WASHCost project
The WASHCost Project (2008-2012) in which IRC and partners are involved, researches the life-cycle costs of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in rural and peri-urban areas in four countries. The rationale is that WASH governance will improve at all levels, as decision makers and stakeholders analyse the costs of sustainable, equitable and efficient services and put their knowledge to use.
The WASHCost project website
Read all about the WASHCost project on its website. The WASHCost website aims to share good quality information on the project which is being implemented with local partners in Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, and Mozambique. Twelve frequently asked questions on the new site will help you understand what the project is about. Stories from the different countries give insight into why this project is needed.
Key messages from applying the life-cycle cost approach to sanitation
Research conducted by WASHCost has highlighted just how little is known about what communities invest in toilets, sanitation and hygiene. The analysis of costs and service levels is providing the best available data based on expenditures of governments, programmes and households – as illustrated with findings from rural and peri-urban areas and small towns in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mozambique.
“WASH services that last” focus in 2011
How can WASH services be built to last? This critical question for sustainable services will be given a special focus in the four Source feature issues planned for 2011. In each issue we will publish stories that will be tagged as “WASH services that last”.
Lessons from 18 months knowledge sharing and IT within WASHCost
Slowly but surely the approach chosen, methods and tools used and efforts made within the WASHCost project on knowledge sharing, information management, communication and IT use start to bear fruits and get recognition.
Real costs and benefits of water and sanitation
Cost information is key to advocacy of sustainable water and sanitation services. According to Clarissa Brocklehurst, Head of Water, Environment and Sanitation Section, UNICEF is starting to look into the full life-cycle cost in order to justify investments as other sectors do (health and education).
