Sustainability

According to Global Water Challenge, sustainability is one of the most pressing issues facing the WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) sector today. More than 30 percent of WASH projects fail after two to five years. Resources available to help address this challenge include guidance on operations and maintenance approaches, tools to estimate long-term costs, and other resources to support sustainability.

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Sustainability Resources

Planning for Climate Change in the West

Published: 
January 1, 2010
The National Institutes for Water Resources
Central to the mission of Western Lands and Communities is planning for climate change. This policy focus report began as a Lincoln Institute Working Paper by Rebecca Carter (2008) titled 'Land Use Planning and the Changing Climate of the West.' The paper highlights how local planners...Read more
Regional focus: 
North AmericaUnited StatesPacific

Sustainability of Donor-Assisted Rural Water Supply Projects

Published: 
April 1, 1994
U.S. Agency for International Development
Few projects in the rural water supply and sanitation (WS&S) sector have achieved full sustainability, according to this study. The study, written to assist in the planning and management of WS&S projects, can also be used by evaluators as a checklist of level of sustainability; it focuses...Read more
Regional focus: 
LesothoSub-Saharan Africa

Constraints in Providing Water and Sanitation Services to the Urban Poor

Published: 
March 1, 1993
U.S. Agency for International Development
The purpose of this report is to specify the key constraints that must be addressed for significant reform in the urban sector to occur. It is meant to be an informational tool, one that helps development planners understand and confront the problems that beset projects striving to bring water and...Read more

Models of Management Systems for the Operation and Maintenance of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Facilities

Published: 
February 1, 1993
U.S. Agency for International Development
This report considers the many issues and actors that influence the development of operations and maintenance management systems for rural water supply and sanitation facilities in developing countries. It describes models in eight representative countries and offers guidance to planners and...Read more
Regional focus: 
United States

Lessons Learned in Water, Sanitation and Health: Thirteen Years of Experience in Developing Countries

Published: 
January 1, 1993
U.S. Agency for International Development
Twenty lessons learned from the 13 years (1980-1993) of field work in the Water and Sanitation for Health (WASH) project are distilled in this report. in regard to TA, WASH teaches that: effective TA focuses on building local institutions by transferring sustainable skills; an active information...Read more

Sustainability Assessment for the Benin Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project

Published: 
August 1, 1992
U.S. Agency for International Development
The sustainability of the Benin Rural Water and Sanitation Project, scheduled for completion 9/92, is assessed. The project has successfully constructed wells and demonstration latrines; provided training to village health committees, government extension workers, and pump repair workers; and...Read more
Regional focus: 
BeninSub-Saharan Africa

Institutionalizing Community Management: Processes for Scaling Up

Published: 
May 1, 1992
U.S. Agency for International Development
The issue of sustainability of water and sanitation projects has emphasized different areas at different times. Initially, the focus of the sector was strictly technical and focused onengineering. At another point, the emphasis was seen as primarily an institutional question. More recently, the...Read more

Lessons Learned from the WASH Project: Ten Years of Water and Sanitation Experience in Developing Countries

Published: 
January 1, 1990
U.S. Agency for International Development
Some 10 years of experience in water supply and sanitation (WS&S) projects in 60 countries under USAID's Water and Sanitation for Health (WASH) Project are distilled into "lessons learned" in this report. The lessons -- 19 general lessons and 52 more specific ones -- are...Read more

Development of an Operations and Maintenance Strategy for Rural Water Supply in Zaire: Phase I Report

Published: 
May 1, 1989
U.S. Agency for International Development
In February 1989, the Water and Sanitation for Health (WASH) Project received a request for assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to the Republic of Zaire regarding operations and maintenance in rural water supply (RWS). This report contains the findings of...Read more
Regional focus: 
Congo, Democratic Republic of theSub-Saharan Africa

Upgrading Maintenance of Village Water Systems -- Start Up Report

Published: 
December 1, 1988
U.S. Agency for International Development
The purpose of this start-up report is to outline the approach to meeting the requirement of Tasks g. 5 (i), (ii), and (iii) of the USAID Contract No. 263-0182-C-8041-00 dated 23rd February, 1988. The main focus of these tasks are to improve the O&M of water systems in Egyptian villages...Read more
Regional focus: 
Egypt, Arab Rep.Middle East and North Africa

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