Sustainable Water and Sanitation Services The Life-Cycle Cost Approach to Planning and Management Earthscan Studies in Water Resource Management Series

Based on the work of the WASHCost project run by the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC), this book provides an evaluation of the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sectors in the context of developing countries and is the first systematic study of applying the life-cycle cost approach to assessing allocations. It presents unit cost estimates of the WASH sector across geographic locations and technologies, including rural and peri-urban areas, and these are compared with service levels. It analyses detailed data from more than 5000 households across nine agro-climatic zones in Andhra Pradesh State in India. Key issues assessed include poverty analysis of service levels, cost drivers and factors at the village and household level, and governance aspects such as transparency, accountability and value for money in relation to unit costs and service levels.

This is the most comprehensive study of the WASH sector in India and elsewhere that utilises the life-cycle cost approach, along with GIS, econometric modelling and qualitative research methods. Not only does it contribute to research and methodology in this area, but the analysis also provides valuable insights for planners, policy makers and bi-lateral donors. The authors show how the methodology can also be applied in other developing country contexts.

1. Introduction 2. WASH Sector in India: The Policy Context 3. Life-Cycle Cost Approach: An Analytical Framework for WASH Sector 4. Unit Costs and Service Levels: Region and Technology-wise 5. Explaining Inter-Village Variations in Drinking Water Provision: Factors Influencing Costs and Service Levels in Rural Andhra Pradesh 6. Rural Sanitation and Hygiene: Economic and Institutional Aspects of Sustainable Services 7. Nirmal Gram Puraskar and Sanitation Service Levels: Curse of Slippage 8. Cost of Provision and Managing WASH Services in Peri-Urban Areas 9. Skewed and Inequitable Access to Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Services 10. How can Water Security be Improved in Water Scarce Areas of Rural India? 11. Assessing Progress towards Sustainable Service Delivery in India: Lessons for Rural Water Supply 12. Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP): Understanding Governance in Rural WASH Sector 13. Decentralized Governance and Sustainable Service Delivery: A Case of Nenmeni Rural Water Supply Scheme, Kerala, India 14. Provision of Sustainable WASH Services: Policy Options and Imperatives

Livelihoods and Natural Resources Management Institute (LNRMI) is an independent institution based in Hyderabad, India, aiming at conducting high quality research and consultancy in the area of human livelihoods and natural resource management.

IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC), The Hague, Netherlands, seeks to bridge the knowledge gap through joint learning with partners for improved, low-cost water supply, sanitation and hygiene in developing couries.

The Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Hyderabad, India conducts interdisciplinary research in analytical and applied areas of social sciences, encompassing socio-economic and other aspects of development.

Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN) in Secunderabad, India works towards bringing about a qualitative change in the watershed based development programs in India.