Research addressing Research addressing Sanitation & the poorSanitation & the poor

JN BhagwanJN Bhagwan

IntroductionIntroduction

• WRC strategy recognises WRC strategy recognises sanitation as a critically sanitation as a critically important area of research, important area of research, which is needed to support which is needed to support accelerated delivery and accelerated delivery and coverage.coverage.

• WRC supports the definition of WRC supports the definition of Sanitation as defined in the Sanitation as defined in the Sanitation White Paper. Sanitation White Paper.

• Sanitation has many cross-Sanitation has many cross-cutting impacts on areas of cutting impacts on areas of water resources, agriculture, water resources, agriculture, environment etc.environment etc.

• The subject area is mainly The subject area is mainly attended to in WRC’s KSA of attended to in WRC’s KSA of Water Use and Waste Water Use and Waste Management, within the thrusts Management, within the thrusts of Water Services Institutional of Water Services Institutional and Management Issues and and Management Issues and Water Supply and Treatment.Water Supply and Treatment.

Sanitation initiativesSanitation initiatives

• WRC foray into CWSS area WRC foray into CWSS area early 90”searly 90”s

• Many projects initiated aimed Many projects initiated aimed at promoting the concepts of at promoting the concepts of community based approaches community based approaches and introducing appropriate and introducing appropriate WSS technologiesWSS technologies

• Strategic interventions include Strategic interventions include seminars and workshops seminars and workshops

• Studies undertaken to fill the Studies undertaken to fill the gap in data and knowledgegap in data and knowledge

• Impact achieved – information Impact achieved – information and knowledge used into and knowledge used into formulation of the RDP Water formulation of the RDP Water and Sanitation strategy and and Sanitation strategy and the White Paper on WSS the White Paper on WSS

• A comprehensive A comprehensive portfolio of some 60 portfolio of some 60 research reports research reports presently available in presently available in this short space of timethis short space of time

• Covers a wide range of Covers a wide range of issues related to issues related to policy, technology policy, technology choice, community and choice, community and institutional dynamic, institutional dynamic, economics etc. economics etc.

ChallengesChallenges• Accelerating sanitation Accelerating sanitation

deliverydelivery

• Improving hygiene Improving hygiene practices related to practices related to WSSWSS

• Sustainability of Sustainability of technology and servicetechnology and service

• Sanitation provision in Sanitation provision in urban areasurban areas

• Improving technology Improving technology optionsoptions

• Operation and Operation and management issues.management issues.

• Higher levels of serviceHigher levels of service

Some highlightsSome highlights

• Sanitation Financial planning models for water services Sanitation Financial planning models for water services – adopted by DBSA as a norm for fund applications and – adopted by DBSA as a norm for fund applications and provided framework for WSDPsprovided framework for WSDPs

• Improving sanitation on farmsImproving sanitation on farms• Handbook to guide communities on sanitation choicesHandbook to guide communities on sanitation choices• SSPRA – onsite sanitation planning and reporting aid.SSPRA – onsite sanitation planning and reporting aid.• Review of sanitation in urban and rural areas, fed into Review of sanitation in urban and rural areas, fed into

Watsan 2000 and RDPWatsan 2000 and RDP• Shallow sewerage technology and its relevance for SAShallow sewerage technology and its relevance for SA• Realtionship between water use, sanitation practices Realtionship between water use, sanitation practices

and hygieneand hygiene

Focus areaFocus areaRural sanitation and hygiene educationRural sanitation and hygiene education

The focus of research within this programme is on approaches to motivate The focus of research within this programme is on approaches to motivate households to take an active role in improving their sanitation facilities and households to take an active role in improving their sanitation facilities and adopting hygienic practices. adopting hygienic practices.

Innovative management arrangements - rural water supplyInnovative management arrangements - rural water supplyThe focus of research within this programme is to provide support to water The focus of research within this programme is to provide support to water service institutions with special reference to sustainable cost-recovery and service institutions with special reference to sustainable cost-recovery and implementation of the free basic water policy; key performance indicators implementation of the free basic water policy; key performance indicators for monitoring and evaluation of service delivery; guidelines for sound for monitoring and evaluation of service delivery; guidelines for sound management of water service institutions and development of effective management of water service institutions and development of effective strategies for promoting an integrated approach to rural development.strategies for promoting an integrated approach to rural development.

Peri-urban sanitation researchPeri-urban sanitation researchThe aim of this programme is to provide research support to sanitation in The aim of this programme is to provide research support to sanitation in informal and developing urban areas. Until recently the focus of sanitation informal and developing urban areas. Until recently the focus of sanitation has been on rural areas, but the situation in urban areas is much more has been on rural areas, but the situation in urban areas is much more critical and volatile in terms of public health. Urban sanitation differs from critical and volatile in terms of public health. Urban sanitation differs from rural sanitation issues related to institutional arrangements, community rural sanitation issues related to institutional arrangements, community dynamics and management of interventions. Due to the high densities, dynamics and management of interventions. Due to the high densities, technical choices are more complex where an affordable and sustainable technical choices are more complex where an affordable and sustainable service is to be provided. Outcomes from this programme will support service is to be provided. Outcomes from this programme will support local authorities in implementing sustainable solutions, which cater for local authorities in implementing sustainable solutions, which cater for both the user and institutions needs.both the user and institutions needs.

Drinking water qualityDrinking water qualityThe programme aims to protect human health by ensuring that water The programme aims to protect human health by ensuring that water supplies and sanitation are of acceptable quality and standards. Outcomes supplies and sanitation are of acceptable quality and standards. Outcomes include improve analysis and methodologies, treatment and hygiene include improve analysis and methodologies, treatment and hygiene practices.practices.

Way AheadWay Ahead

• Continue to develop Continue to develop innovative strategies innovative strategies and methodologies to and methodologies to support the acceleration support the acceleration of sanitationof sanitation

• Address emerging Address emerging urban sanitation issues urban sanitation issues

• Support improved Support improved sanitation technology sanitation technology and its sustainabilityand its sustainability

• Contribute to Contribute to sustainabilitysustainability