Global prospects to deliver safe drinking water services for 100 million rural people by 2030
REACH Working Paper 2021 (12):68 pp 25 ref
; 2021.
Article
in English
| CAB Abstracts | ID: covidwho-2274246
ABSTRACT
The climate crisis and global pandemic have accelerated the urgency of providing safe drinking water services around the world. Global progress to safe drinking water is off-track with uncertain and limited data on the extent and performance of rural water service providers to inform policy and investment decisions. This report documents a global diagnostic survey to evaluate the status and prospects of rural water service providers from 68 countries. The service providers describe providing drinking water services to a population of around 15 million people through over 3 million waterpoints. The data provides information on the scale and sustainability of rural water services to examine . The extent and type of professional water service provision in rural areas globally;. Self-reported metrics of operational and financial performance;and, . The size and scope of current rural service providers that could transition to resultsbased funding. Five major findings emerge. First, most service providers aim to repair broken infrastructure in three days or less. Second, almost all service providers reported at least one type of water safety activity. Third, most service providers collect payments for water services. Fourth, about one third of service providers reported major negative shocks to their operations from the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifth, non-governmental service providers in low income countries less often report receiving subsidies for operations, and more often report paying part of user fees to government, including through taxes. Most rural water service providers are working towards provision of affordable, safe and reliable drinking water services. Key barriers to progress include sustainable funding and delivery of services at scale. We propose four conditions to promote scale and sustainability based on policy alignment, public finance, professional service delivery, and verifiable data. To illustrate these conditions, we consider the differing context and service delivery approaches in the Central African Republic and Bangladesh. We conclude by identifying a group of 77 service providers delivering water services for about 5 million people in 28 countries. These 77 service providers report operational metrics consistent with a results-based contracting approach. Technical assistance might support many more to progress. We argue that government support and investment is needed to rapidly progress to the scale of 100 million people to provide evidence of pathways to universal drinking water services for billions more.
Water Resources [PP200], Public Services and Infrastructure [UU300], Investment; Finance and Credit [EE800], Natural Resource Economics [EE115], Rural Development [UU850], Policy and Planning [EE120], Information and Documentation [CC300], Agencies and Organizations [DD100], Rural Sociology [UU800], Erosion: Soil and Water Conservation [PP400], services, rural areas, sustainability, drinking water, reservoirs, policy, water resources, water security, subsidies, government, public services, climate change, decision making, fees, finance, funding, income, information, investment, public finance, rural development, taxes, man, Bangladesh, Central African Republic, low income countries
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Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
CAB Abstracts
Language:
English
Journal:
REACH Working Paper 2021 (12):68 pp 25 ref
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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