Sustaining Secure Water for Rural communities- Prospects for Future ? Rajindra de S Ariyabandu Sri Lanka

Country Status High Availability of per capita water High Availability of per capita water Target of meeting MDGs by 2025 Target of meeting MDGs by 2025 High cost involved in meeting MDGs High cost involved in meeting MDGs Short fall of nearly 50% of cost in meeting MDGs Short fall of nearly 50% of cost in meeting MDGs Govt: strategy to encourage private sector and Rural communities to take over management of water supply Govt: strategy to encourage private sector and Rural communities to take over management of water supply

Key Rural Water Providers Asian Development Bank III & IV RWS projects Asian Development Bank III & IV RWS projects 1 st and 2 nd Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (With WB support) 1 st and 2 nd Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (With WB support) Local Authorities ( by statute) Local Authorities ( by statute) Minor interventions by NGOs Minor interventions by NGOs

Approach Adopted Approach Adopted Demand Responsive Approach Demand Responsive Approach Key ingredients, cost recovery, community participation, decentralization Key ingredients, cost recovery, community participation, decentralization Approach had mix results. Favoured the majority at the expense of poor and marginalised Approach had mix results. Favoured the majority at the expense of poor and marginalised

Community Empowerment and Management Participatory decision making Participatory decision making Cash and labour cost to cover 20% of capital cost Cash and labour cost to cover 20% of capital cost Full O&M cost recovery through differential tariff Full O&M cost recovery through differential tariff Enhanced payments including penalties for late comers Enhanced payments including penalties for late comers Regular monitoring of water usage, tariff collections, accounts and audits Regular monitoring of water usage, tariff collections, accounts and audits

Water Supply to meet Basic Needs & Household Water Security Adequate water, 5 fold increase in consumption Adequate water, 5 fold increase in consumption 24hr service 24hr service Good quality water ( regular check for quality) Good quality water ( regular check for quality) Timely availability Timely availability Within accessible distance (<200m) Within accessible distance (<200m)

Productive Uses of Water Increased household productivity ( food and non-food income) due to improved access to water Increased household productivity ( food and non-food income) due to improved access to water Progressive and separate tariff for commercial use of water Progressive and separate tariff for commercial use of water Ineffective implementation of commercial tariff due to lack of a clear definition Ineffective implementation of commercial tariff due to lack of a clear definition

Categories of Potential Water Users 1. Liberal water users, for domestic purposes including bathing and washing. 2. Judicious water users, only for drinking, cooking and occasional bathing. 3. Domestic water users with means to improve and start small businesses 4. Domestic water users with limited means but enterprising to start small scale commercial enterprises 5. Domestic water users with limited resources but use water for livelihood support like house construction.

Strength of Productive Water Users  Means to have back up sources like dug wells  Have the ability to combine access to water with other livelihood skills and assets.  Larger number of indirect beneficiaries  Can afford to pay higher tariff

Benefits for high-end Productive Water users Improving asserts Improving asserts Increased employment Increased employment Increased income through prolong business hours Increased income through prolong business hours Cost saving on water transport Cost saving on water transport Better service for customers Better service for customers Pay penalty for not attending CBO meetings. Pay penalty for not attending CBO meetings.

Lower-end Productive Water Users Small scale gardening for market and domestic use ( earns up to Rs additional per month) Small scale gardening for market and domestic use ( earns up to Rs additional per month) Home gardening and brick making ( for own use) Home gardening and brick making ( for own use) Improved small scale plant nurseries Improved small scale plant nurseries

Benefits for low end Potential Water users Improved household food security Improved household food security Additional household income Additional household income Increased extent of home garden cultivation Increased extent of home garden cultivation Provision of building material for house construction. Provision of building material for house construction.

Drop Outs “Who are drop outs” “Who are drop outs” Two types of drop outs Two types of drop outs Due to bad financial management Due to bad financial management Due to poverty Due to poverty They don’t have access to loan schemes They don’t have access to loan schemes No access to resources, regular income or free labour. No access to resources, regular income or free labour.

Management Models Single use model- only domestic water, customer-service provider relationship Single use model- only domestic water, customer-service provider relationship Multiple use model- water for income generation, livelihood support and community welfare Multiple use model- water for income generation, livelihood support and community welfare Local Authority model- govt: back up support, facilitation for multiple water use and sustainability Local Authority model- govt: back up support, facilitation for multiple water use and sustainability

Environmental Impacts Greater depletion of ground water in pump schemes. Greater depletion of ground water in pump schemes. Depleting water in domestic wells, (impact on poor) Depleting water in domestic wells, (impact on poor) Abandoning traditional point sources Abandoning traditional point sources Reduce replenishment of domestic wells leading to pollution Reduce replenishment of domestic wells leading to pollution Willful contamination of domestic wells Willful contamination of domestic wells Increased contamination from Fluoride in service wells Increased contamination from Fluoride in service wells