Failures of water supply and sanitation systems explained

Failures of water supply and sanitation systems describe situations where water supply and sanitation systems (also called WASH systems) have been put in place (for example by the government or by non-government organizations (NGOs) but have failed to meet the expected outcomes. Often this is due to poor planning, lack of choice of appropriate technology depending upon the context, insufficient stakeholder involvement at the various stages of the project and lack of maintenance. While Hygiene Behavior Change is important in achieving the health benefits of improved WASH systems, the achievement of sustainability of WASH infrastructure depends on creation of demand for sanitation services.[1] [2]

National government mapping and monitoring efforts as well as post-project monitoring by NGOs or researchers, have identified the failure of water supply systems (also known as water points, wells, boreholes, or similar) and sanitation systems (one part of sanitation systems are the toilets). The following sections provide examples of those failures sorted by country.

Monitoring

Some national and local governments monitor water services regularly. One example is the Sistema de Información de Agua y Saneamiento Rural (Rural Water and Sanitation Information System)[3] a monitoring system in Honduras and Nicaragua.

For organizations that work on WASH interventions, monitoring means using indicators to measure effectiveness of a development program. Some organizations or research organizations do "post-implementation monitoring", which occurs after the WASH intervention has been completed.

The Water Point Data Exchange (WPDx),[4] launched in 2015, is a global platform for sharing water point data collected by governments, non-profit organizations, researchers, and others.

