Peering over the fence – how water security can bring business and rural communities together

RWSN/REACH blog post by Sean Furey, Skat Foundation (02.03.2016, Zurich, Switzerland)

 In 2015, the World Economic Forum ranked water as the global risk with the greatest potential to impact economies over the next 10 years. So what are companies doing to assess and manage these risks – and could their efforts benefit or worsen the livelihoods for rural people?

The first part of this question was addressed at a GreenBuzz lunchtime presentation on 2 March, by Tilmann Silber and Naomi Rosenthal from South Pole Group and Dr Julian Kölbel from ETH Zürich, entitled “Water Management Beyond the Fence: Holy Grail or Wishful Thinking?”

Flower farms near Entebbe 4

(photo [S.Furey, 2012]: flower farms near Entebbe, Uganda –
how do companies manage water risks that effect them,
and impacts they have on others nearby?)

Continue reading “Peering over the fence – how water security can bring business and rural communities together”

No more “business as usual” in Benin’s water sector

from the World Bank blog:

by Sylvain Adokpo Migan

As countries consider how to meet their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating water supply services that are more sustainable – with investments that are longer-lasting – is a high priority. This is the case in many rural parts of Africa where today’s villages are quickly becoming tomorrow’s small towns, and demand is high for an improved system to develop piped water schemes. It’s certainly true for Benin, where I work.

Continue reading “No more “business as usual” in Benin’s water sector”

Funding opportunity – Water Security

Happy New Year!

Let’s start 2016 with a bang:  a call for expressions of interest (EOIs) for ‘Catalyst Grants’ which are commissioned under the REACH programme.

Dr Katrina Charles explains the REACH Catalyst Grant process
Dr Katrina Charles explains the REACH Catalyst Grant process (click picture to see YouTube video)

These Catalyst Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 each are designed to explore novel approaches to water security and poverty research and policy that complement the core research conducted by the REACH programme. These grants will promote the co-production of effective tools and technologies relevant for and adopted by policy makers, practitioners, civil society organisations and enterprise.

There are three themes for this call:

  1. Water security for vulnerable people
  2. Water security risk science
  3. Water security partnerships.

Continue reading “Funding opportunity – Water Security”

RWSN Exchange

RWSN is at Stockholm World Water Week. We are at stand B9 and we have discussions and interviews with key experts going on all week. We will keep an up to date schedule here, so keep checking back here through the week.

    Wednesday 26 Aug

    • 9am “Future proofing rural water systems” with Susan Davies (Improve International)
    • 1pm “Human Right to Water handbook in the SDG era” with Virgina Roaf and Hannah Neumeyer
    • 2pm “Handpump standardisation” with Jess MacArthur, iDE
    • 3:30pm “Solar pumps and prepayment systems” with Craig Williams and Andre, Water Missions International

    Thursday 27 Aug

    • 11am “T-GroUP: Groundwater for the urban poor” with Dr Jenny Grönwall (SIWI)
    • 2pm “Reflections on household water treatment and universal water access” Maria Besteman (Basic Water Needs”

    Innovations in Community Based Organisations, in Indonesia

    So I’m at the Indonesia International Water Week 2015 and on the second day, the event has been split into six parallel streams:

    1. Sustainable Access to Safe Drinking Water
    2. Community Based Water Supply
    3. Domestic Wastewater Management
    4. Municipal Solid Waste Management and Domestic Wastewater
    5. Water Resources: Sinking Cities / Towards Better Implementation of IWRM
    6. Water Resources: Measuring Progress / Water Infrastructure & Water Resources Management

    Continue reading “Innovations in Community Based Organisations, in Indonesia”

    E-DISCUSSION ANNOUNCEMENT: Local government and rural water services

    Les autorités locales et la pérennisation des services d’eau en zones rurales

    El gobierno local y los servicios sostenibles de agua en zonas rurales

    Sign up now: dgroups.org/RWSN/sustainable_services_rwsn

    The Rural Water Supply Network would like to invite you to participate in the E-discussion (27 April – 22 May 2015)

    • What are the roles and responsibilities of local government in rural water supply?
    • How are these roles and responsibilities fulfilled?
    • What are the challenges that local government faces in order to undertake these roles and responsibilities?
    • What ideas, tools and experiences are there to ensure that local government can take up its roles and responsibilities?
    Continue reading “E-DISCUSSION ANNOUNCEMENT: Local government and rural water services”

