Use of tools to assess sustainability in the WASH sector

Premature failure of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and decreasing quality of service has resulted in emphasis of principals of sustainability amongst development partners and the investment into the development of tools to help understand and improve WASH services. Currently there are twenty-five tools with clear content and methodology for understanding, measuring, or predicting sustainability. These sustainability tools have been applied 92 times in 52 countries most commonly addressing the technical, institutional, and management areas that affect sustainability. An online survey of the demand for sustainability tools and the results of a desk review of the supply of sustainability tools highlight a gap that exists. Currently there is a need and demand for tools that can be utilized across all project life-cycles and beyond. There is a need for tools which address issues that are specific to sanitation and hygiene and peri-urban or urban areas.