Targets and MDGs

Another key theme is the linkages between DRA programming and international development targets - particularly the Millennium Development Goals MDGs...

ACHIVING MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted by 189 countries at the Millennium summit held in 2000. The seventh goals embodies the target of halving the world population without access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015. In Sri Lanka, the target has been revised to meet the goal by 2010. Safe drinking water refers to sustainable access to improved water sources in urban and rural areas. Improved water sources include, pipe borne water, borehole wells, protected dug wells, protected springs and rainwater harvesting. Improved sanitation refers to facilities which hygienically separate human excreta from human, animals and insects contact. These facilities include, water borne sewerage, septic tanks, pour flush latrines and ventilated improved pit latrines. In year 2000, Water Supply and sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) identified the principles and strategies to achieve the MDGs. In Sri Lanka, achieving MDGs is an collaborative effort between the government, local and foreign NGOs, Community Based Organisations and Private sector.

Institutional Arrangement

Sri Lanka has a well established institutional arrangement to implement projects and programmes to achieve MDGs. At the national level, Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply is responsible for the policy framework of WSS sector and monitoring of policy implementation. The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) provide technical and management support in implementing RWSS facilities. The Rural water supply division established in 2001 is responsible for development of policy framework for rural water supply and sanitation sub sector. Government also envisages that through the decentralization process, management, capacity building and maintenance of rural water supply schemes will be the responsibility of local government authorities and CBOs (community based organization). Community Based Organizations are empowered to manage water supply facilities through an agreement signed with the local authorities. Where feasible and appropriate, services of the private sector will be sought to improve water supply coverage to the people. Government of Sri Lanka has endorsed the National Policy on rural water supply and sanitation sector in June 2001 and National Policy on water supply and Sanitation in April 2002. Powers and functions of different stakeholders in water supply and sanitation are spelt out in the policies.

Present status, Issues and Challenges

Sri Lanka is a data rich country. However, some times it becomes difficult to be consistent with available data and information. The total coverage of safe water distribution and adequate coverage is not accurately known. According the Annual Health Bulletin (2001), 70% of the population is covered with safe drinking water and 63% are provided with adequate sanitation facilities. Incidentally, absence of reliable data and disaggregated information for planning, is one of the major constraints in achieving MDGs.

Coordination and Accountability

There have been parallel development of rural water supply and sanitation programmes by different stakeholders, including, State, NGOs, CBOs and Pradehiya Sabha’s. However, there had been little or no coordination between the agencies/institution in implementation of rural water supply. This has led to loss of resources, inconsistent selection of projects, priority areas and communities for external support. Therefore, in order to achieve MDGs, it important to develop strategies for better communication, collaboration and accountability.

Awareness raising and Advocacy

Success of any programme depends on a well though out awareness and advocacy plans. This has been one of the major factors for failure of rural sanitation programmes adopted by different stakeholders. In order to attain MDGs, it will be very important to design well focused awareness programmes targeted at high impact groups. A bench mark survey to identify water supply and sanitation needs has been conducted by the Department of Health but it is suggested that further support is required to improve the quality of the survey.

Financial Strategy

The total investment required to achieve the target by 2010 is estimated to be Rs 196 billion of which Rs161 billion for water supply and 35 billion for sanitation. Proportion of government investment in capital expenditure is 50:50 sharing for municipal and urban schemes, 15:85 for Pradeshiya Sabha schemes and 80:20 for schemes managed by CBOs. Local authorities (Pradeshiya Sabha) and CBOs are encouraged to adopt their own tariff structure to raise revenue for sustainability of rurau water supply schemes. Private sector participation in water supply will be encouraged to ease the burden of the state in achieving coverage targets by 2010.

Water Resources Management and Source Protection

With the growth of population, townships and settlements and increase in income levels have increased the demand for domestic and industrial water supply facilities. However, many available water resources are committed or have been developed for irrigation. Therefore, to meet future demands, there is a need for a suitable water allocation policy and an administrative mechanism to ensure equitable water allocation rights, while safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups. With the scarcity of development funds it will be more prudent to share existing water resources through an agreed allocation policy and adopt rainwater harvesting to supplement domestic and industrial water needs. Prevention of source pollution and protection of water sources will have to be achieved through appropriate legislation and awareness.

Poor and the Marginalized

Poor and the marginalized in urban and rural environments are victims of their circumstances. There are wide variations in access to water supply and sanitation in low income urban households and poor rural households. Many poor households have not received individual water supply connections either due to land tenure problems or high cost of initial connections. These reasons have excluded them from being prioritized under state sponsored water supply programmes. Therefore, administrative, land tenure and financing issues require focused attention and innovative solutions to make poor benefit from these assistance packages and achieve MDGs.

Demand Responsive Approaches

Community empowerment and sustainability was enshrined in VISION 21 principles. Participatory, people centered approaches have been adopted by National Water Supply and Drainage Board through its Rural water supply and sanitation division. Under this approach user communities have been requested to take over community water supply schemes (below 6000 population) for O&M. Scheme sustainability was ensured through a well planed system of tariff?. However, issues of ownership of assets, lack of clear demarcation of powers and functions of CBOs have been impediments towards achieving MDGs

Gender mainstreaming

Importance of equitable participation of gender in all CBO activities have been acknowledged. This will be of immense importance in order to ensure demand responsiveness, right of access to water and sustainability. Awareness programmes on sanitation and hygiene should be targeted particularly for women and children could provide greater results.

Public –Private Partnerships and Private Sector Participation

Private sector participation in water supply is marginal due to prevailing policy and legal impediments. Private sector participation in water supply can be ensured if the policy environment and the legal framework with an effective regulatory authority is in place. Failure to establish the institutional structure has discouraged private sector participation in water supply. Achieving MDGs by 2010 will be hard pressed without the support of the private sector. However, private sector should ensure access to water for poor irrespective of social and economic status enjoyed by the community.

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