Failures of water supply systems

Afghanistan

Belarus

Central African Republic

Croatia

Czech Republic

DR Congo

England & Wales

Liberia

Macedonia

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Multiple countries

Nepal

Pakistan

Scotland

Sierra Leone

South Asia

South Sudan

Eswatini

Timor-Leste

Failures of sanitation systems

Cambodia

Madagascar

Zambia

See also

Notes and References

  1. Abellán. Javier. Alonso. José Antonio. 2022. Promoting global access to water and sanitation: A supply and demand perspective. Water Resources and Economics. en. 38. 100194. 10.1016/j.wre.2022.100194. 246261266.
  2. Book: Jenkins. M. Pfeiffer. V. Etienne. J. Papers from Session 1 - 4 at the Financing Sanitation Symposium. Financing Sanitation Symposium. 2009. KfW. Frankfurt, German.
  3. Web site: SISTEMA DE INFORMACIÓN DE AGUA Y SANEAMIENTO RURAL. SIASAR. Governments of Panamá, Honduras and Nicaragua. 9 July 2015. SIASAR. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710182929/http://siasar.org/sistema/login.php. 10 July 2015. dead.
  4. Web site: Water Point Data Exchange. WPDx Working Group. WPDx.
  5. Web site: Vijselaar. Leendert. Clark. Keryn. Rivera. Javier. Estrada. Eric. National monitoring of Rural Water Supplies. Vimeo. WaterAid-IRC-RWSN. 9 July 2015.
  6. Web site: State-of-the-art in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka WASH for School Children Provisional Draft. 2012. 7 August 2015. UNICEF. UNICEF. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090415/http://www.unicef.org/wash/schools/files/UNICEF_WASH_for_School_Children_South_Asia_Report.pdf. dead.
  7. Book: European Union development assistance for drinking water supply and basic sanitation in Sub-Saharan countries – Community finance – EU Bookshop. 2012. 10.2865/10664. European Court of Auditors. Publications Office. 9789292378264 .
  8. Book: RWSN Executive Steering Committee. Myths of the Rural Water Supply Sector: RWSN Perspective No 4. RWSN. 2010. St Gallen, Switzerland.
  9. Book: Triple-S. Triple-S Briefing: Providing Reliable Rural Water Services That Last. IRC Water and Sanitation Centre. 2009. 2016-03-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304214051/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/20091112_triple-s-briefing_v2.pdf. dead.
  10. Web site: The sub-Saharan potential for household level water supply improvement. 2005. 15 August 2015. Sutton. Sally.
  11. Web site: Preliminary Desk Study of Potential for Self Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2004. 15 August 2015. Sutton.
  12. Web site: Situation Analysis of Arsenic Mitigation 2009. 2009. 13 August 2015. Academia. Government of Bangladesh.
  13. Web site: World Health Organization. Small-scale water supplies in the pan-European region. 23 July 2015. 2011.
  14. Web site: From adopt-a-project to permanent services: The evolution of Water For People's approach to rural water supply in Bolivia. 2013. 15 August 2015. Fogelberg. Kate.
  15. Web site: SNV Cambodia. Results are in: mapping the water supply in Chum Kiri. SNV World. SNV. 9 July 2015. SNVcambodia. 3 April 2014.
  16. The Central African Republic's Infrastructure : A Continental Perspective. Dominguez-Torres, Foster. Carolina, Vivien. 1 June 2011. World Bank. 6 August 2015.
  17. Web site: Small-scale water supplies in the pan-European region. 2011. 13 August 2015. World Health Organization.
  18. Web site: Schweitzer, Ryan. Mihelcic, James. Assessing sustainability of community management of rural water systems in the developing world. 23 July 2015. 2012.
  19. Book: Hambadiahana & Tolsma. Water Point Mapping in DR Congo. 2012.
  20. Web site: Functionality: The challenge to sustain rural water supply services. SNV. 2013.
  21. Web site: CRITERIOS Y ACCIONES PARA EL CUMPLIMIENTO DE LAS METAS DEL MILENIO EN AGUA Y SANEAMIENTO. 15 August 2015. OAS.
  22. Web site: Welle. Katharina. Williams. Jennifer. Monitoring and addressing governance factors affecting rural water supply sustainability. GWI West Africa. CARE. 9 July 2015. 20. 1 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710130604/http://www.gwieastafrica.org/media/GWI_RegionalGiFT_01_01_2014.pdf. 10 July 2015. dead.
  23. Web site: Beyene. FACTORS AFFECTING THE SUSTAINAB ILITY OF RURAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS: THE CASE OF MECHA WO REDA, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA. 22 July 2015.
  24. Web site: Debela, Tamene. Monitoring Water Supplies and Sanitation in Ethiopia. National WASH Inventory Office (NWI). 23 July 2015. April 2013.
  25. Web site: Stawicki, Stephanie. Assessing Water Scheme Functionality and Governance in South Gondar, Ethiopia. 23 July 2015. 2012.
  26. Web site: Achieving Water Security: Lessons from research in water supply, sanitation and hygiene in Ethiopia. 2013. 7 August 2015. Calow, Ludi, and Tucker. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924055242/http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/8606.pdf#page=90. dead.
