WASH Google groups: Sanitation & Hygiene, Communication, Sector Learning

The IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre has opened up the following of its Google groups to other WASH sector professionals:

• WASH Sanitation and Hygiene
• WASH Communication
• WASH Sector learning

Non-group members can send messages to the groups that will be moderated and may apply to join the groups.

Meeting the Sanitation and Water Challenge in South East Asia and the Pacific

Willets, J.; Wicken, J.S, and Robinson, A. (2009).  Meeting the sanitation and water challenge in South East Asia and the Pacific : synthesis report on the Sanitation and Water Conference 08. Brisbane, QLD, Australia, International WaterCentre. 30 p. ISBN 978-1-921499-01-2

Download here

This report synthesises the main themes and issues discussed at the Sanitation and Water Conference, held in Melbourne in October 2008. It provides guidance on important directions in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector in the Asia-Pacific region in the form of 10 key strategies identifi ed in the Conference Statement. The strategies are elaborated in terms of why they are important and how they might be achieved, and the report concludes with a focus on stakeholder responsibilities to move into action.

The ten key strategies are:

• Strengthen national political leadership through evidence-based advocacy
• Develop national strategies tailored to local priorities
• Do sanitation differently
• Use public sector and donor finance to leverage and support investment
• Improve accountability and leadership for water supply, sanitation, and hygiene Strengthen capacity commensurate with the scale of this crisis
• Maximise the potential of NGOs in the sector
• Promote entrepreneurship
• Strive for sustainability in all our activities
• Implement lessons learned on water supply

Financing mechanisms for peri-urban, small towns and rural water supply

Danida (2007). Financing mechanisms for peri-urban, small towns and rural water supply. (Technical Advisory Services. Good practice paper). Copenhagen, Denmark, Danida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 30 p.
Download here

This good practice paper reviews experiences and current trends in sector financing. It provides recommendations on different options on specific financing and subsidy mechanisms to be used by Danida in the delivery of water supply (WS) infrastructure in peri-urban, small towns and rural areas.

The paper beings by presenting a number of key issues and challenges in the delivery of infrastructure for WS in peri-urban, small towns and rural areas, which are directly or indirectly related to the choice of a financing mechanism. This is followed by a review of selected donor policies and strategies in the use of financing mechanisms for WS, with examples of Danida’s use of financing mechanisms. The lessons from piloting new financing mechanisms are highlighted and selected promising new financing approaches – public-private partnerships (PPP), output based aid (OBA) and microfinance – are presented in more detail. Finally, the paper provides an assessment of how alternative financing mechanisms could be incorporated into budget support as an emerging aid modality as well as into existing sector programmes.

This good practice paper has been prepared for the Technical Advisory Service (BFT) by the Danish Water Forum through a team of consultants from COWI, with inputs from the Danish Embassies in Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

Toilet technology flipbook

WaterAid has produced a low cost toilet technology flipbook that lets you find out about the advantages and disadvantages of a range of latrine technologies. The resource is based on the 2004 publication called Low cost toilet options, which was put together by Social Marketing for Urban Sanitation, a research project funded by DFID, to help house owners in low-income urban communities choose an appropriate low-cost toilet. The drawings were produced by WEDC, Water Engineering Development Centre.

The flipbook allows you to mix and match the three toilet components: superstructure, slab and pit or vault. For each correct combination total costs are calculated. Both pit latrine and ecosan models are used. WaterAid plans to update the flipbook.

Check out the flipbook here.

Managing water for all : an OECD perspective on pricing and financing

Managing water for all : an OECD perspective on pricing and financing. OECD Publishing
Mar 2009 Language: English Pages: 148 ISBN: 9789264050334 OECD Code: 972009021P1

Version: Print (Paperback) + Free PDF
Price: €24 | $32 | £20 | ¥3000 |
Order online here

Version: E-book (PDF Format)
Price: €16 | $22 | £14 | ¥2100 |
Order online here

Water is a key prerequisite for human and economic development, and for maintaining ecosystems. However, billions of people lack access to water and sanitation services, mainly due to poor governance and inadequate investment and maintenance. This report, which emphasises the economic and financial aspects of water resources management and water service provision, the need for an integrated approach (including governance considerations) to address these complex policy challenges, and the importance of establishing a firm evidence base to support policy development and implementation, summarises the results of OECD work in this area.

Table of contents:

Executive Summary
-The benefits of strategic financial planning for water supply and sanitation
-Tariffs: Reconciling different policy objectives
-How to best harness the capabilities of public and private actors for water supply and sanitation services
-Economic instruments to promote sustainable water use for agriculture
Introduction
Chapter 1. Setting the Stage
-The economic backbone of water policies
-Current water policy challenges
-The evolution of the policy debate
-Annex 1.A1. Projected Expenditures on Water and Wastewater Services
-Annex 1.A2. A Brief History of International Conferences on Water
Chapter 2. Financing Water and Sanitation Services: Key Challenges and the Way Forward
-Financing water supply and anitation: Redefining the perspective on the problem
-Strategic financing planning: policy options to reduce costs
-Strategic financing planning: policy options to increase revenue from the 3Ts
-Policy dialogue on WSS financing: Good practices from OECD and developing countries
Chapter 3. Water Services: The Central Role of Tariffs
-The 2007-2008 OECD Survey: Main trends and data limitations
-Pricing “water”: The challenge of multiple objectives
-Tariff structures to address the policy trade-offs
-Pricing sanitation and wastewater management: a special challenge
-Annex 3.A1. Comparison of Data from GWI Surveys and the World Bank IB-Net Database for EECCA Countries and BRIICS
-Annex 3.A2. Criteria Matrix for Assessment of Tariff Structures
Chapter 4. Beyond Money: The Roles of Governments and Private Actors in Water Services
-Trends in private sector involvement in water supply and sanitation: new actors, new responsibilities
-Government responsibilities: The need for clarity
-Beyond public and private roles: The key elements for successful private sector participation
-Private responsibilities: The elements of responsible business conduct
Chapter 5. Managing Water Resources in the Agricultural Sector
-Recent trends and outlook
-OECD policy experiences and options for sustainable water resource management in agriculture

