Water Services Research Articles

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services in Healthcare Facilities in Bayelsa State Nigeria: A Primordial Prevention Strategy for Infectious Disease Control

Lack or inadequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Healthcare Facilities (HCF) have been reported severally as having an impact on the transmission of infectious diseases or outbreak of infectious diseases in a healthcare setting. The study conducted in Bayelsa State, South-South of Nigeria was an institutional-based survey that utilized observational checklist and a key-informant interview for data collection. Eleven (11) HCFs comprising of 6(54.5%) primary healthcare facilities and 5(45.5%) secondary healthcare facilities was used for this study. While 8(72.7%) of the HCFs were owned by the Government 3(27.3%) were owned by private individuals and faith-based organizations. All HCF had tap water drawn from borehole as their main source of water supply but only 4(36.4%) have alternative source of water supply. All water supplies were within the HCFs and are less than 500 m from the point of care. Only 1(9.1%) out of 11 HCFs surveyed lacked water at the time of assessment. The type of toilet present in all the HCFs is the flush (water system) and they are all within the HCF premises. Over ninety percent (90.9%) of the HCFs had no toilet designed for those with limited mobility. Wash hand basins for hand hygiene were found to be available in all the HCFs except 1(9.1%). Four (4) (36.4%) of the HCFs had separate bins for the different categories of healthcare wastes while 7(63.6%) had not. There were posters of handwashing and disease prevention in 6(54.5%) of the HCFs. In all the HCFs, there was no WASH monitoring team. The study therefore advocates for WASH monitoring team and focal persons in all the HCFs to ensure adequate provision of WASH services. The study equally recommends further study involving more HCFs and assessing the constraints militating against the provision, use and maintenance of WASH infrastructures at HCFs in Bayelsa State.

Achieving Sustainable Goals Using an Effective Budget-Allocation Multicriteria Mives Model: Case Study of a Spanish Water Utility Company

Within the global sustainability agenda, companies must align their operations with specific Sustainable Goals (SGs) and develop corresponding budgeting strategies. This paper presents a robust multicriteria decision-making model tailored for a Spanish utility company specializing in water services. The model ensures that financial allocations reflect the company's vision and its interpretation of sustainable development within its service areas. This approach aims to promote objectivity, traceability, and sustainability in decision-making, as a critical component in achieving SGs. The article emphasizes the importance of aligning water companies' budget allocations with SGs, highlighting key indicators for consideration. It provides a practical illustration of how the company's financial allocations were synchronized with SGs using a multicriteria decision-making model. A case study is included, involving a budget allocation of 40 million euros compared across four scenarios with the historical average of budgets from the Past Three Investment Plans (P3IP). The results reveal significant variations in budget allocation across different infrastructure categories, demonstrating the system's robustness, such as a 70% variation in production infrastructures, 27% in transportation, 25% in distribution, and 40% in the remaining areas, depending on the scenario.

Left alone and behind: Experiences of living with incontinence in a Sudanese refugee camp and how WASH practitioners can support

ABSTRACT Being able to manage incontinence with dignity is intrinsically linked to access to appropriate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services; yet it is overwhelmingly overlooked in humanitarian contexts and not consistently included in WASH interventions. A mixed-methods study (including market assessment) was conducted in two refugee camps in eastern Sudan in late 2022. Tigrayan refugees with incontinence faced extreme challenges to managing it, including no or limited access to necessary hygiene products (such as mattress protectors, toilet chairs, and soap), a lack of water for personal hygiene and washing, and long distances to communal sanitation facilities and distribution sites (or markets) where they often needed to queue or lacked privacy. Refugees with incontinence faced high levels of stigma, shame, and isolation. WASH practitioners need increased awareness of incontinence to carry out quality WASH assessments, to better understand and support people with incontinence. WASH interventions must include appropriate hygiene and non-food items (NFIs) to enable people to manage incontinence at home, and accessible toilets, water points and hygiene and washing facilities. A mixed modality of both in-kind and cash or voucher support can help to ensure hygiene and NFI items are accessible and meet the needs of people living with incontinence.