  27. Web site: The Sustainability of Water Supply Schemes A case study in Mirab Abaya woreda. March 2008. 13 August 2015. Research-inspired Policy and Practice Learning in Ethiopia and the Nile region (Ripple). Deneke, Hawassa. Israel, Habtamu.
  28. Web site: Water Development in Ethiopia's Pastoral Areas. 2012. 15 August 2015. USAID. Nassef, Belayhun. Magda, Mulugeta.
  29. Web site: Human Development Reports. hdr.undp.org. 2015-08-15.
  30. Web site: World Vision US. The Key to Drilling Wells with Staying Power in the Developing World. PR Newswire. 9 July 2015. 2 September 2014.
  31. Web site: Ampadu-Boakye. Joseph. Hebert. Ryan. Cluster Management in Ghana. Safe Water Network. 9 July 2015. 9 March 2014.
  32. Samani, Destina. Destina. Apoya. Patrick. Sustainable Water Service Delivery Project: Study Findings. 2013 Water and Health Conference. October 2013. Chapel Hill, NC, USA. 2016-03-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083827/http://www.washmel.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/SWSD-project-oral-presentation-Final.pdf. dead.
  33. Web site: Adank. 1 Fact Sheet Water services in 3 Districts in Ghana. 22 July 2015.
  34. Web site: GHANA WATER COMPANY LIMITED – GWCL. www.gwcl.com.gh. 2015-08-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150506101950/http://www.gwcl.com.gh/pgs/history.php. 2015-05-06.
  35. Web site: Blanc, Othale. Bertrand, Fabienne. François, Réginald. Institutional strengthening and data reporting on key WASH indicators in rural Haiti. 22 July 2015.
  36. Web site: Wòch nan soley: The denial of the right to water in Haiti. Health and Human Rights. 2015-08-15.
  37. Web site: Harris. Benjamin. Understanding water services in India, house by house. IRCWASH. IRC. 9 July 2015. IRCIndia.
  38. Ray, I., 2004, in Zwane & Kremer, 2007. “Water for all? Peri-urban and rural water delivery options: The case of India.” Presentation: UC Berkeley Energy and Resources Group Fall Colloquium Series, 6 October.
  39. Web site: External evaluation of O&M of AP I schemes 16 June to 22 August 1989 : summary findings and recommendations :: IRC. www.ircwash.org. 2015-08-16.
  40. Web site: Resources – RWSN. www.rural-water-supply.net. 2015-08-16.
  41. Web site: Water Point Functionality Mapping. 2010. 7 August 2015. SNV. SNV.
  42. Web site: Behrens-Shah, Priya. Welterhungerhilfe. Sustainability of Water Systems in Kenya. 23 July 2015. 2011. 24 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150724000534/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/kenya_expost-final-report.pdf. dead.
  43. Web site: Water Supply and Sanitation in Kenya. 2009. 13 August 2015. Kenya Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
  44. Web site: Ethnic Diversity, Social Sanctions, and Public Goods in Kenya. 2004. 15 August 2015. Miguel. Edward. 16 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150616082116/http://eml.berkeley.edu/~emiguel/pdfs/miguel_tribes.pdf. dead.
  45. Web site: Government of the Republic of Liberia. WASH Sector Performance Report. 23 July 2015. 2013.
  46. Book: Uhl, Daw, Baron, Vincent, Ashish, and Jaclyn. How a City Gets its Drinking Water: A Case Study – Capital City of Monrovia, Liberia. 2012.
  47. Web site: Ryan. Peter. Madagascar WASH Sector Sustainability Check. UNICEF. 9 July 2015. January 2014. 10 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710220857/http://www.mineau.gov.mg/wp-content/uploads/filebasee/documentation/eauetassainissement/SC%20Final%20Report%20v1.pdf. dead.
  48. Web site: Public-Private Partnerships in Madagascar: a promising approach to increase sustainability of piped water supply systems in rural towns. 2013. 7 August 2015. USAID. Annis. Jonathan.
  49. Web site: Shaw. David. Manda. James. Exploring the long-term sustainability of water, sanitation and hygiene services in Salima district, Malawi. WaterAid. December 2013.
  50. Web site: Malawi Sector Performance Report 2011 Irrigation, Water and Sanitation. 23 April 2012. 7 August 2015. Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development.
  51. Web site: Operation and Maintenance of Rural Water Supplies in Malawi. 2008. 13 August 2015. Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for Development. Baumann, Danert. Erich, Kerstin.
  52. Web site: Operation and Maintenance of Rural Water Supplies in Malawi. 2008. 15 August 2015. Baumann, Danert. Erich, Kerstin.
  53. The Impact of Participation on Sustainability: An Analysis of the Malawi Rural Piped Scheme Program. World Development. 2000-05-01. 929–944. 28. 5. 10.1016/S0305-750X(99)00155-2. Elizabeth. Kleemeier.
  54. Sharing the recurrent costs of rural water services in four municipalities supported by WaterAid in Mali. Waterlines. 32. 4. 295–307. 2013. Practical Action Publishing. Jones. Stephen. 10.3362/1756-3488.2013.031.
