Professionalising rural and small‑town water supply management: the need to enhance external support arrangements

Growing demand and the pressures of climate change mean the need for safe drinking water has never been greater. In rural and small-town settings, there are usually a mix of models to help deliver access, but all need ongoing support to work effectively and are vital for ensuring climate-resilient services.

Most countries with sustained universal access to safe drinking water services rely on a range of different management arrangements (or models) to provide rural and small-town water services. These models include variations of self-supply, community-based management and public or private utility provision. This report examines the level of support provided to different management models for rural and small-town water supply services in ten countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Strengthening the support service providers receive under these models is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 and shifting to more professionalised service provision, particularly in contexts where service demand is rising and communities are increasingly pressured by climate change.

Top image: Edith Nyangoma, 30, water scheme manager, supervises water pipe extension works in Namayingo District, Uganda. April 2023.