisation and service delivery concepts
Find out how aid harmonisation & aid alignment and service delivery concepts are applied in other sectors. These publications summarise lessons for rural water service delivery. Download literature reviews
5. Linking resources for sustainability
There are no one-size-fits-all models for sustainable service delivery. But we've identified a number of key components in creating water services that last. For further information on alternative service providers, financing, and other components of sustainability check the updated links for each building block. Check out updated links
6. 109 stories on rural water supply
During the 6th RWSN forum, more than one hundred participants paid a visit to the Story Booth to share their experiences in rural water supply and to participate in the Triple-S story initiative. Read about story initiative and watch videos
WASHCOST AND THE LIFE-CYCLE COST APPROACH
7. Across Africa: governments investigating life-cycle costs to improve sector performance
The Government of Uganda invited experts from Mozambique, Ghana, and IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre to share their experiences using the life-cycle costs approach (LCCA) to improve sector performance. This approach is raising awareness of the potential for life-cycle costs to achieve adequate, equitable and sustainable WASH services in Africa. More
8. Fontes Foundation uses actual figures on costs of water services to convince donors
Fontes Foundation has tracked the cost of small piped water schemes for years. According to Lucrezia Koester from Fontes Foundation Uganda, following up on investments is important for sustainability. Showing what it will cost with the actual data and figures makes all the difference for donors when convincing them of this. Watch video
9. Applying the life-cycle costs approach to sanitation
This briefing note presents an application of the life-cycle costs (LCCA) approach to sanitation in rural and peri-urban areas in four different countries— Andhra Pradesh (India), Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Mozambique. WASHCost compares differences between financial costs of traditional and improved latrines, and the quality of service delivered to users. Download Briefing Note 3
10. Assessing hygiene cost-effectiveness
WASHCost introduces a conceptual approach for assessing the cost-effectiveness of hygiene promotion. Hygiene effectiveness levels are applicable tools for analysing and comparing costs and outcomes of various hygiene promotion interventions. This working paper should be read alongside Working Paper 2 and 3. Download Working Paper 6
11. WASHCost and partners will test cost-effectiveness of hygiene promotion
WASHCost and partner organisations will launch a four-country examination of the cost-effectiveness of hygiene promotion interventions. The study will focus on three key components of change, which include: 1) handwashing with soap at critical moments, 2) using a sanitary toilet, and 3) the safe storage and handling of household water. More
12. Building blocks to visualise recurrent life-cycle costs
Planning and budgeting for recurrent annual expenditure is a key challenge for sustainable service delivery. To assist with the analysis of recurrent costs to keep a system running, the life-cycle cost approach uses ‘building blocks’ to visualise and analyse these costs. More
NEWS IN COUNTRIES
13. Présentation : le coût des latrines au Burkina Faso—une application de l’approche des coûts à long terme
Richard Bassono presented during the National Water and Sanitation Forum in Burkina Faso. Bassano discussed how the life-cycle costs approach is applied to analyse the cost of latrines. Available only in French. Watch PowerPoint presentation
14. Le coût des latrines au Burkina Faso: une application de l’approche des coûts à long terme
How much will it cost a country to reach the Millennium Development Goal for sanitation services? This working paper from WASHCost Burkina Faso forecasts costs and highlights key challenges to reaching the MDG target for sanitation (55% coverage) in Burkina Faso. Research looks at the disaggregated costs of sanitation services per technology in rural and urban settings, and explores the relationship between costs and levels of poverty. Working paper available only in French (English summary available soon). Download Working Paper
15. Capital maintenance—the sucker punch you did not see coming
Capital maintenance (CapManEx) is the punch on the jaw that you didn’t see coming. It is the knockout blow that lands you on your back with little prospect of getting up in time to beat the count. Though CapManEx is economics and not boxing; and the blow is metaphorical, not physical—the hit is still damaging. Read this article to learn more on what CapManEx is about. More
16. Ghana water sector investigates mutual funds and insurance to cover costs of major repairs
The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in Ghana is considering a combination of insurance coverage options and mutual funds between villages to secure money for future repairs and maintenance of water systems in rural areas. Vida Duti, IRC Ghana Director, explains in a video. Watch video
17. WASHCost Ghana on Direct Support Cost (DSC)
WASHCost Ghana, Triple-S, and other sector working groups are producing a joint report on the costs of providing sustainable support for WASH services. These costs are referred to as expenditure on direct support (ExpDS) or direct support cost (DSC). More
18. Ghana assesses costs of providing effective support to community water services
