Local Governance
Local governance for improved WASH services requires transformation at local level with the active support of institutions and policy makers at regional / provincial and national level. This includes the establishment of an enabling and supportive framework with resources and responsibilities devolved to local government so that it has the authority and the capacity to provide sustainable services. With stakeholder participation at local level and support from the broader water and sanitation sector, decentralised WASH services stand a fighting chance of success.
Absence of essential benchmark information on governance hampers investment in water sector
02 Dec 09
The absence of essential information needed to benchmark Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria performance is a serious impediment to investment and policy decisions in the water and sanitation services sector. This is an important conclusion from a recent survey by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility that examined the drinking water and sanitation services sector through the lens of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. The purpose of the report is to aid the growing number of responsible investors — institutions and individuals — concerned about the impacts and long-term sustainability of investments in this vital but controversial sector.
“The question for responsible investors is not one of ownership but of performance: how to identify water utilities that are financially sound and have demonstrated success in building natural, social and moral capital, whether they be government- or investor-owned,” the authors write.
South Africa: municipal failures put decentralisation at risk
03 Nov 09
Water service delivery failures at municipal level are a widespread and fundamental problem in South Africa. All year (2009) there have been recurring stories in the press of poor communities receiving sub-standard basic services, and sometimes no services at all. Municipalities continue to receive qualified audits, to have service delivery backlogs that have scarcely reduced in a decade and to be plagued by poor physical infrastructure.
South Africa: Citizens’ voice acted on in regulation of services
20 Oct 09
The “Raising the Citizens’ Voice in the Regulation of Services” is a public education initiative by the National Regulator in South Africa. The first pilot project began in Cape Town in 2006 covering four townships demonstrated its value through reduced water losses and increased payment levels. It was so successful that it scaled-up in Cape Town and spread to a few other municipalities. Not without challenges though.
Regulating water services in Kenya
18 Aug 09
Robert Nduati Gakobia of the Water Services Regulatory Board, Kenya talks about the practice of four years experience on regulating water services in his country with Jean de La Harpe, South African expert from IRC on local governance and decentralisation of water and sanitation services.
Andhra Pradesh: shift to adaptive managing water demand needed
13 Aug 09
There are no quick fixes for the complex water-related challenges facing Andhra Pradesh. What is clear is that policies, institutional procedures and other aspects of water governance are needed that are firmly rooted in the principles of ‘adaptive management’.
Evaluating & Improving the WASH Sector - Strengthening WASH Governance, Learning about Complexity, Assessing Change
01 Jul 09
Over recent decades, several events and trends resulted in an increased focus on development agencies’ results, hence an increased demand for quantitative measurement in general, and impact evaluation in particular.
Read more or download TOP23_EvaluatingWASH.pdf (1.91 MB)
Uganda: IRC and local partners start improved WASH governance project in West Nile
12 Feb 09
IRC and two local partners have started a project to strengthen WASH governance in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda, by strengthening and supporting dialogue between elected leaders and technical staff, NGOs, CBOs and businesses in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector.
"Thanks for useful insights and discussions on local water governance in the Middle East"
23 Oct 08
"I am proud to know Ton Schouten and Patrick Moriarty of the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre and Peter Laban of CARE International. I thank them for their useful insights and discussions on local water governance in the Middle East".
Right to Water sites
List of web sites relevant to "Right to Water", compiled by Cor Dietvorst
Good governance for WASH
15 Feb 08
The problems facing those who plan and provide WASH services are well rehearsed – lack of resources and capacity, confused political will, incomplete decentralisation, lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities, competing sectoral interests, lack of involvement of key players in decision making, over-reliance on donors, corruption, lack of cost recovery etc. etc.
