scholarly journals Implications of Inadequate Water and Sanitation Infrastructure for Community Spread of COVID-19 in Remote Alaskan Communities

Author(s):  
Laura Eichelberger ◽  
Subhabrata Dev ◽  
Tricia Howe ◽  
David Barnes ◽  
Eric Bortz ◽  
...  

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, emerged in the human population in December 2019 and spread worldwide within a few short months. Much of the public health focus for preventing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 has been on individual and collective behaviors, such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and hygiene. Yet it is equally important to recognize that these behaviors and health outcomes occur within broader social and environmental contexts. Factors within local communities, regional policy, race, history, personal beliefs, and natural- and built environmental characteristics affect underlying population health and the spread of disease. For example, COVID-19 has renewed attention to secure water and sanitation services and their importance in protecting human health. Many remote Alaskan communities are particularly vulnerable because of inadequate water and sanitation systems. In this paper, we describe how inadequate water and sewer services may place the inhabitants of remote Alaskan communities at higher risk of COVID spread. We argue that insufficient water security and inadequate sewer systems, along with household overcrowding, multigenerational residences, limited transportation options, limited medical facilities, and higher prevalence of chronic diseases could lead to a greater potential of COVID-19 transmission and to more severe disease outcomes in these communities.

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 866-874
Author(s):  
Esther Shaylor ◽  
Kevin Wall ◽  
Oliver Ive ◽  
Jay Bhagwan

Pilot projects in South Africa have demonstrated how the institutionally innovative and very practical social franchising partnership approach can be used as an alternative approach to more commonly encountered options, for the routine maintenance of low-technology water and sanitation infrastructure. The strength of this approach is that it is built on a robust foundation of mutual support and incentives. The paper describes how franchise partners have been working with schools and municipalities to address operational issues. The Eastern Cape provincial Department of Education now has a proven model which it is rolling out to further school districts, beyond the initial pilot in the Butterworth education district. Municipalities in the area are also employing the franchisee microbusinesses to undertake maintenance services. Further opportunities lie in applying the approach to operation and/or maintenance activities within the water and sanitation services delivery chain, and thereafter extending it to other types of infrastructure (e.g. roads and electricity reticulation).


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Howard ◽  
Katrina Charles ◽  
Kathy Pond ◽  
Anca Brookshaw ◽  
Rifat Hossain ◽  
...  

Drinking-water supply and sanitation services are essential for human health, but their technologies and management systems are potentially vulnerable to climate change. An assessment was made of the resilience of water supply and sanitation systems against forecast climate changes by 2020 and 2030. The results showed very few technologies are resilient to climate change and the sustainability of the current progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) may be significantly undermined. Management approaches are more important than technology in building resilience for water supply, but the reverse is true for sanitation. Whilst climate change represents a significant threat to sustainable drinking-water and sanitation services, through no-regrets actions and using opportunities to increase service quality, climate change may be a driver for improvements that have been insufficiently delivered to date.


Author(s):  
Astohar Astohar ◽  
Dhian Andanarini Minar Savitri ◽  
Yuyun Ristianawati ◽  
Prihansantyo Siswo Nugroho

BPSPAMS Tirto Sumber Mulyo Mijen Village is one of the BPSPAMS in the District Kebonagung which has the task of managing water and sanitation at the village level. In the management of water and sanitation facilities at the village level it is necessary to assess the performance so that it can be evaluated for future follow-ups for the strategy or position of the management group that has been included in the BUMDes  Maju Lancar unit. This performance appraisal standard uses the performance appraisal standard from the 2020 Technical Guidelines for SPAMS Management. The results of the performance appraisal show that in general the performance of BPSPAMS Tirto Sumber Mulyo is in the medium category. Partially, it shows the performance of planning in the low category, in the high-performance administration and finance, on the performance of drinking water and sanitation services in the medium category and for the performance of the partnership in the low category. The hope in the future for improving the performance of BPSPAMS together with BUMDes Maju Lancar needs to collaborate or increase cooperation with external parties such as academics, practitioners and government institutions that can increase benefits and benefits for the public


2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Davis ◽  
Gary White ◽  
Said Damodaron ◽  
Rich Thorsten

This article summarises initial findings of a study to explore the potential of providing micro-financing for low-income households wishing to invest in improved water supply and sanitation services. Through in-depth interviews with more than 800 households in the city of Hyderabad in India, we conclude that, even if provided with market (not concessional) rates of financing, a substantial proportion of poor households would invest in water and sewer network connections.


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