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.
WASHCost campaign - focus on training
26 Feb 13
The last focus in the WASHCost campaign is on training. WASHCost promotes the life-cycle costs approach which calculates the long-term costs of lasting Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Services. You can also learn how to do this by registering for the free online course on Costing Sustainable Services.
Read more about the WASHCost campaign and the free online training
Funding recurrent costs for improved rural water services - infosheet 3
10 Dec 12
Rural water services in WASHCost research countries are chronically underfunded, with insufficient resources to provide and sustain a basic level of service that meets national norms and standards. In communities researched by WASHCost, most people did not receive this basic minimum, although they were covered by an improved water source according to national and Joint Monitoring Programme data
The cost of sustaining sanitation services for 20 years - infosheet 2
25 Oct 12
Expenditure on sanitation in countries where WASHCost has carried out research is too low, and is focused almost entirely on the capital costs of building latrines. There is a striking difference between the expenditure required to provide a basic service and what is actually being spent. Too little is being spent on stimulating and sustaining demand for hygienic latrine use and on ensuring that latrines are kept clean and in good repair. The absence of arrangements for pit emptying and measures to ensure environmental protection is adversely affecting service levels. Download the infosheet and learn more about the true costs of providing sanitation services.
Providing a basic level of water and sanitation services that last: cost benchmarks - Infosheet 1
25 Oct 12
Over the past four years WASHCost teams in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Andhra Pradesh (India) and Mozambique have collected, validated and analysed cost and service level information for water, sanitation and hygiene.
This Infosheet provides an overview of the minimum benchmarks for costing sustainable basic services in developing countries. They have been derived from the WASHCost dataset and the best available cost data from other organisations all over the world. They are therefore based on the most comprehensive and comparable data on water costs and service levels available for developing countries in rural and peri-urban areas. The benchmarks are useful for planning, assessing sustainability from a cost perspective and for monitoring value for money.
First online course on costing sustainable WASH services in October 2012
WASHCost is developing a free online course to assist water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) professionals around to world with applying life-cycle costing in their work and organisation. The online course can be used by sector professionals with little or no experience of life-cycle costing. Participants can gain a basic understanding of life-cycle costing and how the approach can be applied.
WASHCost calculator: prototype in development
In March 2012, IRC began developing a prototype of an online tool - the WASHCost calculator. The WASHCost calculator is envisioned as a tool that allows the WASH sector to better plan, budget, manage and evaluate WASH service delivery models. Further development of the prototype was discussed on 11 July 2012, as part of the final WASHCost project team meeting. The WASHCost calculator prototype is planned for release in October 2012, during the sustainable WASH services online course.
“Moving from no sanitation to limited service will cost households 2.5 times more than originally spent”, says André Uandela
André Uandela - Country Director WASHCost Mozambique stated that in order for a household to move up a step on the sanitation service ladder, a household will need to pay 2.5 times more than what was originally spent for the current service level. This finding is based on ongoing WASHCost action research since 2008. It is relevant for WASH sector professionals who want to improve services for users; and who are interested in conducting an affordability check on planned investments for service provision. André Uandela, shared findings on sanitation service levels and WASHCost Mozambique messages on 11 July 2012 during the final WASHCost project team meeting.
The WASHCost project website
31 May 11
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.
“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”.
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.
