Community-based O&M challenges

The Volta Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project is a 10 year (two phased) DANIDA supported project in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is jointly implemented by the Community Water and Sanitation Division (CWSD) of Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation responsible for rural water supply and sanitation and COWI a Danish Engineering Consulting Company. The project is aimed at raising the standard of living of the rural population of the region through the provision of potable water, improved affordable toilets and hygiene education. The first phase of the project ended in August 1997. The project has its main focus of facilitating a sustainable community-based operation and maintenance (O&M) regime in line with the government’s water and sanitation sector strategy. In order to achieve this, the project since its inception in March 1993 has adopted the partnership approach to facilitate project implementation. It follows that the community structure with the support from the private and public sectors will have to develop mechanisms for O&M. The writer examines the project’s partnership approach and the lessons so far in community participation in the management process.