Ten steps to sustainable infrastructure

Abstract

Urban infrastructure, particularly water supply, sanitation, drainage and solid-waste management, is essential if improvement is to be made to the urban environment. Unforturnately, in too many cities of the developing world the majority of residents do not have access to these basic urban services. Infrastructure is an essential element if urban sustainability is to be achieved. In order to provide infrastructure to low-income settlements in such cities, it is necessary to design programmes which involve the progressive improvement of on-site facilities. There are parallels in this approach to that which, since the 1960s, has been increasingly accepted as the most efficient way of meeting housing needs in low-income situations. The role of outside organisations that might assist in this progressive improvement of infrastructure process, as well as the required role of governments, are explored. The paper considers the approaches used by a number of countries that have attempted to facilitate local infrastructure. These are evaluated, based on case study evidence, in terms of their abilities to meet local infrastructure needs in a cost-effective manner while at the same time including the communities to be served in the planning, decision-making, implementation and management processes. The result is a 10-principle model that can be interpreted as a means of facilitating the meeting of local needs in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner.