Life-cycle costs approach

The life-cycle costs approach seeks to raise awareness of the importance of life-cycle costs in achieving adequate, equitable and sustainable WASH services, to make reliable cost information readily available and to mainstream the use of life-cycle costs in WASH governance processes at every level.

Since 2008, WASHCost has developed new methodologies to better understand and use the costs of providing water, sanitation and hygiene services to rural and peri-urban communities in Ghana, Burkina-Faso, Mozambique and India (Andhra Pradesh).

Water and sanitation services that last eUpdate: April 2012 issue

News

This month, Field Level Operations Watch (FLOW) received much attention in the media. Last month, CNN published an article on reaching the goal of universal access to clean water and sanitation services. FLOW was highlighted as a practical mobile tool for alleviating slow monitoring processes of organisations. IRC’s Stef Smits, who was featured in the article, explained how ‘various countries are experimenting with mobile technology, which could play a vital role in solving long-term sanitation issues’. WaterHackathon also blogged about the benefits and limitations of this monitoring tool. Representatives of Water For People, the World Bank, and IRC shared their real-world experiences. Nick Dickinson, IRC programme officer, gave insight into how FLOW is used to support Triple-S in Ghana. To learn more, visit the Triple-S webpage.

And, if you missed WASH Advocates’ “Get Schooled on WASH” learning sessions, now is your chance to discover what was shared during the day-long event. Reports, videos, and presentations are available here, including Catarina Fonseca’s latest presentation on the life-cycle costs approach.

Three day training on costing sustainable services, 8-10 May, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

News

IRC, at the request of the Millennium Water Alliance, is organising a three-day training in Addis Ababa for Millennium Water Alliance’s partner organisations. Training participants will explore how they can apply life-cycle costing to their own work and how they can enable others to use elements of the life-cycle cost approach for improving the sustainability of WASH interventions. For more information on how you can organise a tailor-made training for your own organisation and partners, please contact Jeske Verhoeven at verhoeven@irc.nl.

Briefing Note 1b - (em Português) Serviços para sempre: A importância da Manutenção do Capital (CapManEx) na garantia de serviços sustentávei...

Research publications

A escassez de dados, metodologias e análises para compreender os custos do ciclo de vida dos custos de manutenção em ASH é o grande desafio enfrentado pelo setor de água e saneamento. Esta nota informativa introduz o conceito de despesas de manutenção como um caminho a seguir para o preenchimento desta lacuna. É um recurso valioso para os decisores políticos, profissionais, doadores e investigadores que trabalham nesta area.

20 April 2012.

Briefing Note 1b - (em Português) Serviços para sempre.pdf (489.6 kB)

Le coût des systèmes d’approvisionnement en eau potable au Burkina Faso: une application de l’approche des coûts à long terme

Burkina Faso

Cette étude est une illustration de l’approche des coûts à long terme. Les résultats ne sont pas statistiquement représentatifs des trois types de systèmes à l’échelle du pays et ne doivent pas être interprétés comme tels.

Leur présentation a permis de montrer comment opérationnaliser l’approche en l’appliquant à trois types de système très différents et l’intérêt à mieux connaître les coûts long terme et les coûts unitaires pour améliorer la planification.

Un des intérêts de l’approche des coûts à long terme réside dans les données qu’elle oblige à connaître/collecter. A la différence de l’approche basée sur les seuls coûts d’investissement et le taux de couverture, l’approche des coûts à long terme oblige à connaître les dépenses postérieures à la réalisation des ouvrages. Ces dépenses sont laissées à la charge des usagers, sans qu’une information fiable puisse en définir le niveau absolu ou relatif.

Par : Christelle Pezon, Richard Bassono

27 March 2012.

WASHCost_WorkingPaper_Cout AEP_Fr_05w.pdf (689.2 kB)

CWSA Volta regional director on direct support costing to ensure sustainability of WASH services

Ghana

The Volta regional director for the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in Ghana, Mr. Wigbert Naa Dogoli, has stated the need to budget for direct support costs to ensure the sustainability of WASH facilities.

Naa Dogoli said to be able to do this properly, there is the need to clearly identify the stakeholders involved and their activities and assign cost to them.

Overcoming caste biases improves access to WASH services

India

In India, families belonging to scheduled castes/tribes often receive poor levels of WASH services, while families belonging to higher castes receive better quality. WASHCost India presents a story of two villages that have potential of overcoming caste biases. Medipally and Jankampet villages in Andhra Pradesh are good examples of communities with inclusive approaches to WASH services.

19 April 2012

MV Rama Chandrudu

Overcoming Caste Biases and Improving Access to WASH Services and Governance Apr 2012.doc (118.5 kB)

Monitoria dos contratos de ASH em Moçambique

Mozambique

O sector de Água, Saneamento e Higiene – ASH possui informação limitada relativa aos custos e seu historial.
Para responder a este défice, vimos que publicações com base nos contratos desencadeiam uma discussão vigorosa nos custos unitários.
Esta informação está neste momento a ser usada para orçamentação e planificação. Ela marca um passo no processo de transparência