Abstract
AbstractLimited understanding of the complex interactions of factors that influence the sustainability of access to improved water services poses a threat to rural livelihoods. The study assessed the complex interactions of the factors using a network approach. The assessment was to understand the complex interaction of the factors resulting from their cause-effect relationship that influence the sustainability of access to improved water services in a rural municipality of South Africa. The results highlighted that limited budget, limited or no water supply and improper operation and maintenance were critical factors resulting from the cause-effect relationship of other factors that influenced the sustainability of access to improved water services in the study area. We conclude that critical factors with a cause-effect relationship can influence the sustainability of access to improved water services. As a result, this deprives rural communities of the benefits derived from accessing improved water services. We recommend the use of the findings by the relevant authorities responsible for water services provision to inform planning, management policies to address challenges identified to contribute to sustainability of access to improved water services.
Highlights
IntroductionThe conventional approaches employed in the analysis of the factors do not capture the complex interactions resulting from their cause-effect relationship to provide a coherent understanding (Sambo ; Giné-Garriga et al )
The network approach captured the complex interactions of factors that influence the sustainability of access to improved water services in a rural municipality
Critical factors that influence the sustainability of access to improved water services were identified as a result of quantifying their cause-effect relationship
Summary
The conventional approaches employed in the analysis of the factors do not capture the complex interactions resulting from their cause-effect relationship to provide a coherent understanding (Sambo ; Giné-Garriga et al ). Such an understanding can contribute to enhanced public health, wellbeing and livelihoods (Giné-Garriga ; Giné-Garriga et al ; Sambo et al ) It can result in targeted interventions that include evidence-based policies and proper planning and management of improved water services to ensure sustainability. This raises a need to explore appropriate approaches that capture and provide a coherent understanding of the complex interactions of factors that influence the sustainability of access to improved water services (Giné-Garriga et al )
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