    MEMBER NOTICE BOARD/PANNEAU D’AFFICHAGE DES MEMBRES: December 2014

    Improve International: Guidelines for Resolution of Problems with Water Systems

    Resolution is the process of addressing problems with water systems or toilets. Such problems are often identified during monitoring or evaluation after a project. Resolution reflects the concept that the organizations that are made aware that water systems or toilets they built aren’t working are responsible for doing something. Read more in the Guidelines for Resolution of Problems with Water Systems (Executive Summary) and Guidelines for Resolution of Problems with Water Systems (full report).

    Improve International: Lignes directrices pour la résolution des problèmes des systèmes d’eau

    Résoudre est le processus d’aborder les problèmes des systèmes d’eau ou des toilettes. De tels problèmes sont souvent identifiés lors du suivi ou de l’évaluation après le projet. Résoudre reflète le concept que les organisations qui se rendent compte que les systèmes d’eau ou les toilettes qu’elles ont construit ne fonctionnement pas sont responsables de faire quelque chose pour y remédier. Plus d’information dans Lignes directrices pour la résolution des problèmes des systèmes d’eau (résumé exécutif) et Lignes directrices pour la résolution des problèmes avec les systèmes d’eau (rapport complet).


    Water for People: monitoring innovation for “Everyone Forever”

    Metered hand-pumps: Privately operated hand pumps as a way to improve sustainability and service delivery

    To encourage private sector engagement in the management of water points, Water For People and Appropriate Technology Centre, Uganda are testing a meter for hand pumps. This product has been introduced to entrepreneurs with the expectation that they will prove to be better managers of water points than the current committees.

    Water For People Core Indicators and Monitoring Process

    This piece outlines how Water For People currently conducts district-wide community and household-level monitoring in all Everyone Forever districts at least once per year. Data is typically collected by teams consisting of our staff and local government officials.

    Water for People: suivre l’innovation pour “Pour chacun, pour toujours”

    Des pompes manuelles avec compteur: des pompes manuelles opérées manuellement comme façon d’améliorer la durabilité et la fourniture de services

    Pour encourager l’engagement du secteur privé dans la gestion des points d’eau, Water For People et Appropriate Technology Centre, Ouganda sont en train de tester un compteur pour les pompes manuelles. Ce produit a été introduit aux entrepreneurs avec l’espoir qu’ils seront de meilleurs gestionnaires de points d’eau que les comités actuels.

    Principaux indicateurs et processus de monitoring de Water For People

    Ce document met en exergue comment Water For People met en œuvre actuellement au moins une fois par an un monitoring à l’échelle des ménages et des communautés au sein des districts du projet « Pour chacun, pour toujours ». Les données sont en général collectées par des équipes composées par le personnel du projet et celui du gouvernement local.


    Poldaw Designs: Call for Project Partners: New Handpump for Deep Wells

    “In various regions there is a need for a Public Domain handpump for very deep boreholes with Static Water Level (SWL) 60m to 100m. Existing public domain handpumps are often unreliable at these depths.

    Poldaw Designs with WaterAid have developed a solution. Prototypes have been successfully field-tested in various countries for 3 years, and the results have been assessed by a Skat expert engineer. Before releasing into the Public Domain as a proven design, a final validation programme is needed, testing on at least 20 boreholes with Static Water Level in the range 60m to 100m.

    We are urgently seeking a partner (or partners) operating in the field, to provide suitable sites and to work with us on installing and monitoring the pumps. Funding partners are also welcomed to share in this valuable project.

     If your organisation operates in areas with water levels in the range 60 to 100m, and you are interested in participating, then we would like to hear from you.”

    For more information, please contact:  Paul Dawson pdsundew @ btinternet.com or Sandy Polak tapolak @ aol.com Poldaw Designs, UK. (Poldaw Designs is a not-for-profit division of Neale Consulting Engineers

    Poldaw Designs: Appel à des partenaires: Nouvelles pompes manuelles pour des puits profonds

    “Dans de nombreuses régions, il y a le besoin d’une pompe manuelle du domaine publique pour les forages très profonds avec un niveau statique de l’eau de 60 à 100m. Les pompes existantes du domaine public sont souvent peu fiables à ces profondeurs.

