Department Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development

SMALL: Water Supply and Sanitation Service Provision in Small Town at the Urban-Rural Intersection

Project SMALL aims to support the development of applicable and sustainable water and sanitation provision models for small towns in Sub-Saharan Africa. Practice and research have traditionally focused either on distinct urban centers or rural communities. However, areas under transition, including small towns throughout Uganda and Mozambique, do not easily fit the definitions used by rural or urban planners. Small towns therefore lack clear guidance on applicable water and sanitation service models and, as a result, suffer from poor progress in expanding access to safely managed water and adequate sanitation. This project aims to identify and account for the specific needs, opportunities and challenges of transition zones in Uganda and Mozambique when devising improved service provision models, focusing on the experiences of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and the Administração de Infraestruturas de Abastecimento de Água e Saneamento (AIAS).

Project Timeline: 09.2016 - 12.2019

Project Status

An interdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners is currently assessing existing infrastructural and management models for water and sanitation provision in small towns in Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis of the models is anchored in understanding local governance structures, integrates a public health protection approach and includes impacts on users and local communities.

Regular updates available on the main project site>> 

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

This three-year project will lead to the development of fit-for-use models for small towns of Uganda and Mozambique incorporating above-mentioned elements in order to inform implementing agencies for future interventions.

Publications

Water supply and sanitation services in small towns in rural-urban transition zones: the case of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda

Small towns lag behind cities in drinking water and sanitation access globally. Closing this gap requires developing service models for areas with both urban and rural characteristics. This study assessed Bushenyi-Ishaka, a municipality in Uganda situated at the rural-urban transition, with a focus on service ladder indictors. Data sources included household interviews (n = 500) and water quality samples from sources and storage containers. Households in more urban (as compared to rural) cells were more likely to use improved water sources (including piped water on-premises), make regular payments for water, rely on shared sanitation facilities, and make use of manual sludge emptying services. Most households (72%) used an unlined pit latrine not intended for emptying and reuse. These findings suggest that small town servicing models should prioritize non-sewered sanitation management, including incentives for safe excreta containment and disposal opportunities. This study also highlights a need for integrated services models to expand rural-urban water and sanitation coverage.
Marks, S. J.; Clair-Caliot, G.; Taing, L.; Bamwenda, J. T.; Kanyesigye, C.; Ernest Rwendeire, N.; Kemerink-Seyoum, J. S.; Kansiime, F.; Batega, D. W.; Ferrero, G. (2020) Water supply and sanitation services in small towns in rural-urban transition zones: the case of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda, npj Clean Water, 3, 21 (9 pp.), doi:10.1038/s41545-020-0068-4, Institutional Repository

Combining sanitary inspection and water quality data in western Uganda: lessons learned from a field trial of original and revised sanitary inspection forms

Risk assessment for drinking water systems combines sanitary inspections (SI) and water quality testing and is critical for effectively managing the safety of these systems. SI forms consist of question sets relating to the presence of potential sources and pathways of contamination specific to different types of water points, piped distribution systems, and household collection and storage practices. As part of the revision to the Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality (GDWQ), the World Health Organization (WHO) is updating the suite of SI forms to reflect and include the most recent technical and scientific information available. This paper reports the results from a field pilot of a selection of published and revised SI forms and water quality testing in the municipality of Bushenyi-Ishaka, Uganda. We collected data from 45 springs, 61 taps from piped distribution systems, and 129 household storage containers filled with water from those springs and taps. The median total risk scores, according to the revised forms, for spring, tap, and household practices were 36, 53, and 33%, respectively, with higher percentages indicating greater risk. The median Escherichia coli concentrations of spring, tap, and household storage systems were 17, <1, and 7 CFU/100 mL, respectively. We found that increased questioning in the revised SI forms do not necessarily translate to a higher total risk. There is potential for misinterpretation of terminology in the revised SI forms and occasional redundancy of concepts. For the revised SI form for springs, we suggest specific text changes to reduce potential bias. We recommend that users of SI forms receive training in their use and be familiar with their locale. Furthermore, the revised SI forms may need to be adapted in accordance with the local context.
Daniel, D.; Gaicugi, J.; King, R.; Marks, S. J.; Ferrero, G. (2020) Combining sanitary inspection and water quality data in western Uganda: lessons learned from a field trial of original and revised sanitary inspection forms, Resources, 9(12), 1-19, doi:10.3390/resources9120150, Institutional Repository