Applying a Life-cycle Costs Approach to Water

This working paper presents findings and recommendations from the application of a life-cycle costs approach (LCCA) to water supply services in rural communities and small towns in four countries – Andhra Pradesh (India), Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Mozambique. It aggregates and compares data that was collected, validated, and analyzed between 2009- 2011 by a large team of researchers and enumerators. This paper concludes that there is chronic underfunding of rural water services, to meet the costs required to provide and sustain a basic level of service that meets national norms and standards.