Rural water supply and Rural water supply and sanitationsanitation

JN BhagwanJN Bhagwan

• 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

• Over short space of Over short space of time WSS became time WSS became one of the one of the important activity important activity areas in the WRCareas in the WRC

• WSS addressed WSS addressed across WRC across WRC portfoliosportfolios

• Projects completed Projects completed equals +/- 140equals +/- 140

• Research addresses:Research addresses:– Technical aspectsTechnical aspects– Institutional aspectsInstitutional aspects– Water Quality issuesWater Quality issues– Health and hygiene Health and hygiene

issuesissues– Community participation Community participation

and managementand management– Monitoring and Monitoring and

evaluationevaluation– Water resource and Water resource and

availabilityavailability

AchievementsAchievements

• Fog water collectionFog water collection• HandpumpsHandpumps• Decision support systems for the development of rural water Decision support systems for the development of rural water

supply schemes. The DBSA and DWAF (through a NORAD supply schemes. The DBSA and DWAF (through a NORAD funded programme on groundwater supply and sanitation) funded programme on groundwater supply and sanitation) have taken ownership of this system.have taken ownership of this system.

• Low-cost air-lift groundwater pump developed for use in rural Low-cost air-lift groundwater pump developed for use in rural settlementssettlements

• The gender dimension of the water policy and its impact on The gender dimension of the water policy and its impact on water and sanitation provision and managementwater and sanitation provision and management

• Training guidelines for participatory water resource Training guidelines for participatory water resource management at catchment management area scalesmanagement at catchment management area scales

• Management guidelines for water services provisionManagement guidelines for water services provision• SDSS – Sanitation technology selection support toolSDSS – Sanitation technology selection support tool

Current initiativesCurrent initiatives

• WSS addressed in KSA WSS addressed in KSA on Water Use and Waste on Water Use and Waste ManagementManagement– KSA focuses mainly on the KSA focuses mainly on the

domestic, industrial and domestic, industrial and mining water sectors. mining water sectors.

• Two main thrusts or Two main thrusts or areas cover water and areas cover water and sanitation issues, these sanitation issues, these being:being:– Thrust 1: Water Services - Thrust 1: Water Services -

Institutional and Institutional and Management IssuesManagement Issues

– Thrust 2: Water Supply Thrust 2: Water Supply and Treatment and Treatment TechnologyTechnology

Focus areas Focus areas

• Cost-recovery in water Cost-recovery in water serviceservice

• Institutional and Institutional and management issues – management issues – water serviceswater services

• Innovative management Innovative management arrangements - rural arrangements - rural water supplywater supply

• Rural sanitation and Rural sanitation and hygiene educationhygiene education

• Peri-urban sanitation Peri-urban sanitation researchresearch

• Water treatment for rural Water treatment for rural communitiescommunities

Focus areaFocus area• Groundwater ProgrammeGroundwater Programme

– Most rural communities in South Africa Most rural communities in South Africa depend on groundwater resources for depend on groundwater resources for their domestic water use needs.their domestic water use needs.

– A research programme focuses on A research programme focuses on better understanding of groundwater better understanding of groundwater resources in fractured rock aquifers, as resources in fractured rock aquifers, as 90% of aquifers found occurs in these 90% of aquifers found occurs in these domains.domains.

Future ChallengesFuture Challenges

• Sustaining WSS services Sustaining WSS services delivery and implementationdelivery and implementation

• Strengthening local capacity, Strengthening local capacity, O&MO&M

• Measuring improvement in Measuring improvement in quality of lifequality of life

• Meeting expectations for Meeting expectations for higher levels of servicehigher levels of service

• Infrastructure managementInfrastructure management• Maintaining community Maintaining community

involvementinvolvement• Improving technical aspectsImproving technical aspects• Developing new technical Developing new technical

solutionssolutions• Strengthening institutional Strengthening institutional

capacitycapacity