Lessons from Karachi: the Role of Demonstration, Documentation, Mapping and Relationship Building in Advocacy for improved Urban Sanitation and Water Services

Pervaiz, A., Rahman, P., and Hasan, A. (2008). Lessons from Karachi : the role of demonstration, documentation, mapping and relationship building in advocacy for improved urban sanitation and water services. (Human settlements discussion paper series. Theme: water ; 6). London, UK, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). 99 p. ISBN: 978-1-84369-712-1.

Download here

The aim of this study report is to highlight the importance of mapping and documentation, for effective relationship building and advocacy. The report discusses how demonstration of solutions and the documentation and mapping, which are at the heart of the Orangi Pilot Project- Research and Training Institute’s (OPP-RTI’s) work, established the grounds on which relations with both government and communities were built. It identifies formal and informal processes, underscoring how these relationships have been nurtured over time. Thus the report delves deeper into the process and strategy for advocacy than have the numerous other publications on OPP-RTI which have covered this aspect of the project only in brief.

See also the summary in id21, 01 March 2009

Akvopedia Sanitation Portal updated

Akvopedia, the open water and sanitation resource of Akvo.org, has updated its Sanitation Portal with over 50 technologies from the Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies, published by SANDEC/EAWAG and WSSCC in 2008.

World Bank Water Week 2009 presentations online

Water Week took place at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC from February 17-20, 2009. The event was organized by the Water Anchor in partnership with the Water Sector Board. Titled “Tackling Global Water Challenges”, the discussions focused on the urgent challenges currently faced by the water community including inter alia: adapting to climate change, responding to the food crisis, keeping the momentum for the MDGs, and dealing with the potential impact of the global economic crisis.

All presentations are now online here [for previous years see the World Bank Water Weeks presentation guide 2001-2007].

Below are links to some of the WASH-related presentations:

Africa

• Benin Rural Water Public Expenditures Review
• Improving Performance, The Role Of Governance: Burkina Faso
• Water Operators in Rural Areas in Cameroon: An Alternative that Works
• At Scale Hygiene and Sanitation Promotion in Ethiopia
• Ghana – Role Of Private Operator In Small Towns Water Supply
• Assessing Options for Reducing Health Risks in Irrigated Urban Farming:New Findings from Ghana
• Kenya Microfinance To Small Piped Water Supplies
• PPP In the Rural Water Supply Sector: The Senegalese Experience
• Public Expenditure Review in the Water Sector: The Case of Tanzania
• Private Sector Participation In Provision of Water Supply Services in Small Towns in Uganda
• Fostering Improved Performance Through Internal Contractualisation: Uganda
• Uganda Small Towns: Contractual Arrangements & Funds Flow
• Scaling Up Sanitation And Hygiene In Uganda
• WSS Services In Small Towns In Zambia

Asia

• Multipurpose Use of Water Resources – Bangladesh
• India – Effectiveness of Rural Water Schemes
• Helping Implementers Scale Up: Indonesia, India, and Tanzania
• Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Development Board – Nepal
• 24 /7 Managed by Rural Communities – Pakistan
• Effects Of Climate Change On Planning And Managing Water Services In The Potohar Region Of Pakistan
• Mobilizing Finance for Small Water Utilities: The Case of the Philippines
• Philippines Small Towns Water Utilities Performance
• Community Water Supply & Sanitation Project: Sri Lanka
• Poor-Inclusive Sanitation Planning and Development in Southeast Asia

Latin America

• Reuse Of Wastewater In Urban Agriculture In Metropolitan Lima, Perú

General – Hygiene and Sanitation

• Scaling Up Hygiene & Sanitation Effectively And Sustainably
• Community-Led Total Behavior Change in Hygiene and Sanitation
• Scaling Up Handwashing with Soap: Experiences and Lessons
• The Challenge Of Financing Sanitation At Household Level
• Condominial Water Supply And Sewerage Systems

General – Urban WASH

• A Practical Guide for Improving Water Supply and Sanitation Services to the Urban Poor
• Water And Climate Change: Technical Aspects Of Water Utilities
• The Small Towns Challenge and the Issue of Scale
• Economic Regulation and the Urban Poor
• Serving The Urban Poor: Lessons From Lusaka’s Peri-Urban Department
• Small Scale Providers: Alternative Or Complementary Solution?

Miscellaneous

• Using Multimedia Tools to Enhance Impact
• Creating and Sharing Water Knowledge Globally on Wikipedia
• Partnerships: Rethinking Poverty Alleviation In Times Of Crisis