Management for Sustainability

A major sustainability challenge threatens to undermine recent efforts to increase spending on rural water supply in Tanzania. Surveys have found that only 54% of existing rural waterpoints are functional, and that only two years after installation, already a quarter of waterpoints are no longer functioning. In the rush to spend new funds, there is a risk that the sustainability of new waterpoints could drop even lower if best practices are not followed and if standards are allowed to fall.

This booklet aims to address this risk. The main section (section 2) analyses the findings from three recent studies on sustainability in practice and uses this to recommend practical ideas for action by district water departments and other agencies. In sections 3-5, the findings of each of the three studies are presented in summary form. The full reports of the studies are also available from WaterAid’s website:

• Addressing the Sustainability Crisis - Lessons from research on managing rural water projects 
• A study of the factors affecting sustainability of rural water supplies in Tanzania 

• Private operation in rural water supply in Central Tanzania: Quick fixes and slow transitions

• Management and regulation for sustainable water supply schemes in rural communities

Key lessons from the studies

Balancing participation and ownership with good decision making

• Sustainability depends both on community participation in decision making and on good decisions being made. There is therefore a tension between effective participation and communities’ limited understanding of technical and management options.

Management options: autonomy and private operators

• More autonomous entities – Water User Groups, Water User Associations and (especially) private operators – were found to be more successful at achieving sustainability. In particular, autonomy helped ensure that funds are available when needed for repairs by improving revenue collection and reducing mismanagement.
• The potential of private operators comes with a risk of excessive profiteering. A good contract, substantial bond and regulatory support from district level reduce this risk.

Water rights and COWSO registration

• For COWSOs to access and protect legal water rights requires that they are able i) to register as independent legal entities and ii) to apply for and receive water rights from Basin Water Offices (BWOs). These two processes have both been challenging, though with recent legislation and the growing capacity of BWOs they should become easier. Monitoring and regulation
• Monitoring and regulation of COWSO by village government and district water departments is important. Primary responsibility for the sustainability of individual projects has to rest with the COWSO, but both village and district authorities can help reduce the risk of mismanagement.

Ongoing support roles of the district water department

• District water departments also have an important role to play in providing ongoing technical support. In particular, this includes supporting COWSOs to accessing spare parts and to conduct complex maintenance works.