Director of WASHCost Ghana, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko, says that budgets to support rural communities managing their own water supplies are “woefully inadequate”. Read about the problems that village water and sanitation committees face and what WASHCost Ghana is doing to help alleviate these issues. More
19. Akatsi District validates baseline data on water facilities
Using Field Level Operations Watch (FLOW) technology, the Akatsi District in the Volta Region collected baseline data on all its water facilities. Research revealed that facilities in Akatsi District face numerous problems with the current state of infrastructure and management of water supply. More
20. "Islands of success—policy to practice" paper presented at 6th RWSN Forum
Triple-S Ghana leader, Vida Duti, presented a paper entitled “Islands of success—policy to practice” during the 6th RWSN forum in Kampala. She shared insights on the steps taken so far by WASH sector actors to facilitate the change process in Ghana’s rural domestic water sector. Download paper
21. Financing is still a major issue in the rural water sector
Emmanuel Gaze, Director of Technical Services of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, advocates for innovative mechanisms to address the issues of financing in the rural water sector. He shared his views in a video interview during the 6th RWSN forum in Kampala, Uganda. Watch video
22. India pilot scheme will show Government value of life-cycle costs approach
Snehalatha Sreedhar, Coordinator of WASHCost India, explains how the WASHCost team will work with the Government on how to better contribute to national rural water supply guidelines. More
23. Rural drinking water service levels: A study of Andhra Pradesh, South India
Working Paper 13 highlights the need for strategies to improve service delivery, build the capacities of communities and establish governance structures to ensure equitable and economic groups in Adhara Pradesh. Download Working Paper 13
24. Understanding governance in WASH Sector in Andhra Pradesh, India
Working Paper 14 analyses the influence of governance systems on water and sanitation service levels in rural Andhra Pradesh, India. Read the results of WASH Cost India’s participatory research—conducted in 107 villages, identifying different perceptions of community groups on governance and service levels. Download Working Paper 14
25. Cost of Provision: How good are unconditional allocations? A study of water services delivery in rural Andhra Pradesh
What factors shape decision making on allocations for financing schemes? Working Paper 15 addresses this question by estimating actual unit costs of delivering domestic water services in rural Andhra Pradesh across 187 habitations spread over nine agro-climatic zones. These estimates are compared with state allocations for rural water supply in terms of magnitude and composition. Download Working Paper 15
26. The power of zero – priceless, not worthless
What does it mean when the cost of a toilet is zero? Is this a cost saved or a cost lost? Is it a sign of success or a symptom of failure? WASHCost attempts to answer these questions in multiple countries, including Mozambique. More
27. Decentralised service delivery: Great opportunities, greater challenges
Uganda embraced a decentralised system of government in 1997 and has since taken strides to ensure that the agenda for public service provision is driven by local governments. Even within a decentralised governance system, it is still important to examine how services are implemented in order to see where we can improve and to assess the roles that different WASH actors play. More
28. Triple-S Uganda to lead DIM review process
In 2011, Triple-S Uganda commissioned a study to assess the utilisation of the District Implementation Manual (DIM)—a tool issued in 2007 to guide the implementation of water and sanitation services at the local government level. An important recommendation emerging from the study is to review, update, and produce a user-friendly version of the DIM. The review process, guided by UWASNET and Triple-S, is expected to kick off on February 3, 2012. More
29. Lessons on financing self-supply in Uganda
Triple-S Uganda organised a national learning forum to reflect on self-supply. The forum was organised in partnership with The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET), Network for Water and Sanitation (NETWAS), Uganda Rain Water Association (URWA), and WaterAid Uganda. Triple-S National Learning Facilitator, Peter Magara, identifies key lessons from the forum. More
BLOGS
30. Water services that last—talking sustainability (Stef Smits)
Does post-construction support help rural water supply? Stef Smits argues yes. Read his recent blog posts and learn about findings from IRC and CINARA’s study, supporting Smits’ assertion. Plus, read Stef’s summary of the UN’s Joint Monitoring Programme report on drinking water supplies. Learn new and interesting aspects of the report, including the comparison of different service levels and technologies. In another blog post, Smits reflects on why MDGs are the biggest competitor to the MUS approach. He proposes two new adjustments to post-MDG goals that can better align with MUS goals. Read Stef’s blog
31. Isomorphic mimicry – or the challenge of the empty organigramme (Patrick Moriarty)
Patrick Moriarty shares his reflections from the 6th RWSN forum in Kampala. He identifies that even though the sector has a long way to go, we are probably getting there—“not as fast as we’d like, but still on track”. In another recent blog post, he reflects on the reality that the poorest rural communities have a threshold for what they can or will pay to maintain (handpump) facilities. If “someone else” is not prepared to cover these costs, then the minimal levels of service needed to achieve public health impact will not be maintained. Read Patrick’s blog
