Sanitation and Wastewater Atlas of Africa

5.3.2 Institutional frameworks

sectoral approach in which different policies are pursued without adequate coordination (Global Water Partnership [GWP] 2008). Poor institutional frameworks are the root cause of numerous cases of poor service delivery and unsuccessful water and sanitation projects (WSP 2002). Such institutional weakness mainly results from unclear institutional mandates for planning and management, and limited capacity within institutions to coordinate and manage initiatives. The obvious outcome is deteriorating services, resulting in poor cost recovery and ultimately failed investments that cannot meet current or future demand (Scott et al. 2003). Appropriate management models for sanitation are required to ensure that service delivery is sustainable beyond the implementation of infrastructure projects (Moriarty et al. 2013). In general, the capacity to provide sanitation services efficiently and effectively is critical for the long-term sustainability of service provision. Accelerated delivery of service is mostly constrained by capacity problems at provincial and municipality levels (Koma 2010). A good institutional framework for sustainable water supply and sanitation at the national level requires a number of organizations and actors to be established, as shown in Table 5.1.

who have access to water supply and sanitation services normally have to survive with poor service quality such as intermittent supplies (Saltiel 2016). Peters (2011) defines an institutional framework as a set of formal organizational structures, rules and informal norms for service provision. A good institutional framework is a precondition for successful implementation of many other sanitation and water management intervention tools. An institutional framework for sanitation and water management consists of a range of organizations established to develop or manage water resources and to deliver water and sanitation services. A robust institutional framework is required for sustainable sanitation and water management. Developing a sustainable institutional framework in water and sanitation management involves plainly indicating the mandates of service institutions for various functions of the sector (International Ecological Engineering Society [IEES] 2006). Institutional arrangements can be different for countries but should have instruments to support dialogue and coordination. A balance is required between providing a fully integrated approach in which specific issues may lose value due to the absence of required expertise or interest, and a

Appropriate institutional arrangements are important to ensure social equity, economic efficiency and ecological sustainability in sanitation management, in line with the integrated water resources management (IWRM) philosophy (Savenije andVan der Zaag 2008). These three key elements of IWRM are interrelated and complementary. Institutional arrangements rely on a conducive enabling environment to be effective and sustainable, and the necessary management instruments cannot be fully attained without the appropriate system of institutions, especially stakeholder participation (Seppälä 2002). Unlike the traditional vision, institutional arrangements that are founded on IWRM principles work towards a more long-term goal while fulfilling their own respective institutional functions. In IWRM, institutions strive to orient their specific individual functions in ways that best serve the broader community objectives. They do not regard themselves as separate and/or dominant players but, rather, as components of a team. Despite significant increases in resources spent on water supply and sanitation infrastructure investments to achieve SDG 6, water supply and sanitation service delivery in Africa has failed. Those

Table 5.1. Essential organizations and actors at national level to ensure sustainable sanitation and water management

Examples from Africa

Form or role

Organizations and actors

NAMWater in Namibia; Zimbabwe National Water Authority; National Water and Sewerage Corporation in Uganda; Johannesburg Water in South Africa Egypt’s Water Supply and Sanitation Sector National Water Supply and Sanitation Council for water supply and sanitation andWater Resources Management Authority for water management in Zambia; Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority Development Bank of Southern Africa; Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe Private emptiers and transporters e.g. in Ghana, Benin,

These include government departments, municipal councils, public corporations, private sector companies, community-based organizations, farmers’ groups and others.

Service providers

These establish roles and ensure effective application of tools required for sustainable sanitation and water management.

Regulatory and enforcement bodies

These play a crucial role in financing sustainable sanitation and water management and they include commercial banks and other financial institutions, financing both public- and private-sector service providers.

The private sector

Senegal, Uganda Sanivation, Kenya Fortifer Production Plant (Tema, Ghana) Safi Sana Plant (Ashgiman, Ghana)

Durban Wastewater Recycle Project Decentralised service delivery across Africa, e.g. Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, Tunisia and Uganda

These play a key role in overseeing the execution of sanitation and water management activities within their boundaries, and local and regional watersheds. They regulate, provide services, and can raise funds. They play an advocacy role in the formulation and communication of sanitation and water management policies. They are concerned with nature and environmental protection, development and testing of new models and tools for sanitation and water management. They raise awareness and mobilize local communities.

Local authorities

Plan International; WaterAid; World Vision; SuSanA;

Civil society institutions Non-governmental organizations Community-based Organizations

Institute ofWater and Sanitation Development, Zimbabwe; National Community Water and Sanitation Training Institute, South Africa; Water Trusts in Zambia

Source: Modified from Peters (2011) and Gupta and Pahl-Wostl (2013).

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SANITATION AND WASTEWATER ATLAS OF AFRICA