    Poldaw et WaterAid ont développé une solution. Des prototypes ont été restés avec succès sur le terrain dans différents pays pendant 3 ans et les résultats ont été évalués par un ingénieur expert de Skat. Avant de le sortir dans le domaine public comme design ayant fait ses preuves, un dernier programme de validation est nécessaire, avec test sur au moins 20 forages avec un niveau statique variant entre 60 et 100m.

    Nous cherchons de toute urgence un ou plusieurs partenaires opérant sur le terrain pour nous fournir des sites appropriés et travailler avec nous pour installer et suivre les pompes. Des partenaires financiers sont aussi les bienvenus pour faire partie de ce projet de valeur.

    Si votre organisation opère dans ces régions avec des niveaux d’eau oscillant entre 60 et 100m et que vous êtes intéressés de participer, alors nous serons ravis d’en savoir plus. »

    Pour plus d’information, contacter : Paul Dawson pdsundew @ btinternet.com ou Sandy Polak tapolak @ aol.com Poldaw Designs, UK. (Poldaw Designs n’est pas une division à but non lucrative de Neale Consulting Engineers)


    WEDC: WEDC Conference 2015

    The 38th WEDC International Conference will be held on 27–31 July 2015, Loughborough University, UK. The call for abstracts will be launched soon on the WEDC Conference website.

    WEDC: Conférence WEDC 2015

    La 38ème conférence internationale de WEDC se tiendra du 27 au 31 juillet 2015 à l’université de Loughborough au Royaume Uni. L’appel à proposition pour les articles sera lancé bientôt sur le site de la conférence WEDC .


    UNC: Water Safety Planning Distance Learning Course

    The Water Institute at UNC now offers a distance learning course on Water Safety Plans (WSPs) aimed at those in the water industry with management, engineering, or operational responsibilities.  Water Safety Plans represent a new approach to managing risks of water system failure that was developed by the World Health Organization and field-tested in the UK, Australia, Iceland, Nepal, and Uganda. Registration for the course is now open. To register or for additional information, email us: waterinstituteteaching@unc.edu or visit the Water Safety Plans distance learning webpage.


    Skat/WaterAid/Waterlines: Writing for WASH courses

    In the run-up to the 7th RWSN Forum in 2016 (see below), we are looking to organise more RWSN “Writing for WASH” courses. The format is flexible and can be run over 2 or 3 days. Since 2012, Skat and WaterAid have run courses in London, Kampala, Dar Es Salaam, Monrovia, Madagascar, Bangladesh and Kiev. We are looking for host organisations, so if you would be interested in developing the writing and presentation skills of your staff or partners then please contact the RWSN Secretariat (sean.furey @ skat.ch)

    Skat/WaterAid/Waterlines: Ecriture pour les cours WASH

    Dans la preparation du 7ème forum du RWSN en 2016 (cf ci-dessous), nous planifions de réaliser plus de cours RWSN « Ecrire pour le WASH ». Le format est flexible et peut être tenu sur 2-3 jours. Depuis 2012, Skat et WaterAid ont effectué des cours à Londres, Kampala, Dar Es Salaam, Monrovia, Madagascar, Bangladesh et Kiev. Nous sommes à la recherche d’organisations hôtes. Alors si vous êtes intéressés dans le développement de l’écriture et des compétences en présentation de votre personnel ou de vos partenaires, alors merci de contacter le secrétariat du RWSN (sean.furey @ skat.ch)

    a new phase of RWSN is on the way…..

    2015 Theme Icons

    RWSN is not a formal organisation, more of a shared idea. In 1992, the network was founded as the Handpump Technology Network (HTN) with a narrow focus on…. handpump technology. 22 years on, and this small group of engineers from the Water & Sanitation Program of the World Bank, UNICEF, Skat and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has become a much bigger family.

    As of this morning we have 6,301 individual members, 23 RWSN Member Organisations (the newest are Yobe State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Nigeria and the German-based NGO, Welthungerhilfe) and we have an active team of thematic leaders from Skat, WaterAid and IRC as well as a tremendously supportive Executive Committee.

    So where now?

    Continue reading “a new phase of RWSN is on the way…..”