Water and sanitation policies for improving health in South Africa: overcoming the institutional legacy of apartheid

Water Policy ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 627-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edina Sinanovic ◽  
Sandi Mbatsha ◽  
Stephen Gundry ◽  
Jim Wright ◽  
Clas Rehnberg
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
The South ◽  
Financing System ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
New Policies

The burden of water-related disease is closely related to both the socio-economic situation and public health issues like access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services. Poverty eradication, through improved access to water and sanitation, is the South African government's major priority. This is partly achieved through subsidising the cost of water and sanitation provision to the poor in rural areas. Whilst the new policies have made a remarkable impact on improved access to water and sanitation services, a general problem since the new approach in 1994 has been the lack of integration of policies for water and sanitation and health. This paper analyses the policies concerning rural water supply and sanitation in South Africa. It considers the structure of institutions, the division of responsibilities and legislated and financial capacity of the South Africa's water sector. A more integrated approach for the policies aiming at water access, sanitation and health is needed. In addition, as the local government's capacity to implement different programmes is limited, a review of the financing system is necessary.

scholarly journals TRENDS IN ACCESS TO WATER AND SANITATION IN MALAWI: PROGRESS AND INEQUALITIES (1992-2017)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Cassivi ◽  
Elizabeth Tilley ◽  
E.O.D. Waygood ◽  
Caetano Dorea
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Least Developed Countries ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

AbstractBillions of people globally gained access to improved drinking water sources and sanitation in the last decades, following effort towards the Millennium Development Goals. Global progress remains a general indicator as it is unclear if access is equitable across groups of the population. Agenda 2030 calling for “leaving no one behind”, there is a need to focus on the variations of access in different groups of the population, especially in the context of least developed countries including Malawi. We analyzed data from Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) to describe emerging trends on progress and inequalities in water supply and sanitation services over a 25-year period (1992 - 2017) and to identify the most vulnerable population in Malawi. Data were disaggregated with geographic and socio-economic characteristics including regions, urban and rural areas, wealth and education level. Analysis of available data revealed progress in access to water and sanitation among all groups of the population. The largest progress is generally observed in the groups that were further behind at the baseline year, which likely reflects good targeting in interventions/improvements to reduce the gap in the population. Overall, results demonstrated that some segments of the population - foremost poorest Southern rural populations - still have limited access to water and are forced to practise open defecation. Finally, we suggest to include standardized indicators that address safely managed drinking water and sanitation services in future surveys and studies to increase accuracy of national estimates.

scholarly journals Trends in access to water and sanitation in Malawi: progress and inequalities (1992–2017)

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 785-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Cassivi ◽  
Elizabeth Tilley ◽  
E. O. D. Waygood ◽  
Caetano Dorea
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

Abstract Billions of people globally gained access to improved drinking water sources and sanitation in the last decades, following effort towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Global progress remains a general indicator as it is unclear if access is equitable across groups of the population. Agenda 2030 calling for `leaving no one behind', there is a need to focus on the variations of access in different groups of the population, especially in the context of low- and middle-income countries including Malawi. We analyzed data from Demographic Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) to describe emerging trends on progress and inequalities in water supply and sanitation services over a 25-year period (1992–2017), as well as to identify the most vulnerable populations in Malawi. Data were disaggregated with geographic and socio-economic characteristics including regions, urban and rural areas, wealth and education level. Analysis of available data revealed progress in access to water and sanitation among all groups of the population. The largest progress was generally observed in the groups that were further behind at the baseline year, which likely reflects good targeting in interventions/improvements to reduce the gap in the population. Overall, results demonstrated that some segments of the population – foremost poorest Southern rural populations – still have limited access to water and are forced to practise open defecation. Finally, we suggest including standardized indicators that address safely managed drinking water and sanitation services in future surveys and studies to increase the accuracy of national estimates.

scholarly journals Projeto <i>Vida no Vale</i>: universal access to water and sanitation in the North East of Minas Gerais (Brazil)

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1075-1085 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kauark-Leite ◽  
B. Vinçon-Leite ◽  
J. F. Deroubaix ◽  
A. Loireau ◽  
D. Silveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
The North ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

Abstract. In the rural areas of the developing countries, the access to water supply and sanitation services is still largely inadequate. Poor governance of the water sector is frequently singled out as a cause and reforms are required. Studies analyzing the great diversity of restructuring efforts currently being undertaken in the water sector have not succeeded in determining the most appropriate institutional and economic framework for such reforms. Moreover they underline the lack of documentation on actual projects and call for concrete models and tools for improving water and sanitation services (WSS) and for adapting water utility practice to real conditions. In this context, the Vida no Vale (Life in the Valley) project is aimed at bringing universal access to WSS for all inhabitants of both urban and rural areas, in the north-eastern area of the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais. The project takes sustainable development as its guiding principle, and relies on the joint implementation of an innovative technical design, a governance model involving public participation and subsidiarity, and an economic structure combining financial viability and social equity. Designed at a consistent geographical and hydrological scale, it includes the creation of a regional subsidiary of the existing state water company as a keystone element. The institutional organisation also relies on the creation of a public board consisting of the 92 municipalities of the project region and of the State of Minas Gerais. This board will be in charge of the system's governance. This paper presents the first step of the project (2006), consisting of a feasibility study and the implementation of 9 pilot sub-projects. During the feasibility study, the supply, demand and capacity to pay for water services were defined, existing infrastructure appraised, the necessary amount of investment assessed and an innovative operational model and a sustainable management system, including civil society participation, defined. The main features of the Vida no Vale project have been tested in 9 pilot sub-projects, and implemented in municipalities chosen for their low Human Development Index and for the lack of WSS, in both urban and rural areas. A second phase corresponding to the project's final implementation will run from 2007 to 2011. The Vida no Vale project design resulted in a logical and extensive framework which could be used for developing similar WSS projects in other poor, rural regions, its adaptiveness being a key feature for taking into account the specific, local conditions.

