Giving poor people a say in the water and sanitation services they receive, and allowing alternative documentation to prove residence are some of the simple solutions that can bring sustainable water and sanitation services to the hundreds of millions currently living without, according to a new report [1] released by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP).

An interesting experience from Mumbai’s Slum Sanitation Project with community toilet blocks shows how municipalities also benefit. The municipal corporation issued the building permit after the community-based organisation (CBO) or small enterprise had collected at least 50 per cent of the expected maintenance fund from prospective users. It also had to develop a technically sound and community-endorsed plan for the toilet block. The actual construction of the community toilet block began only after that.

Among other solutions, the study added that simplified, client-friendly procedures for billing, collection, and connection help the poor to gain and retain access to water and sanitation services.

The report identifies barriers to service delivery for poor people living in urban areas in Africa, East and South Asia, and Latin America and recommends practical solutions to overcome them. It includes a compilation of 19 case studies from 12 countries as well as consultations with urban poor communities to analyze similar barriers and propose solutions.

[1] McIntosh, A., Triche, T. and Sharma, G. (2009). Guidance notes on services for the urban poor : a practical guide for improving water and sanitation services. Washington, DC, USA, Water and Sanitation Program. 72 p. Full document [PDF file]

See also the accompanying volume: Sharma, G. and Shukla, S. (2009). Global experiences on expanding services to the urban poor". 172 p. Full document [PDF file].

Contact: Geeta Sharma, WSP South Asia, wspsa@worldbank.org

Source: WSP Access, 27 Aug 2009

Tags: africa, east asia & pacific, governance, latin america & caribbean, participatory management, south asia, urban wash