Addressing water, sanitation and hygiene inequalities: A review of evidence, gaps, and recommendations for disability-inclusive WASH by 2030

One in six people worldwide experiences significant disability. Many of these people living in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, a fundamental necessity for health and well-being. This review aimed to examine the existing evidence on disability and WASH in LMICs, identify gaps and make recommendations to strengthen disability-inclusive WASH research, policies and practices to make significant progress by 2030. While evidence of WASH challenges faced by people with disabilities has grown in the last decade, revealing significant inequalities, there is a lack of controlled studies to assess the impact of disability-inclusive WASH interventions. This research gap makes it difficult to prioritise investments for scalable solutions. This review proposes three key recommendations: 1) Further expand research on WASH challenges faced by people with disabilities, prioritising climate risks, health impacts, and educational inequalities. 2) Design and test evidence-based disability-inclusive WASH interventions. 3) Rigorously evaluate these interventions to determine what successfully reduces WASH disparities for people with disabilities and their caregivers cost-effectively. This review is the first to synthesise available evidence across disability and WASH and offer a roadmap for future efforts to drive improvements in disability-inclusive WASH by 2030.

Evaluation of Drinking Water Service Achievement in Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan

The issues with drinking water services in Tanah Bumbu Regency include the fact that service levels have not yet reached 100% adequacy and 15% safety as outlined in the RPJMN 2024, and the level of water loss remains high. The research aims to evaluate the achievement of drinking water services in Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan Province. The study was conducted in Tanah Bumbu Regency, South Kalimantan Province. Sampling for community respondents utilized purposive sampling methods. Sampling for PTAM respondents employed purposive sampling methods, with 11 employees selected from the organizational structure of the office (head of general affairs and personnel; head of technical affairs; and head of each IKK unit). The evaluation results regarding the management of drinking water services in Tanah Bumbu Regency in terms of the 4K aspects (Quality, Quantity, Continuity, and Affordability) indicate that the quality aspect is still suboptimal due to limited funding for health department inspections, resulting in limited water sample collection at household connections. Regarding Quantity, the provision of drinking water services is prioritized in urban areas, while in rural areas, the operator (PTAM Tanah Bumbu) has not been able to meet the needs of the entire population of Tanah Bumbu Regency, both urban and rural, due to production capacity constraints. Keywords: Evaluation, Drinking water, Tanah Bumbu

Co-financing irrigation water services: farmers' perspectives in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Insufficient financial resources pose a considerable obstacle to Vietnam's endeavors to alleviate the repercussions of climate change. The adverse impacts of extreme weather events, particularly drought and water scarcity, have inflicted severe consequences on rice production across diverse regions, imperiling both the livelihoods of farmers and the nation's food security. While international aid is crucial, involving farmers in co-financing irrigation water services is essential for addressing these challenges in the long run. This study employs a blended approach encompassing quantitative and qualitative methodologies to investigate the determinants influencing farmers' willingness to participate in co-financing irrigation water services. Data were meticulously gathered through direct interviews with 289 farmers in An Giang province within the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The findings underscore that the majority of respondents (86.16%) reported encountering water-related stresses in rice production, with 76.47% experiencing productivity losses attributable to extreme weather events. The results of the binary logistic regression model reveal significant factors associated with a farmer's decision to engage in co-financing irrigation services, including household income, participation in non-farm employment, farmers' perceptions of water scarcity, the adverse impact of water scarcity on rice yields, and the assessment of associated risks. Based on these discernments, we offer several policy recommendations aimed at facilitating the efficacious implementation of the irrigation water service co-financing initiative.

Assessing energy efficiency of water services and its drivers: A case study from water companies in England and Wales

Understanding how energy efficient the water services are and what drives inefficiency can greatly assist water utilities in delivering sustainable services. This study employs a neural network (NN) approach to measure the energy efficiency of water services in relation to the volume of drinking water supplied and the number of connected properties. Unlike other non-parametric approaches, NN allows capturing the complex relationships and dependencies between various factors influencing energy efficiency of water companies. An empirical application for English and Welsh water utilities embracing water only companies (WoCs) and water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) over 2008–2020 was conducted. The average energy efficiency score was found to be 0.411, indicating that water utilities could potentially save 0.54 kWh per cubic meter of drinking water supplied. Notably, WaSCs exhibited better energy performance compared to WoCs, with energy efficiency scores of 0.559 and 0.239, respectively. Nevertheless, based on the volume of water delivered, WaSCs could save 0.65 kWh/m3 whereas WoCs potential energy savings are 0.24 kWh/m3. Energy efficiency remained relatively stable across the years, with average values of 0.440, 0.388 and 0.454 for the periods 2008–2010, 2011–2015, and 2016–2020, respectively. The analysis conducted using decision tree methods highlighted the relevance of water treatment quality and the source of raw water as key variables influencing the energy efficiency of water utilities. These findings can be valuable for policymakers, enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the driving factors behind energy efficiency in water service provision.

