This paper concludes that there is chronic underfunding of rural water services, to meet the costs required to provide and sustain a basic level of service that meets national norms and standards.
| Title | Applying a life-cycle costs approach to water: costs and service levels in rural and small town areas in Andhra Pradesh (India), Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mozambique |
| Publication Type | Progress Report |
| Year of Publication | 2013 |
| Authors | Burr, P, Fonseca, C |
| Secondary Title | WASHCost global working paper |
| Volume | 8 |
| Pagination | xx, 73 p. : 35 fig., 49 tab. |
| Date Published | 01/2013 |
| Publisher | IRC |
| Place Published | The Hague, the Netherlands |
| Publication Language | English |
| Abstract | This working paper presents findings and recommendations from the application of a life-cycle costs approach (LCCA) to water supply services in rural communities and small towns1 in four countries – Andhra Pradesh (India), Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mozambique. This paper concludes that there is chronic underfunding of rural water services, to meet the costs required to provide and sustain a basic level of service that meets national norms and standards. Even where communities appear in national or international databases as having access to an improved water source and therefore as “covered”, most people who live there do not receive a minimum basic level of service. There are large data gaps that need to be filled so that plans and budgets prepared by governments and donors can be based on the realities of water service provision. |