Policy Note: Policy Responses to Ensure Access to Water and Sanitation Services During COVID-19: Snapshots from the Environment for Development (EfD) Network

2020 ◽  
Vol 06 (04) ◽  
pp. 2071002
Author(s):  
Ebele Amaechina ◽  
Anthony Amoah ◽  
Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah ◽  
Salome Amuakwa-Mensah ◽  
Edward Bbaale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
Economic Shocks ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Access To Water

This policy note provides a snapshot of water and sanitation measures implemented by governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 14 countries in the Global South: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Panama, South Africa, Uganda and Vietnam. We find that many countries have taken action to stop utility disconnections due to non-payment. With the exception of Ghana and Vietnam, few countries are instituting new water subsidy programs, and are instead choosing to defer customers’ bills for future payment, presumably when the pandemic recedes and households will be able to pay their bills. It is easier for the utilities’ COVID-relief policies to target customers with piped connections who regularly receive bills. However, the situation for unconnected households appears more dire. Some countries (e.g., Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda) are attempting to provide unconnected households temporary access to water, but these households remain the most vulnerable. This health crisis has accentuated the importance of strong governance structures and resilient water service providers for dealing with external health, environmental and economic shocks.

Measuring willingness-to-pay for water and sanitation by people living with HIV and AIDs in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ephias M. Makaudze
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Slums ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Slum Settlements

The ill-provision of water and sanitation services poses the greatest risk to people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa – a majority of whom reside in slum settlements. People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) die after succumbing to opportunistic infections, especially water-borne diseases (e.g., diarrhoea, cholera). This study was based on 485 individuals with HIV and AIDs drawn from three types of settlements (rural, peri-urban and urban slums) and sampled from three selected provincial districts of Khayelitsha (Western Cape), Ukhahlamba (Eastern Cape) and Groblersdal (Limpopo). The results show PLWHA having higher willingness-to-pay (WTP) for sanitation at ZAR448.40/month compared to water (ZAR428.60). Those living in urban slum settlements show the highest WTP for sanitation (ZAR552.70), followed by the ones in rural areas (ZAR500.24). The results underscore important implications: PLWHA face greater sanitation challenges relative to water; those in slum settlements endure the worst sanitation insecurity compared to counterparts living in other settlement types; higher WTP for sanitation implies that PLWHA will derive greater benefits from improvements in sanitation services relative to water. To conclude, it is imperative for municipal authorities to prioritize the provision of sanitation facilities to PLWHA especially in urban slums as part of the ‘pro-poor service delivery’ campaigns.

scholarly journals Projeto <i>Vida no Vale</i>: universal access to water and sanitation in the North East of Minas Gerais (Brazil)

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2683-2712
Author(s):  
L. Kauark-Leite ◽  
B. Vinçon-Leite ◽  
J. F. Deroubaix ◽  
A. Loireau ◽  
D. Silveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
The North ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

Abstract. In the rural areas of the developing countries, the access to water supply and sanitation services is still largely inadequate. Poor governance of the water sector is frequently singled out as a cause and reforms are required. Studies analyzing the great diversity of restructuring efforts currently being undertaken in the water sector have not succeeded in determining the most appropriate institutional and economic framework for such reforms. Moreover they underline the lack of documentation on actual projects and call for concrete models and tools for improving water and sanitation services (WSS) and for adapting water utility practice to real conditions. In this context, the Vida no Vale (Life in the Valley) project is aimed at bringing universal access to WSS for all inhabitants of both urban and rural areas, in the north-eastern area of the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais. The project takes sustainable development as its guiding principle, and relies on the joint implementation of an innovative technical design, a governance model involving public participation and subsidiarity, and an economic structure combining financial viability and social equity. Designed at a consistent geographical and hydrological scale, it includes the creation of a regional subsidiary of the existing state water company as a keystone element. The institutional organisation also relies on the creation of a public board consisting of the 92 municipalities of the project region and of the State of Minas Gerais. This board will be in charge of the system's governance. The paper will present the first step of the project (2006), consisting of a feasibility study and the implementation of 9 pilot sub-projects. During the feasibility study, the supply, demand and capacity to pay for water services were defined, existing infrastructure appraised, the necessary amount of investment assessed and an innovative operational model and a sustainable management system, including civil society participation, defined. The main features of the Vida no Vale project have been tested in 9 pilot sub-projects, and implemented in municipalities chosen for their low Human Development Index and for the lack of WSS, in both urban and rural areas. A second phase corresponding to the project's final implementation will run from 2007 to 2011. The ongoing successful accomplishment of the Vida no Vale project would make it an exemplary and replicable model for other poor regions.