Defending water and life: domestic ecologies and social reproduction in Buenaventura

During the last four decades, communities in the city of Buenaventura, Colombia’s main seaport, have mobilized in order to access public water services. Privatization, poor infrastructural maintenance, and intermittence have made access to water a matter of concern. In this context, the Committee for the Defense of Water and Life came into being in 2014, as an urban grassroots organization, making calls on the city’s population to mobilize for their right to clean water. In this article, however, we argue that the acts of defending water are not limited to the realm of collective action and overt activism against national and local governmental decisions. Rather, defending water in places such as Buenaventura is also an everyday gendered practice where water is secured and protected against other beings such as microbes and/or mosquitoes. Drawing on collaborative work, we document how women protect water in less visible scenarios such as the home. These women engage in a repertoire of domestic activities and techniques in order to obtain, store and keep water clean, as stored (and therefore stagnant) waters are never only water but are also home to large and threatening communities of organisms such as microbes and mosquitoes on their water stages. We bring political ecology indoors to reflect on how gendered domestic spaces become a dynamic and crucial ecological and political arena for the defense of water and life.

Water and Sanitation Practices and performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company in Bomet County, Kenya

Water and sanitation provision practices are established with the intention to enhance performance, provision on clean water and enhanced sanitation services. However, globally, not all Water & Sanitation Companies are able to achieve their core mandate of provision of adequate clean water and sanitation services. All Water and Sanitation Companies adopt water and sanitation practices however the extent to which they affect performance of water and sanitation companies is has attracted divergent views while other scholar found a negative affect others found a positive effect and hence a dilemma exist as to what is the exact effect of water and sanitation practices on the performance of water and sanitation companies. At Bomet Water and Sanitation Company in Bomet County, very few studies exist that have been conducted on the subject matter and yet its performance is not optimal and the hence the reason as to why this study was conducted at the Water and Sanitation Company. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of water and sanitation practices on performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company in Bomet County, Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were to establish how resources influences performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company, to find out the extent to which stakeholder engagement effects performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company, to determine the effects of governance on the performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company and to examine the influence of information communication technology on the performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company. Theories adopted were; Resource Based View Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Stewardship Theory, Systems Theory and Balance scorecard Theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design and targeted 170 respondents drawn from commercial, technical and administration department. The sample size was 34 staffs selected using stratified random sampling technique. A pilot study was conducted to test the effectiveness and reliability of the research tool. The study used both primary and secondary data sources. Data was analyzed using quantitative approach which involved the use of descriptive statistics that entailed percentages, frequency, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistic adopted was regression analysis was used to establish existing relationships between water and sanitation provision practices and performance of Bomet Water and Sanitation Company. Results were as follows; resources had a positive and significant effect on performance of BOMWASCO of (β=-0.229, p < 0.05). Stakeholder engagement had a positive and significant effect on performance of BOMWASCO (β=0.231, p < 0.05). Governance had a positive and significant effect on performance of BOMWASCO (β=0.451, p < 0.05). ICT had a positive and significant effect on performance of BOMWASCO (β=0.343, p < 0.05). The study concluded that resources, stakeholder engagement, governance and ICT have a positive and significant effect on performance of BOMWASCO. The study recommended that physical resources should used sufficiently and correctly to enhance equitable water supply all residents. The community should continue to be engaged in all water supply and solid waste collection practices in the County. BOMWASCO board structure should effectively represent diverse stakeholder interests. Current software solutions should continue being used in a manner that effectively meets organizational needs and requirements. The study recommends further studies should be conducted on Water and sanitation practices and performance of other water and sanitation companies in Kenya.

The Effect of Decentralisation on Access to Sanitation and Water Services: An Empirical Test using International Data

Decentralisation promises efficiency gains and improved access to public goods and services, especially at the local level. Under a decentralised governance arrangement, regional and environmental peculiarities are considered prominently in delivering public goods and services. Given the impact of the environment in influencing sanitation and water services, particularly water provision, this study examines the effect of decentralisation, as measured by revenue share and expenditure share, on access to improved sanitation facilities and drinkable water. Exploiting the variation in the access to sanitation facilities and drinking water using the Hausman-Taylor estimator, this study suggests a positive impact of decentralisation on the access to sanitation and drinkable water.

The increasing energy intensity of drinking water supply

Supplying water to cities is an energy-intensive activity, but few longitudinal studies exist of water utilities’ energy intensity (energy use per unit water volume). Using t-tests and regression on public records from the state of Wisconsin, USA, we analyze over 500 drinking water utilities’ performance from 2001 to 2020. This is the first long-term panel analysis of its kind. The annual data show energy intensity has increased by 12 % in large, 8 % in medium, and 28 % in small water utilities. The large utilities remain the least energy intensive (0.49 kWh/m³ as of 2020, compared to 0.53 kWh/m³ and 0.67 kWh/m³ for medium and small utilities), and the small ones have diverged the most from the other two. At the same trajectory, energy intensity will increase by another 27 % for small water systems by 2040. Our analysis demonstrates economies of scale, highlights disadvantages of small utilities, and confirms predictions that water services would become more energy intensive. It motivates sustainability of coupled energy and water infrastructure and emphasizes responsible use of natural resources.

