Abstract
Locally managed handpumps provide water services to around 200 million people in rural Africa. Handpump failures often result in extended service disruption leading to high but avoidable financial, health, and development costs. Using unique observational data from monitoring handpump usage in rural Kenya, we evaluate how dramatic improvements in maintenance services influence payment preferences across institutional, operational, and geographic factors. Public goods theory is applied to examine new institutional forms of handpump management. Results reveal steps to enhance rural water supply sustainability by pooling maintenance and financial risks at scale supported by advances in monitoring and payment technologies.
Highlights
An enduring puzzle in achieving progress toward universal and reliable water service delivery in Africa is overcoming barriers to sustainable water user payments for community-managed handpumps (Harvey & Reed, 2004)
Foster (2013) found that distance from the district/county capital city is significantly associated with nonfunctionality of handpumps in a study covering 25,000 pumps across three countries in sub-Saharan Africa. (iii) Demand and service level Since the Dublin Principles of 1992 (ICWE, 1992), the demand-responsive approach has provided the template for most rural water supply services
The application of public goods theory to the institutional design of user groups reveals that the more exclusive handpump clubs show a 43% higher average willingness-to-pay per member per month (USD 1.03) than more inclusive groups classified as common pool resource groups (USD 0.72)
Summary
An enduring puzzle in achieving progress toward universal and reliable water service delivery in Africa is overcoming barriers to sustainable water user payments for community-managed handpumps (Harvey & Reed, 2004). (iii) Demand and service level Since the Dublin Principles of 1992 (ICWE, 1992), the demand-responsive approach has provided the template for most rural water supply services It focuses on both financial and managerial sustainability through participatory planning, informed choices, community management, and cost recovery or cost-sharing arrangements (Sara & Katz, 2010). The failure of communities to speedily repair their handpumps results in longer term nonfunctionality causing discontent among water users, who look for alternatives and refrain from paying fees – a process that leads to a downward spiral in water services (Cross & Morel, 2005) To counter such a downward development, supra-communal management options should be considered for rural water services recognizing the critical importance of the interface between a community-based model and the local community it is meant to serve (Blaikie, 2006). Alternatives such as private rural water service providers are promoted by Kleemeier and Narkevic (2010), who argue for private firms or individuals to receive long-term government-let contracts to design, build or rehabilitate, operate, and maintain water supplies within a defined geographical area
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
