New look IWRM toolbox

New look IWRM ToolBox website launches on 1st of October on www.gwptoolbox.org

The ToolBox website is a free and open database, developed and managed by the Global Water Partnership, with a library of case studies and references on integrated water resources management.

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Critical review of World Bank role as “knowledge producer” in context of water sector in India

Dharmadhikary, S. (2008). The World Bank as a knowledge producer : how the Bank Uses flawed processes to generate unsound knowledge for promoting disastrous policies. Badwani, India, Manthan. xvi, 80 p. 36 ref.

Download full report here
Download related short paper (2007) here

Publisher’s abstract:

This study examines the World Bank’s role as a knowledge producer in context of the water sector in India.

It looks at the Bank’s knowledge producing machinery at the global level, and in India. It presents several case studies of the use of knowledge by the Bank to promote and justify specific policies. These illustrate how the Bank is using flawed processes to generate unsound knowledge, to push its desired policies, policies that are likely to have disastrous consequences. It draws out an overall critique of the Knowledge Provider role of the Bank.

About Manthan

Manthan Adhyayan Kendra is a centre set up to monitor, analyse and research water and energy related issues, with a special focus on the latest developments resulting from the liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation of the economy. The centre has a team of three researchers and one administrative assistant and is run under the Manthan Research and Social Development Society, a Society registered under the Societies Act in Madhya Pradesh.

Water First : Issues and Challenges for Nations and Communities in South Asia

Lahiri-Dutt, K. and Wasson, R.J. (2008). Water first : issues and challenges for nations and communities in South Asia. London, UK [etc], Sage. 476 p. ISBN: 9780761936251
Price: GBP 45.00

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Table of Contents

Publisher’s description

This book brings together current knowledge and cutting edge interdisciplinary perspectives from renowned scholars on the histories, politics, ecologies and cultures of water in South Asia. It explores the complexities of the issues and challenges thrown up by contemporary water management practices in the South Asian region. It also attempts to ascertain whether or not the competing and/or complementary explanations provided for these issues are adequate or not. The book also offers examples of local action that has been taken. Through a rich offering of case studies firmly grounded in theory, the book elaborates how multiple representations have led to the current system of management of water resources in South Asia. The chapters in this book provide insights into the complex and dynamic relationships that exist between water and human societies – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Changing Lives – Rural Water Schemes in Sri Lanka

Water-related community development activities have big returns-from universal coverage to better hygiene, reduced incidence of waterborne diseases, greater unity among communities, and more. This documentary video [16 min] shows the different stages of Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) engagement in rural water, focusing on Sri Lanka’s completed 3rd Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Project and ongoing Secondary Towns and Rural Community-Based WSS Project.

Pakistan: Water at the Doorstep [video]

Watch how a community-managed water supply and sanitation scheme transformed Punjab and its people. Video [15 min.] produced by the Asian Development Bank.

Geoff Dabelko – Water Management as Conflict Management

Geoff Dabelko is Director of the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center. In this presentation [dated 04 March 2008], Dabelko describes how water quality and quantity are declining in many parts of the world, posing acute problems for communities and governments. This crisis, along with high levels of interdependence on shared water resources, has led many members of the news media and some politicians to warn of imminent “water wars” between countries. Yet such wars between nations over water have never occurred in modern history and are unlikely to take place in the future. Although tensions over water resources often lead countries to trade hostile words, such exchanges rarely escalate into full-fledged conflicts.

World Sanitation Project Map (Sanimap)

The World Sanitation Project Map (Sanimap) was launched in August 2008 at the Stockholm World Water Week.

“Sanimap” aims to be a portal to match donors and projects more efficiently. Users can upload the following 3 types of information [in brackets the number of items as of 22 Sep 2008 is given]:

• Sanitation NOW – Up-to-date sanitary conditions around the world [7 items]
• Sanitation Projects – Progress & results of sanitation / toilet / hygiene projects [39 projects]
• Organisations in the sanitation sector – Information on the organizations working on sanitation / toilet / hygiene projects [38 organisations]

The “Sanimap” is a component of the “Water Web Projects on Google Map / Earth” launched by the Japan Water Forum and the Water Web Alliance during the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit held in Japan in December 2007.

Source: Japan Water Forum, 15 Aug 2008

Water supply and sanitation services for the rural poor : the Gram Vikas experience

Keirns, P. (2008). Water supply and sanitation services for the rural poor : the Gram Vikas experience. Rugby, UK. 144 p. ISBN 978-185339-654-0
Price: GBP 15.95 / EUR 23.95 / US$ 31.95
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This book is about the Rural Health and Environment Programme (RHEP) of Gram Vikas, a non-governmental organization (NGO) working in Orissa, one of the poorest states of India. The programme promises water and sanitation for every house in return for labour and a percentage of the costs. The book describes how Gram Vikas engaged with new villages and implemented and monitored the programme, how costs were met by the households, government and donors, and the resulting impacts on health, education and livelihoods. Finally the question is asked: can this international award-winning approach be scaled-up to increase sustainable coverage of water and sanitation and combat poverty.

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India Water Portal’s playlists on YouTube

The India Water Portal has posted playlists of short videos related on water-related issues in India on the following topics:

• Agriculture
• Drinking Water
• Ecology
• Groundwater
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Sanitation
• Urban Water
• Wastewater
• Water in Industry
• Water Quality
• Waterbodies
• Watershed Development

Total sanitation as a business and community action in Bangladesh and elsewhere

Heierli, U. and Frias, J. (2007).  One fly is deadlier than a 100 tigers : total sanitation as a business and community action in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Berne, Switzerland, SDC – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. 112 p. + CD-ROM

Download booklet here:
Also available on web sites of WSP and WSSCC
Watch video clips here

The booklet is divided into three parts :

Part One is an analysis of the Bangladesh sanitation miracle through the eyes of a marketing specialist using the famous 5 Ps of marketing as a tool to describe the revolutionary process in this poor country. Bangladesh has many, problems, including poverty, but also has a remarkable talent to revolutionise development paradigms, as it did with microfinance ( a contribution for which Mohamed Yunus has merited the Noble Peace Prize ).

The booklet also includes two methodological parts for the reader who wants additional information and comes with a companion CD, which contains many photos and film clips on total sanitation from Bangladesh, India and Vietnam.

Part Two is a text on methodological tools for a marketdriven approach by Jaime Frias, former director of IDE ( International Development Enterprises ) in Vietnam on the right tools to be used to design a marketing strategy for sanitation.

Part Three describes the methodological toolbox of Community- Led Total Sanitation as applied by the pioneers of this approach, the ” Village Education Resource Center ( VERC ) ” in Bangladesh, and presents the steps used in a total sanitation campaign.