scholarly journals 2030 Agenda for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Look from the Human Rights Perspective

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
The Caribbean

This document was inspired by the need to promote comprehensive actions in the management of water and sanitation services with a human rights focus within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean; in addition, it ratifies the results reported in a PAHO study (2016) on the profound inequalities between urban and rural areas in access to water and sewage services, and the correlation with characteristics such as gender, age, income, education, among others. This report assumed this challenge using a methodology based on the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation (HRWS) analytical framework. This report seeks to provide the most up-to-date overview of the SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2 situation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Besides outlining the general situation of countries, it presents some elements regarding human rights and the targets 6.1 and 6.2 that have been neglected in the initial monitoring of the 2030 Agenda, above all, the dimensions of inequality and affordability. This report presents four case studies, one per sub-regional block, with a more detailed characterization of the national and subnational situations of Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. The results of this study show that a significant proportion of the Latin American and Caribbean population still lacks adequate access to water and sanitation services. Only 65% of the population has access to safely managed water services, a percentage lower than that reported worldwide, which is 71%. With regard to safely managed sanitation services, the situation is even more critical, with an access level of 39% worldwide being reported, compared to 22% in our Region.

Impact of Water Availability on Rural Development in Nigeria

2019 ◽  
pp. 225-234
Author(s):  
Sinmi Abosede
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Current State ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
International Data ◽  
Rural Community Health ◽  
The Impact

Water is essential to life and is at the center of any sustainable development initiative. It is crucial for the economic development of a nation and for the alleviation of poverty and it is important for the livelihood of rural communities. Limited access to water and sanitation services adversely affects an individual's health, limits their access to educational and economic opportunities, and affects their ability to be productive and live full and secure lives. These impacts are more visible in rural poor communities and there is linkage between water availability and issues relating to health, poverty, and food security. This chapter reviews and assesses the current state of the water and sanitation sector in rural areas of Nigeria and analyses the impact of water availability on rural community health and agricultural productivity. The research will be conducted as a desk-top study utilizing information from literature, national and international data sources.

scholarly journals Closing the cycle? Potential and limitations of Water and Sanitation Safety Plans (WSSPs) for Latin American metropolitan areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 490-501
Author(s):  
Araceli Clavijo ◽  
Martín A. Iribarnegaray ◽  
María Soledad Rodriguez-Alvarez ◽  
Lucas Seghezzo
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
New Policies

Abstract Water and sanitation management faces major challenges due to the rapid urban growth of metropolitan areas and the resulting pressure on water resources. Metropolitan areas often combine formal and informal water and sanitation services and regularly face shortages, leakages, and other situations involving risk to users and the environment. This work presents an integrated approach for the development and implementation of a Water and Sanitation Safety Plan (WSSP) for metropolitan areas, especially in developing countries. The plan allows for the assessment of all the risks associated with the components of the urban water cycle by means of a semi-quantitative approach. In the case study described, the overall risk estimated was 37.2% (44.0 and 30.3% for the drinking water supply and sanitation sub-systems, respectively). Highest risk values were obtained for components of water treatment (53.0%) and wastewater treatment (51.7%). Our assessment took into account both formal and informal sanitation components of the water and wastewater management cycle and included a multi-institutional analysis of the entire system. Results obtained may contribute to establishing new policies and guidelines for the protection of public health and the local environment in our case study and other areas of the region with similar contexts and comparable institutional settings.

scholarly journals Preliminary Assessment of COVID-19 Implications for the Water and Sanitation Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11703
Author(s):  
Miguel de França Doria ◽  
Patricia Segurado ◽  
Marcelo Korc ◽  
Leo Heller ◽  
Blanca Jimenez Cisneros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Preliminary Assessment ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Science And Research

COVID-19 has had a severe impact on human health, as well as in social and economic terms, with implications for the management and governance of the water and sanitation sector. These implications are evident in Latin America and the Caribbean due to existing challenges the region faces in accessing water and sanitation services. In spite of significant advances, around 65 million people in the LAC region currently lack appropriate access to water and soap to wash their hands—one of the most basic measures to prevent the spread of disease. Furthermore, social and economic vulnerabilities have exacerbated the effects of the pandemic in the region, particularly among those living in poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic thus requires the mobilization of frameworks such as the human rights to water and sanitation, specifically considering the region’s realities. This paper provides a review of some of the challenges currently faced in the region and advances a series of recommendations for enhancing access to water, sanitation and hygiene. The importance of effective governance, management and communication strategies in the water provisioning sector is highlighted in the context of the pandemic, and the role of science and research for adequate decision making is emphasized.

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