Global partnership to promote sanitation
The EU-funded 'Capacity-linked water supply and sanitation improvement for Africa's peri-urban and rural areas' (CLARA) project's objective was to strengthen local capacity in this sector. Project members examined existing low-cost technologies for decentralised water supply and sanitation systems, and adapted them for African conditions. Field research in Arba Minch, Ethiopia investigated critical sanitation issues such as water supply, waste treatment, and operations and maintenance. Researchers focused on multi-storey buildings in Ethiopia, where flush toilets often do not have enough water to function, as well as waste valorisation methods. The fieldwork found that there is a place for small enterprises in sanitation, in partnership with municipal authorities. In addition, CLARA highlighted that alternative water sources should be identified during planning stages to avoid future water shortages. This field research informed the major output of the project, the CLARA Simplified Planning Tool. This tool allows municipal planners to compare the real costs of various alternatives of water supply and sanitation systems in the African context. The planning tool was tested and evaluated in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa. It can be downloaded for free from the project website. CLARA's African member institutions also prepared funding applications for integrated water supply and sanitation implementation plans. These and other project efforts will strengthen local capacity in the water management sector, ensuring long-term support for rural African communities.
Keywords
Sanitation, sanitation planning, small municipalities, Africa, water supply, rural areas
