RWSN's Strategy

• RWSN functions as a global knowledge network with its secretariat hosted by a Skat Foundation, a resource centre based in Switzerland.
• RWSN blends a strong engineering capacity with the principles of balanced development, including institutional, financial and social aspects.
• RWSN acts as a depository of knowledge and provides support to sector partners; it pools the experience and expertise of its members and places the results of their work in the public domain through the production of publications and international specifications. 
• RWSN shares information on lessons learned, best practices and latest development in technologies.
• RWSN concentrates on affordable, groundwater-related technologies that are easy to maintain and acts as a focal point for standardisation of low cost water supply technologies.
  

In its work, RWSN provides assistance for developing effective service delivery mechanisms through local manufacturers, and promotes policies that encourage the private sector to play a bigger role in the provision of rural water services. Special emphasis is placed on adequate quality control mechanisms.

Decentralization and demand-responsive approaches have shifted the initiative and the responsibilities to local communities. In order for rural communities to seize opportunities offered by these policies, several constraints need to be overcome -

• Greater access to information
• Arrangements to enable economies of scale and provide technical services to dispersed rural settlements
• Holistic approaches to link domestic water service provision with sustainable livelihoods

Although technology remains a central element of rural water supply services, technical issues have slipped off international and national agency agendas. Water technologies suitable for rural communities in poor countries need to be adapted to local needs and capacities and cannot be derived from technologies used in developed countries. Often good understanding is missing of the capacity to support and disseminate sound technology choices. Appropriate technology selection and standardisation are essential to establish effective supply chains, including local manufacturing capacity and ensure spare parts supply. Together, these factors have a significant impact on the viability of maintenance systems.

Monitoring data shows that many community water supply systems that are assumend to be in service are actually not operating or have even become derelict. Some manufacturers based in African countries have folded, or are reporting difficulties in marketing their products.

Drilling costs are high and the transition from para-statal fleets to a private competitive industry is progressing in fits and starts, and with many problems. Supply chains for services, parts and equipment hardly reach rural communities. Engineering and financial analysis should also focus on simpler, lower-cost technologies that are appropriate for rural water supply.

There is a significant gap between rural water supply technologies that are formally accepted and a whole host of household level or kin-group solutions. These informal coping mechanisms are as widely practiced as they are critical to the lives of millions poor people, yet they are not regarded as being legitimate. As a result, they are not explored for their potential in terms of cost-effective and sustainable ways to ensure reliable service provision.

Given the lack of overview on technology-related issues and the fact there are no ready made networks to rely on, the strategy of RWSN and its partners is to take the lead in organizing the potential constituency for a global, but largely Africa-focused and broad-based rural water supply technology network. The objective is to build up the capacity for knowledge sharing and to strengthen the development and promotion of technologies and their supply chains, to serve the water supply demands of rural communities.