Water

Technology options for both rural and urban areas particularly in small towns were discussed. Recommended go-forward strategies for ADB:

• Information about the sanitation program should be disseminated and awareness should be raised
• Socio-cultural considerations should be given attention
• Cost effective and user-friendly operation and maintenance should be considered
• Technology options should address urban and rural communities of different sizes

Ample community consultation to facilitate a well-informed decision was deemed necessary. Emphasis is placed on community mobilization as a bottom-up process and that it should recognize the differences in the needs and habits of particular communities. Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Communities should be included in the planning of the sanitation and wastewater management program. Households should be placed at the center of the planning process
• Economic and gender dimensions should be considered
• C ommunity knowledge and capacity needs should be recognized and utilized
• Partnerships with civil society organizations to incorporate local experience must be encouraged
• Equitable tariffs (including recognizing in-kind contributions) should be maintained
• All stakeholders should be included in the education program. Health and hygiene education should be prioritized
• Links between communities and local government should be forged
• Transparent and replicable evaluation process should be established

The enabling environment for private sector participation in water and sanitation should be improved. Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Market-based approach to sanitation through pilots should be demonstrated and documented. Opportunities for replication and scaling up should be identified
• Link with government as the principal driver and owner of scale-up initiative should be established
• PSP approach should be promoted among donors and NGOs, academe, and other knowledge partner organizations
• Cross-country information network should be developed
• Incentive systems should be established to encourage innovation and reform

A holistic approach to sanitation was proposed to encompass policy, planning and financing at the highest level during implementation. The following must be addressed:

• institutional mechanism
• role of stakeholders
• capacity building
• appropriate technology
• operations and maintenance
• coordination mechanism
• linkages

All these must redound to economic, social and environmental multipliers.

For sanitation to become part of the government’s priority agenda, there must be:

• capacity building of stakeholders
• support from development partners like ADB
• interim institutional arrangements such as the establishment of high powered coordination committee with defined responsibility, accountability, and with representation from private and government sectors.

Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Information about sanitation should be disseminated without hurting cultural beliefs, values and norms
• Sanitation and hygiene program in education system should be mainstreamed
• Involvement of social activist, religious and cultural leaders, teachers and youth should be elicited
• Technology options based on a good understanding and prior assessment of community capacity for operation and maintenance should be developed
• Participatory monitoring process should be introduced
• Development of a local knowledge institution to address the sanitation and hygiene problems and issues in DMCs should be considered

Solid waste management should be included in the sanitation and wastewater management program. Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Specific capacity building strategies for solid waste management must be established
• Research and development for appropriate technology should be supported, including creating market opportunities for compost
• Policy on solid waste management should include promoting entrepreneurs
• Micro-planning should be carried out to address area-specific problems that require area-specific solutions

Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Information dissemination campaign should be adequate and appropriate
• Feasible technology should be replicated
• Ecological sanitation (ECOCOSAN) toilets should be recommended because it is pro-poor, environment friendly, practical, achievable and convenient

Capacity building sustains projects in the long run and is absolutely feasible and tangible. Investment in people and organizations should be an important part of any sanitation program. Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Participation should start from problem and solution identification
• Activities should be demand-driven
• Capacity building should be mainstreamed and not considered add-ons that always risks budget cuts
• Definition and framework for capacity building must be revisited

Institutional reform plays a crucial role in advancing sanitation agenda. Recommended go-forward strategies:

• Communities should be educated through various means for motivation, promotion and advocacy
• Capacity at central and local government institutions, including technical assistance, should be strengthened
• Subsidizing 30% of the investment cost in the beginning, should be considered, without losing track of cost-recovery policy and phased elimination of subsidy
• Alternative solutions should be evaluated, taking into account required institutional arrangements, implementation schedule, institutional commitment, and O&M requirements
• Consumers’ willingness to pay should be assessed

Recommended go-forward action plan:

• National policy/public awareness at all levels
• Comprehensive plan
• Institutional arrangements
• Implement regulation
• Financial analysis for investment and O&M
• Build capacity to manage
• Recommend tariff structure
• Prepare and implement pilot projects
• Feedback from experience to rearrange priorities

The partnerships for financing could be between or among:

• Government – Government
• Government – Public/NGO
• Government – Private Sector
• Government – Private Sector – Financing Institution

Sufficient conditions of partnerships

• Policy and institutional frameworks
• environmental regulations
• private sector financing
• Public awareness
• consequences, monetized and motivation-based
• Consumer willingness to pay (inclined ability)
• Political will
• to charge
• to implement regardless of charge
• Capacity of the implementer (local government; utility)
• Project financing/transaction costs and risks (e.g. over extended)