Central Asia: the Problem of Water Use in the Situation of the Construction of the Afghan Kush-Tepa Canal

The scarcity of water resources, the lack of equitable access of people to clean water and sanitation services, the insufficiency of technical and financial measures to create advanced systems for the use and conservation of water resources are global problems, but they cause the greatest damage to the states of the Global South, including Central Asia. Problems associated with water shortages in this region will worsen if the Kush-Tepa canal, which is being built in Afghanistan, is uncontrolled.The states of the region are committed to negotiations with the Taliban government in order to agree on cooperation in the field of water use, they are ready to help in the construction of the canal, associated irrigation systems and help in their technical equipment.The Afghan side, accepting verbally the initiatives of its Central Asian partners, insists on its right to use the canal at its own discretion and to the extent that meets its interests. At the same time, the Taliban authorities, not yet recognized by the international community, are trying not to aggravate relations with their neighbors with whom they carry out trade and economic cooperation. The Central Asian countries are making it clear that interaction with the Afghans can further develop if the parties take into account mutual interests. External actors behave differently. Russia offers its services in solving problems related to the operation of the Kush-Tepa Canal. The Americans are providing financial assistance to speed up the construction of the canal.

Evaluating alternatives to improve drinking water supply within a complex and uncertain human-environment system: case of the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Region

ABSTRACT Improving decision making in urban water supply systems under a wide range of changing human-environmental scenarios represents a challenging issue, especially when there is a high level of uncertainty and the available information is limited or scarce. To address this concern, the present study applied a decision aiding process to evaluate long-term planning solutions for the Port-au Prince Metropolitan Region’s water supply in Haiti, which is recognized for having a low coverage of water services and great lack of monitoring data. The methodological framework assessed pre-specified alternatives to face uncertain future conditions, with the main emphasis of being aware of how these uncertainties can be framed in the water management practices. To discover the most robust management solutions, a tradeoff analysis and multi-objective optimization allowed to explore the performance of alternatives across many future states of the world and multiple criteria. The results highlighted that human factors associated with the increase of per-capita water use and population growth posed a greater risk on water supply coverage than climatic factors. In addition, the decision support can offer a comprehensive representation of potential supply/demand futures, and provides decision-makers with the opportunity to discuss a posteriori the most appropriate water supply solution under an extensive variety of information with severe uncertainty.

Inaccessible and Unaffordable? The State of Water and Sanitation Services in Nairobi, Kenya

As the limited water resources become increasingly stressed by factors such as rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change, the need for sustainable urban water management is more important than in the past decades. A large part of the world’s population still lacks access to clean water and sanitation, making achieving Sustainable Development Goals a challenge. Water is an indispensable resource and plays an important role in ensuring the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, there is a need to prioritize research on the availability, affordability, and access of water resources to promote sustainable water resource management. In this study, we reviewed academic articles and published reports from various institutions and organizations to assess water sources, infrastructure, coverage, accessibility, and affordability of water and sanitation services in Nairobi County. The study identified Nairobi’s main water sources as municipal water, primarily from surface water and groundwater. However, the capacities of the water sources, treatment plants, and wastewater treatment plants were found to be insufficient, resulting in water shortages in most parts of the city.Most of the infrastructures were also found to be insufficient and old, contributing to water distribution inefficiencies, frequent leakages, and pipe bursts which hampers water reliability. The study suggests prioritizing the water and sanitation sector in government budgets to increase infrastructure development investments and funding. Appropriate wastewater treatment methods should also be adopted and implemented to enable wastewater to meet water consumption standards and be potentially integrated into supply systems.

Terorismul și crima organizată – amenințările secolului XXI la adresa infrastructurilor critice. O analiză privind motivațiile și modus operandi

In today’s world, where globalization has led to the emergence of various state and non-state actors, including sub-national ones, with differing interests and motivations that often conflict with one another, the provision of essential services such as transportation, electricity, drinking water, medical and digital services, and others is of critical importance to contemporary society. About half a decade ago, when the critical infrastructures that provide these services were built, threats to them, such as terrorism, organized crime, asymmetrical or hybrid ones, were almost non-existent and not as much of a concern to the critical entities responsible for protecting them. The present research is intended to carry out an analysis of two threats to critical infrastructures – terrorism and organized crime, with the aim of identifying their typology, the effects they produce, the method of operation employed by the non-state actors that conduct such activities. The article’s findings have demonstrated that ideological, political, and religious motivations of terrorist organizations, as well as the financial motivations of organized crime hold special significance as they yield effects in the modus operandi of these entities and also shape the response of law enforcement authorities.