  55. Web site: A study into rural water supply sustainability in Niassa province, Mozambique. March 2011. 14 August 2015. WaterAid. WaterAid. Jansz. Shamila.
  56. Web site: WWF7: Akvo Flow hits one million mark for field surveys. Dutch Water Sector. Akvo. 9 July 2015. Akvo.
  57. Web site: Government of Nepal. National Management Information Project (NMIP). 17 July 2015. 19 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150419220740/http://www.dwss.gov.np/content/49/NMIP_PROJECT. dead.
  58. Web site: FCG. NEPAL RURAL WA TER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR STUDY. 22 July 2015. May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20150723005614/http://www.codefnepal.org/uploaded/FCG%20Int%20_%20Nepal%20RWSS%20Study%20_%20Modality%20Analysis%20Report%20_Final%20Draft%2028%20May%202013.pdf. 23 July 2015. dead.
  59. Book: Functionality/Sustainability Thematic Working Group. Position Paper: Functionality of Water Supply Services. Nepal Thematic Working Group. 2010. Nepal. 2016-03-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304214047/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/position_paper_functionality_of_water_supply_services.pdf. dead.
  60. Web site: Nationwide Coverage and Functionality Status of Water Supply and Sanitation in Nepal. March 2011. 14 August 2015. National Management Information Project (NMIP). 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105157/http://dwss.gov.np/file/file_down/UBDryoNMIP_WatSan_Survey_2010_Report.pdf. dead.
  61. Web site: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Water Supply & Sanitation Interim Strategy Note November 2000. 2000. 15 August 2015. Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  62. Book: Independent Evaluation Department. Impact Evaluation Study of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation in Punjab, Pakistan. August 2009. August 20, 2015. Asian Development Bank.
  63. Calderon, J., 2004. Agua y saneamiento: El caso del Perú rural . Lima, Peru: ITDG.
  64. Web site: Estudios de base para la implementación de proyectos de agua y saneamiento en el área rura. 2003. 15 August 2015. WSP.
  65. Web site: Rehabilitación de Sistemas de Agua y Saneamiento Rural con Micro Crédito. 2005. 15 August 2015. WSP. https://web.archive.org/web/20150930092916/http://www.bvcooperacion.pe/biblioteca/bitstream/123456789/3753/1/BVCI0003101.pdf. 30 September 2015. dead.
  66. Web site: Rwanda District of Kicukiro Sectors of Gahanga, Kanombe, Kigrama and Masaka Baseline Data. 2011. 7 August 2015. Water for People. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304224146/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/kicukiro-score-card-2011.pdf. dead.
  67. Web site: Sierra Leone Waterpoint report. 2012. 6 August 2015. Sierra Leone WASH Sector Learning. Sierra Leone Ministry of Water Resources.
  68. Web site: Existing Water Access Points in The Districts Of Bo, Koinadugu And Tonkolili In Sierra Leone Water Point Survey. 2013. 7 August 2015. Fondation Pro Victimis. BOURGOIS, CAO, KONTEH, TRUAN,. REDON.
  69. Book: CSIR. Spot Check Assessments of MIG Water and Sanitation Projects. Water Affairs & Forestry Department of South Africa. 2007. Pretoria, South Africa. 2016-03-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304224127/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/migspotcheckapr07part1.pdf. dead.
  70. Web site: The Development of Effective Community Water Supply Systems Using Deep and Shallow Well Handpumps. 2000. 15 August 2015. Hazelton. Derek. 29 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150929191055/http://www.wrc.org.za/Knowledge%20Hub%20Documents/Research%20Reports/TT%20132-00-DEVELOPING%20COMM.pdf. dead.
  71. Book: World Bank and Oxford University Press. World Development Report 2004: Making Services Work for Poor People. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. 2004. Washington DC.
  72. Web site: Leclert. Assessment of the functionality of hand – pump boreholes drilled through the Basic Service s Fund, South Sudan. 22 July 2015. 2014.
  73. Book: Water & Sanitation Point Mapping Pilot Project Report 2012. Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland Ministry of Natural Resources & Energy. 2012. 2016-03-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304142239/https://improveinternational.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/swaziland-water-point-mapping-report-2012l.pdf. dead.
  74. Book: Rural Water Supply Board. Government of Swaziland. 2005. in Nkambule and Peter, 2012.
  75. Web site: Government of Tanzania. Water Point Mapping Tanzania. 17 July 2015.
  76. Web site: Welle, Katharina. Williams, Jennifer. REGIONAL APPROACH PAPER Monitoring and addressing governance factors affecting rural water supply sustainability. Global Water Initiative. 5 August 2015. January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710130604/http://www.gwieastafrica.org/media/GWI_RegionalGiFT_01_01_2014.pdf. 10 July 2015. dead.
  77. Web site: Listening to Dar. 22 July 2015. 2012.
  78. Web site: Addressing the Sustainability Crisis Lessons from research on managing rural water projects. 2009. 13 August 2015. WaterAid. WaterAid Tanzania. Taylor. Ben.
  79. Web site: Water point mapping: The channel to accountability. 2014. 14 August 2015. SNV. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924103539/http://www.snvworld.org/en/regions/world/our-work/stories/smart-development-stories/water-point-mapping-the-channel-to. dead.
  80. Web site: Covalima District Rural Water Supply Management Study. 2008. 14 August 2015. Oxfam.
  81. Web site: Truelove. Sustainability of Community Managed Rural Water Supply in Post-Conflict Regions of Northern Uganda. 20 July 2015.
  82. Web site: Ministry of Water and Environment Republic of Uganda. Sector Performance Reports.
  83. Web site: SNV. Functionality of Rural Water Supply Service in Africa. 20 July 2015.
  84. Mugumya. Enabling community-based water management systems: governance and sustainability of rural point-water facilities in Uganda. November 2013. Dublin City University. 20 July 2015. doctoral.
  85. Web site: Welle, Katharina. Williams, Jennifer. REGIONAL APPROACH PAPER Monitoring and addressing governance factors affecting rural water supply sustainability. Global Water Initiative. January 2014.
  86. Nekesa, Jacinta. Kulanyi, Rashidah. District hand pump mechanics associations in Uganda for improved operation and maintenance of rural water-supply systems. Waterlines. 31. 3. 170–183. 10.3362/1756-3488.2012.019. 2012.
  87. Web site: Abisa, Joseph. Smits, Stef. Bey, Valerie. Level of service received by water users in eight districts in Uganda. Triple-S. 22 July 2015. 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074752/http://www.waterservicesthatlast.org/media/publications/briefing_note_levels_of_service_received_by_users. 4 March 2016. dead.
  88. Web site: Uganda Water Supply Atlas. 2010. 7 August 2015. Ministry of Water and Environment, Republic of Uganda.
  89. Web site: The Role of Communities in the Management of Improved Water Supply Systems. 1993. 15 August 2015. IRC.
  90. Web site: AN EVALUATION OF THE SUSTAINABILITY OF A WATER SUPPLY PROJECT IN MT DARWIN DISTRICT: ZIMBABWE. 2009. 13 August 2015. University of Zimbabwe.
  91. Creating demand for sanitation and hygiene through Community Health Clubs: A cost-effective intervention in two districts in Zimbabwe. Social Science & Medicine. 2005-11-01. 1958–1970. 61. 9. 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.04.012. Juliet. Waterkeyn. Sandy. Cairncross. 15927329.
  92. UNICEF (2012): "WASH for School Children. State-of-the-art in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka" . Provisional draft (retrieved 16 July 2015)
  93. WSP (Water and Sanitation Programme) (March 2012): "Economic Assessment of Sanitation Interventions in Cambodia. A six-country study conducted in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines and Vietnam under the Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI)". (retrieved 16 July 2015)
  94. McConville, J., Rosemarin, A. (2012). Urine diversion dry toilets and greywater system, Erdos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China – Case study of sustainable sanitation projects. Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA)
  95. Flores, A. (2010). Towards sustainable sanitation: evaluating the sustainability of resource-oriented sanitation. PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, UK
  96. Book: Rosemarin. Arno. McConville. Jennifer. Flores. Amparo. Qiang. Zhu. The challenges of urban ecological sanitation : lessons from the Erdos eco-town project. 2012. Practical Action Publishers. 978-1853397684. 116.
  97. Tyndale-Biscoe, Paul; Bond, Matthew; Kidd, Ross (December 2013): "ODF sustainability study". PLAN. (retrieved 16 July 2015)
  98. Book: Evaluating the effectiveness of public finance for household sanitation in the state of Bihar, India. Trémolet. Sophie. WaterAid & SHARE. 2013. Binder. D. 2016-03-06. 2015-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20150929165208/http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/194510/Default.aspx. dead.
  99. Ryan, Peter (January 2014): "Madagascar WASH Sector Sustainability Check" . Final Report (Draft), UNICEF. (retrieved 16 July 2015)
  100. Anso, Thom (2 May 2013): "South Africa: School Toilets in Shocking State". All Africa. (retrieved 16 July 2015)
  101. Nyambe. Sikopo. Agestika. Lina. Yamauchi. Taro. 2020-05-13. The improved and the unimproved: Factors influencing sanitation and diarrhoea in a peri-urban settlement of Lusaka, Zambia. PLOS ONE. en. 15. 5. e0232763. 10.1371/journal.pone.0232763. 1932-6203. 7219762. 32401762. 2020PLoSO..1532763N. free.