Water in Emergencies

1. Water in Emergencies Session 10 Operation & Maintenance and Sustainability in Medium – Longer Term, Chronic & Transitional Contexts W10

2. Who should be responsible for O&M of emergency WASH facilities ? W10

3. Operation & Maintenance (O&M) • Different models • Large systems or camps? • Dispersed, medium or long term? • Be clear: • Who is responsible? • Who will pay – minor, major? • Time-frame? W10

4. Options for Management & O&M • Government / local authority managed • INGO, LNGO managed (for camps) • Community managed • Community group managed – e.g. an existing women’s group • Small scale private providers • Household managed (the easiest for sustainability) • Combinations & variations of the above W10

5. Options for Management & O&M Consider: • Capacity to manage over the medium – longer term • Capacity to raise funds to cover costs & mange funds effectively • The level of community coherence – more risks for community management when limited community coherence W10

6. Operation & Maintenance (O&M) • Operation and maintenance may include: • Regular hygiene / cleaning (maintenance) • Addition of fuel, payment of operators (operation) • Regular servicing of mechanical equipment (preventative) • Repairing broken or worn out structures / parts (responsive) • Particular care - on maintenance of: • Generators, pumps • Taps and soak pits & damage caused by erosion • Latrines W10

7. Operation & Maintenance vs Water Technology W10

8. Summaries of O&M by Technology Type Brikké, F & Bredero, M (2003) ‘Linking Technology Choice with Operation and Maintenance in the Context of Community Water Supply and Sanitation, A reference document for planners and project staff’, WHO & IRC, Netherlands Technology O&M sheets include information on: • The technology • Main O&M activities • Actors & their roles • O&M technical requirements – activity & frequency; materials & spare parts; tools & equipment • Potential problems W10

9. What are the contextual changes which happen during the different phases of emergencies which will affect O&M? W10

10. Emergency O&M can have longer term implications for sustainability during recovery and development W10

11. Need to consider sustainability in vulnerable contexts because… • Most benefit from funding accountability to the beneficiaries • Agencies work in same areas for number of years - even if short funding time frames • Not considering sustainability can have wider longer term negative impacts for effective development W10

12. Exercise:What factors affect the sustainability of water systems W10

13. Factors Which Affect Sustainability • External: • Government - legislation, policies, support, efficiency • Availability of resources – water, spares, funding • Coordination – standardisation of approach • Risks from natural disasters, conflicts & vulnerability. • Internal: • Community – leadership, capacity, commitment • Finance – availability and management of funds • Gender divisions, inequity & social cohesion • Technology – appropriate, O&M • Environmental sustainability. W10

14. Additional Factors Which Affect Sustainability in ‘Vulnerable’ Contexts • Conflicts • Areas with marginalised groups and those neglected or targeted by governments • Resource based conflicts • Communities badly affected by HIV / AIDS • Natural disasters W10

15. Definition of Sustainability A service is sustainable when: • It functions and is being used. • It is able to deliver an appropriate level of benefits (quality, quantity, convenience, comfort, continuity, affordability, efficiency, equity, reliability, health). • It continues over a prolonged period of time (which goes beyond the life-cycle of the equipment). • Its management is institutionalized (community management, gender perspective, partnership with local authorities, involvement of formal / informal private sector) • It’s O&M, administrative and replacement costs are covered at local level (through user fees, or alternative financial mechanisms) • It can be operated and maintained at local level with limited but feasible, external support (technical assistance, training, monitoring). • It does not affect the environment negatively. Brikké, F (2000) ‘Operation and Maintenance of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Systems, A training package for managers and planners’, IRC International Water & Sanitation Centre, WHO, Water Supply & Collaborative Council, Operation & Maintenance Network W10

16. Common reasons for failure of community managed water systems over medium / longer term Research has noted - failure of community managed water systems* is due to: 80% - social relationship & management problems 20% - technology problems * In development contexts W10

17. Reasons for Failure • Government or local authority does not have capacity (staffing, finance, transport) to undertake O&M on its own • Limited access to, disputes over, or misuse of money in community • Breakdown of relationship between committees & the community • Main users of water (often women) excluded from decision making & management of systems • Lack of a sense of ownership & presence of alternative sources • Lack of access to basic spare parts W10

