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TitleWater supply and sanitation sector assessments : a guide for country-level action
Publication TypeMiscellaneous
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsHueb, JA, Thompson, T, Henderson, M
Pagination52 p.; 2 tab.; 1 fig.
Date Published2009-01-01
PublisherWorld Health Organization (WHO)
Place PublishedGeneva, Switzerland
ISSN Number9789290614180
Keywordsdrinking water, safe water supply, sanitation
Abstract

Major international initiatives associated with urgent needs at country level are pressing the governments of developing countries towards an acceleration of investments to expand safe drinking-water and basic sanitation services especially to the poor and underserved. Those deprived of these basic requirements for a healthy and prosperous life are under great risks of water-related illnesses and have a reduced possibility of breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. Among these international initiatives and agreements, the Millennium Development Goal target
for drinking-water and sanitation is particularly important. This international goal is being used as a promotion and advocacy tool for sector development by governments, and multilateral and bilateral organizations. This target aims to halve the proportion of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking-water and basic sanitation by 2015. Other vital initiatives include the International Decade for Action Water for Life, 2005–2015 and more recently, the International Year of Sanitation, 2008. In order to achieve accrued benefits from water and sanitation sector investments, there is a need to develop mechanisms and tools to help understanding the status of drinking-water and sanitation at the country level. This helps identify priorities for the sector. With this background in perspective, the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and the UNICEF
East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (UNICEF) decided to prepare this document. It is intended to serve as an instrument for governments of the Region to establish a sector assessment process in their respective countries, and to generate national performance assessments of the water supply and sanitation sector recurrently. This document is intended to provide orientation on how to build up a sustainable process, rather than being merely a tool to prepare sector assessment reports. This guide covers the most relevant aspects of drinking-water supply and sanitation services, including health, institutional, financial, management, legal, technical and social issues. Although this guide is primarily focused on drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene, it also provides guidance on how to generate relevant insights into water resources and environmental issues. Drinking-water and sanitation sector reports prepared through this guide will provide invaluable information and accurate analysis, which are crucial for decision- and policy-making, as well as programme formulation and implementation. Such reports are also sound instruments to
facilitate the dialogue between government, the private sector and multilateral and bilateral agencies. The first part of this guide is focused on basic issues and suggestions for the establishment of a sector assessment process at the country level. Annex I provides specific guidance for the preparation of a sector assessment report. An electronic file (Excel file with extension: Data_Collection.xls) with a structured questionnaire is provided to facilitate the collection of information for the preparation of the sector assessment report. [authors abstract]

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