Terrorism and Organized Crime – 21st Century Threats to Critical Infrastructures. An Analysis of Motivations and Modus Operandi

In today’s world, where globalization has led to the emergence of various state and non-state actors, including sub-national ones, with differing interests and motivations that often conflict with one another, the provision of essential services such as transportation, electricity, drinking water, medical and digital services, and others is of critical importance to contemporary society. About half a decade ago, when the critical infrastructures that provide these services were built, threats to them, such as terrorism, organized crime, asymmetrical or hybrid ones, were almost non-existent and not as much of a concern to the critical entities responsible for protecting them. The present research is intended to carry out an analysis of two threats to critical infrastructures – terrorism and organized crime, with the aim of identifying their typology, the effects they produce, the method of operation employed by the non-state actors that conduct such activities. The article’s findings have demonstrated that ideological, political, and religious motivations of terrorist organizations, as well as the financial motivations of organized crime hold special significance as they yield effects in the modus operandi of these entities and also shape the response of law enforcement authorities.

Development and evaluation of public‐supply community water service area boundaries for the conterminous United States

Development and evaluation of <scp>public‐supply</scp> community water service area boundaries for the conterminous United States

Association of Child Growth Failure Indicators With Household Sanitation Practices in India (1998-2021): Spatiotemporal Observational Study.

Undernutrition among children younger than 5 years is a subtle indicator of a country's health and economic status. Despite substantial macroeconomic progress in India, undernutrition remains a significant burden with geographical variations, compounded by poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services. This study aimed to explore the spatial trends of child growth failure (CGF) indicators and their association with household sanitation practices in India. We used data from the Indian Demographic and Health Surveys spanning 1998-2021. District-level CGF indicators (stunting, wasting, and underweight) were cross-referenced with sanitation and sociodemographic characteristics. Global Moran I and Local Indicator of Spatial Association were used to detect spatial clustering of the indicators. Spatial regression models were used to evaluate the significant determinants of CGF indicators. Our study showed a decreasing trend in stunting (44.9%-38.4%) and underweight (46.7%-35.7%) but an increasing prevalence of wasting (15.7%-21.0%) over 15 years. The positive values of Moran I between 1998 and 2021 indicate the presence of spatial autocorrelation. Geographic clustering was consistently observed in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat. Improved sanitation facilities, a higher wealth index, and advanced maternal education status showed a significant association in reducing stunting. Relative risk maps identified hotspots of CGF health outcomes, which could be targeted for future interventions. Despite numerous policies and programs, malnutrition remains a concern. Its multifaceted causes demand coordinated and sustained interventions that go above and beyond the usual. Identifying hotspot locations will aid in developing control methods for achieving objectives in target areas.

Cascading supply chain disruption: impact on water industry during COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on the lives of people and businesses across the globe was devastating. While governments across the world had undertaken a slew of measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus within their geography, many of these measures had long and unintended consequences. The restrictions imposed by the governments on the movement of people and goods across the world brought supply chains to a grinding halt. This study identifies the cascading effects of supply chain disruptions on the water sector. Since these systems are closely integrated and the impact of COVID-19 needs to be analysed at a much broader level, this study uses a systems-thinking approach to study the effect of supply chain disruptions on water services. The study develops a causal loop model to gain further insight into how supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 affected the coping capabilities of society and how critical services were affected.

A multi-criteria model for measuring the sustainability orientation of Italian water utilities

This article investigates the influence of socioeconomic context and stakeholder pressure on water utilities' sustainability performance and disclosure. The Urban Water Cycle Services (UWCS) framework has been adapted to the Italian context and integrated with a social equity variable, which enhances the framework's ability to account for the distinctive characteristics and mission of water utilities in measuring sustainability performance. The sample comprises 17 Italian utilities providing water services that released a sustainability report in 2021. The results show that the socioeconomic context and stakeholder pressure influence how water utilities align with economic, environmental, and social sustainability goals. Listed multi-utility companies are strongly influenced by private shareholders, pushing them towards financial sustainability, while small public water utilities are more sensitive to the needs of their disadvantaged users, especially in low-income contexts. The findings of the study have interesting theoretical, managerial and policy implications.