18. Loss of community coherence Equipment may be looted or damaged Less money available to pay for fuel or repairs Additional challenges Spares less available Trained people may have been displaced, have died or have been killed (conflict) Additional Challenges - Emergency Contexts W10

19. O&M and sustainability in medium - longer term, chronic & transitional contextslooking at community management W10

20. Community Management • Supporting sustainable water supplies / systems is not easy • Simply setting up committees, training a few people & leaving a box of spares - is usually not enough • But communities can succeed if programmes are appropriately designed W10

21. Engage the whole community in decision making & ensure they know the processes for management, finance and O&M REDR Colombia S House / ACF • Key decisions - made or approved by whole community • Women involved in decision making - as well as men • Regular audit / checking process for the finances • Engage the village elders - help with conflict resolution • Discuss mechanisms for the poorest community members to access water W10

22. If supporting water committee model for management • Use existing committees and structures – where possible • Involve local authorities and / or organisations • Agree structure so both women and men can participate (1 or 2 committees) and input into decisions • If 1 committee mix of women & men and both in leadership positions • Involve committee(s) in all stages of the project process Uganda S House / MSF-OCBA • Provide on-going back-up support W10

23. If supporting water committee model for management Ensure that the members know: • Their roles & responsibilities • How to manage finances • Importance of keeping wider community informed - particularly on decisions made / finances • Where to go if there are problems – for technical assistance / external facilitation / conflict resolution • How to operate and maintain the facilities & to purchase spares W10

24. Ownership & Level of Service Prioritise simple technologies appropriate to the capacity of the community Colombia S House / ACH Displaced community, Villa Luz, in Colombia further developed their water system on their own to include private connections – the communities sense of ownership & hence willingness to maintain was clear Colombia S House / ACH W10

25. Training Community Members in O&M Liberia S House / ACF Don’t just train one person on O&M – train 5, if two leave, one passes away, two will still remain Train both women and men in O&M Employment opportunities for women as well as men REDR W10

26. Easy to Replace Spares Spare parts supplier Liberia S House / ACF Ensure spares - readily available at a reasonable distance & communities’ know their cost and where to get them Lao PDR S House / ACF W10

27. Security & Environment Additional security measures may be required in urban areas S House Deforestation around water sources – drying up of springs Protect areas of water sources with local by-laws & community engagement Care on location of water points in dryland areas Deep boreholes in dryland areas & high pumping rates – assess aquifer capacity and monitor water levels Colombia S House / ACH W10

28. Role of intermediate level actors in sustainable community managed systems “… being in charge does not mean being left unsupported” “There is a clear role for a support structure at the ‘intermediate’ levels such as the district, municipality or ward… to deal with the limitations of communities in management, to support communities and to act as an outside facilitator” “In fact the role of the ‘outsider’ is probably the single most overlooked concept in community management” Schouten, T & Moriarty (2003) Community Water, Community Management, From System to Service in Rural Areas, ITDG Publishing – a study of 22 communities in community management in 6 countries in Africa, Asia & Latin America over a 4 year period W10

29. Good practice in working towards sustainability in vulnerable contexts • Work with the local communities (women, men & different groups) through all stages • Work with the local authorities through all stages – for longer term back up support when external agencies have gone • Work in partnership with local organisations • Understand the risks to sustainability – to design appropriate response W10

30. Good practice in working towards sustainability in vulnerable contexts • Integrate water, hygiene promotion, sanitation • Continue occasional back-up support to communities for as long as possible: • Over several project periods • Allocate a % of project funds for back-stopping to support confidence building for O&M • Simple systems, appropriate to capacity of community, with locally available spares & skills, standardised handpumps • Prepare exit strategies from as early in programmes as possible W10

31. Acknowledgement Much of the material in this session has been based on a recent research of good practice by the Action Contre la Faim International Network (ACF-IN), 2008 ‘How to Make WASH Projects Sustainable and Successfully Disengage in Vulnerable Contexts; A practical manual of recommendations & good practices based on a case study of ACF-IN water, sanitation & hygiene projects’ http://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/publications/technique-et-recherche/ouvrages-et-fascicules-techniques/ W10