A service delivery approach for rural water supply in Timor-Leste : institutional options and strategy

Improving the sustainability of rural water service provision in Timor-Leste will require reorientation of the sector from an infrastructure focus to a service delivery approach. This report details research undertaken through BESIK (Timor-Leste Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program (RWSSP)) on how this transition might be approached, with a focus on institutional options to improve operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural water systems. Recent international research on rural water service delivery provided both a conceptual framework to guide this study and comparable experiences in other countries to inform appropriate action in Timor-Leste. The report provides recommendations to the National Directorate for Water Services (DNSA) and other sector actors on how to improve the functionality and management of water systems through improving the existing community-based management model as well as trial of alternative provider models and addressing other systemic challenges in the sector. [authors abstract]