Community Ownership of Local Water Management

Bangladesh Field Investigation

Community Ownership of Local Water Management

Social Studies Inquiry Series

Effective NGO Strategies

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Learning Target: government, economics, cultural differences, systems thinking, problem solving, data analysis

Inquiry

What are the most effective strategies for government and non-government organizations to advance UN Sustainable Development Goal #6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”

Background

On September 25 2015, the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda titled "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity containing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (STGs) which are measured by progress against 169 Targets. Goal #6, “Ensure access to water and sanitation for all”, creates a vision for how to build toward sustainable water systems. (UN.org)

In the face of water scarcity and limited infrastructure in Bangladesh (the world’s most densely populated country), government and non-government organizations are working to make this vision a reality. Bangladesh’s government has established a national plan to achieve a safe water supply and sanitary facilities for 80 per cent of the population and to improve the personal hygiene practices of 60 per cent of the population. Communities and local government structures need to be able to take up national policies and translate them into practical, long-term strategies to ensure that they have, and can sustain, a supply of safe water. (UNICEF.org)

Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are dedicated to helping make increased water supply and sanitation a reality in Bangladesh. UNICEF, a NGO dedicated to providing resources for children around the world, is supporting Bangladesh’s national plan through activities around water, environment and sanitation. According to Unicef, establishing and maintaining environmental sanitation, safe water supplies and good hygiene in Bangladesh requires a combination of initiatives (UNICEF.org):

• Effective communication of information that will change behaviour

• Measures that strengthen local government

• Education from primary school stage

• Support for good management of building and engineering

• Reducing arsenic contamination in the water supply.

Another NGO working in Bangladesh, Seattle-based Water 1st International, is dedicated to implementing high-quality water and sanitation projects that provide permanent solutions for the world’s poorest communities. Water 1st supports local, on-the-ground organizations with a proven track record of implementing effective, long-lasting water and sanitation projects. When making changes in a community, it's vital that the community feels ownership of the project and understands the value. They also ensure long term sustainability of their projects by following up year after year. (Water1st.org)

Water 1st’s partner in Bangladesh is Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK), a NGO working for poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Water 1st began funding DSK in two slum areas in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2006. DSK now implements hundreds of projects a year in Bangladesh’s three largest cities of Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna. In 12 years, 2,227 water projects have been completed by Water 1st and DSK. Every single one of their projects has been a success providing water to 136,883 people. (Water1st.org)

Issues and Opportunities

Arsenic Contamination

Bangladesh made great progress in water supply with the widespread use of tube wells. Approximately 97% of Bangladeshis have access to a water point. However due to the discovery of arsenic in the groundwater in 1993, only 76% of these can now be considered safe. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that can cause cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and other health issues when consumed. (UNICEF.org)

Since the discovery of arsenic, government and NGO programs have been launched to increase education of arsenic contamination, test wells to determine water supplies with arsenic and to implement solutions to provide clean water. Arsenic is found in water from hand-pumped, mostly shallow, tube wells across huge swaths of rural Bangladesh. Testing has allowed villagers to share safe wells and to identify depths where arsenic is less prevalent in the groundwater. Organizations such as Human Rights Watch, are concerned that government programs to install new wells don’t make it a priority to install them in areas where the risk is the highest. Learn more about key statistics, issues and actions around Arsenic Mitigation in Bangladesh.

Population Dense Slums

Working in urban slums is complex. Population density is incredibly high and space is at a premium. Slums imply challenging ownership patterns and issues, including the risk of eviction and redevelopment. This uncertainty translates into a reluctance to invest in infrastructure like water systems and toilets. When improvements are made, people often seek to minimize cost, which results in low-quality construction. In Chittagong, the challenges are magnified by a scarcity of usable water resources. (Water1st.org)

In spite of these challenges, Water 1st and DSK have learned a few important pieces of information that open the door for more opportunities:

● Poor people will choose more expensive services if the system is guaranteed to perform better.

● Poor people will repay loans at a higher rate than homeowners in the USA.

● Functionality and convenience drive toilet use, not cost or lack of education.

Based on these understandings, DSK has developed a world-class program that provides high quality water and sanitation services to urban slum dwellers. One of DSK’s brilliant moves has been incorporating micro-lending into its operations. Water systems and toilets are not given away. Users must repay the full construction cost to DSK over 1-2 years. Repayment rates have exceeded 96%. These repaid loans are then used to fund more projects. Currently, 49% of Water 1st’s annual budget for Bangladesh comes from repaid loans. (Water1st.org)

Other Challenges

●Limited water resources and fluctuations in water supply.

●Failure of water projects: 35-50% of water projects around the world fail in first five years.

●Gaps between government policies and practice.

Stakeholders

●Bangladesh’s Government: Designs and implements national policies and plans to improve water supply and sanitation.

●Non-Governmental Organizations: NGOs like World Bank, UNICEF, Water 1st International and Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK)plan, fund and implement water supply and sanitation projects in Bangladesh Communities. .

●Watchdog Organizations: Organizations such as WASH Watch and Human Rights Watch hold governments and NGOs accountable by collecting data and reporting on national progress holding organizations and governments accountable.

●Community Representatives: Local people are empowered take ownership of their water supply and sanitation by receiving training and education around these systems.

Pacific Northwest Context

●What are the similarities and differences in water issues in Bangladesh and your community?

●What local, state, and national policies ensure access to water and sanitation in your community?

●Where does your water come from? What types of contaminants have been found in local water resources? How have they been mitigated?

●Where does the water go when you flush your toilet? How is the wastewater managed?

Resources

●Water Supply and Sanitation in Bangladesh - Wikipedia Overview

●Water 1st in Bangladesh - Video

●Water 1st: Our Solution to the Global Water Crisis - Video

●Water 1st in Bangladesh: Overview and Updates - Website

●UNICEF in Bangladesh - Website

●Bangladesh: 20 Million Drink Arsenic Laced Water - Human Rights Watch

●Policy Brief: Water Management in Bangladesh - PDF

●Slides - Photos, Maps, Charts, Infographics

○UN Sustainable Development Goal 6

○Water Supply Issues in Bangladesh

○Engineering of of Water Supply and Sanitation Systems

Inquiries created by Sustainability Ambassadors made possible by Cascade Water Alliance