Institutional Aspects of Water Supply and Sanitation in Africa

Ayibotele, N. B.

doi:10.1111/j.1477-8947.1988.tb00836.x

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Consequently, when a system fails, they do not remember how to perform their tasks properly. Moreover, the performance of water supply, sanitation, and hygiene committee (WASHCO) and caretakers in water fee collection and utilization, and other management matters should be continuously supervised and strengthened until the intended result is achieved to comply with the view of Ayibotele (1988).…”

Section: Continuing Supportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Service Failures of Rural Water Supply Systems in Ethiopia and Their Policy Implications

Behailu

Hukka

Katko

2016

Public Works Management & Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As the world is striving to improve water supply coverage, a significant number of rural communities are forced to turn back to unprotected sources due to service breakdowns of their water supply systems. Yet, these communities do not seem to receive the same attention as those building new systems. The purpose of this article is to reveal and diagnose the determinant factors of service failures and to propose mitigation measures to the rural water supply in Ethiopia. The study is conducted through a literature review and field discussions with experts ( n = 48) and artisans ( n = 35), who have been involved in the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the systems. Moreover, failed schemes ( n = 20) were visited, and discussions were held with village elders of each water point. The findings indicate that lack of uniformity of implementation approaches, and institutional and organizational incapability of the local government aggravate the service failures. The further capacity building, institutionalization, and improving remuneration of employees are likely to reduce the problems substantially.

show abstract

Section: Continuing Supportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Service Failures of Rural Water Supply Systems in Ethiopia and Their Policy Implications

Behailu

Hukka

Katko

2016

Public Works Management & Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the 1980s, many water utilities in the Global South were in a difficult situation. They were reportedly plagued by “inadequacies of operation, maintenance and monitoring” (Ayibotele, 1988: 358) and burdened with “rigid civil service regulations, inflexible bureaucratic requirements, high costs and lack of incentive to ensure efficiency” (Lewis and Miller, 1987: 71). For international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, there was, at the time, a clear solution for the water-related challenges in the Global South: The private sector needed to come to the rescue of under-performing public utilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Aid, trade and investment”: Water operator partnerships and the Dutch water sector

Beck

2022

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The concept of water operator partnerships (WOPs) was first proposed by a United Nations (UN) advisory board in 2006. Since then, several hundred WOPs have been implemented within and across different world regions. In contrast to public-private partnerships, WOPs are aimed at facilitating peer-to-peer learning between water and sanitation operators on a not-for-profit basis. According to official UN discourse, “mentor” operators share their expertise out of solidarity and a commitment to enhancing the performance of their peers. However, in light of the controversial history of privatization in the water sector, critics have raised doubts about the role of solidarity as a mentor motivation. Why would water operators assist other providers free-of-charge? Is solidarity indeed the main motivation behind knowledge sharing and capacity building in WOPs, or are more self-interested, profit-oriented incentives driving these activities? This article engages with these questions by analyzing the case of Vitens Evides International (VEI), a public company from the Netherlands that has emerged as the most active “mentor” in North-South WOPs to date. Drawing on interviews with VEI managers, water company representatives, and other experts, I show that VEI’s mentoring activities are driven by a complex array of motivations, including staff development and recruitment, customer relations, sustainable development, and the advancement of opportunities for trade and investment. Some of these motivations are closely intertwined with Dutch development policy and the promotion of Dutch water expertise. More research is needed to understand how these interests and motivations affect social equity, learning, and capacity development in WOPs.

show abstract

“…Whether technical, financial, managerial or social, human capacity building is at the heart of the institutional problem in developing countries to be able to operate, construct, manage and maintain water and sanitation services (Lenton & Wright, 2005). Ayibotele (1988) had singled out 'education' at all levels as the most cost-effective and relevant alternative for improving drinking-water supply and sanitation programs. The multi-faceted nature of WSH necessitates diverse disciplines and skills to improve sanitation and hygiene provision (Tearfund, 2007).…”

Section: Why Do Institutions Matter?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: The Missing Link with Agriculture

2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in ABSTRACTInadequate access to safe water and sanitation services coupled with poor hygiene practices continues to kill, sicken and diminish opportunities of millions of people in developing countries. Various interventions to improve drinking water quality and service levels, sanitation and hygiene (WSH) have been applied, albeit in isolated approaches. Relevant literature focused on assessing the cost and health effectiveness of such approaches. In parallel, irrigation in agriculture, which affects all the water cycle and thus drinking water quality and quantity, has been developed without looking into the consequences for WSH. In this paper, we argue that the 'nexus' approach should take peoples' multiple water needs as a starting point for providing integrated services and thus move beyond conventional sectoral barriers of domestic and productive sectors. Isolated approaches have their drawbacks missing out on positive externalities on health and nutrition outcomes. We also argue that (the prospect of) a holistic approach including WSH and agriculture sectors for a long term health and nutrition impact should be explored. The paper reviews the body of literature dealing with WSH and irrigation agriculture, synthesizes the remarks thereof and concludes with suggestions to unravel the 'nexus' between WSH and agriculture for a long term health and nutrition impact.

show abstract

Institutional Aspects of Water Supply and Sanitation in Africa

Cited by 6 publications

References 1 publication

Service Failures of Rural Water Supply Systems in Ethiopia and Their Policy Implications

Service Failures of Rural Water Supply Systems in Ethiopia and Their Policy Implications

“Aid, trade and investment”: Water operator partnerships and the Dutch water sector

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: The Missing Link with Agriculture

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About