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Guidelines for Community-led Multiple Use Water Services: Evidence from Rural South Africa

Authors:
International Water Management Institute
Year Published:
2020
Resource Type:
Technical Guidance
Language:
English

These ‘Guidelines for community-led multiple use water services’ are derived from the replicable lessons learned during the implementation of the demonstration project ‘Operationalizing community-led multiple use water services (MUS) in South Africa’ between late 2016 and early 2020. this project applied a community-led infrastructure design and construction process in villages in two of the poorest districts of South Africa. The project envisaged local communities as the drivers of decision-making on institutional and small-scale technological improvements in self supply or public water infrastructure, or both. this project applied a communityled infrastructure design and construction process in six diverse villages in Sekhukhune and Vhembe, two of the poorest districts of South Africa. The project envisaged local communities as the drivers of decision-making on institutional and small-scale technological improvements in self supply or public water infrastructure, or both. This paper presents lessons learned from lived experience in implementing the steps,and compares the timelines and costs of community-led MUS with conventional water infrastructure design and construction.