Why Do Water and Sanitation Systems for the Poor Still Fail? Policy Analysis in Economically Advanced Developing Countries

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 47; no. 12; pp. 6102 - 6110
• Main Authors: Starkl, Markus, Brunner, Norbert, Stenström, Thor-Axel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 18.06.2013
• Subjects: Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Buildings. Public works; Developing Countries; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental policy; Exact sciences and technology; LDCs; Medical sciences; Meta-analysis; Policy Making; Pollution; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sanitation; Sanitation - legislation & jurisprudence; Sewerage. Sewer construction; Sustainable development; Water; Water Supply - legislation & jurisprudence; Water supply. Pipings. Water treatment; Water treatment and pollution; Central America; Asia; Africa; America; South Africa; Mexico; India; International law; Case study; Sewerage; Health and environment; Water supply; Infrastructure; Developing countries; Millennium Development Goals; Sustainable development; Public health; Metaanalysis
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es3048416

The results of an independent evaluation of 60 case studies of water and sanitation infrastructure projects in India, Mexico, and South Africa, most of them implemented since 2000, demonstrate an ongoing problem of failing infrastructure even in economically advanced developing countries. This paper presents a meta-analysis of those project case study results and analyses whether the design of existing policies or other factors contribute to failures. It concludes that the observed failures are due to well-known reasons and recommends how the implementation of the Dublin–Rio Principles can be improved. (They were introduced twenty years ago to avoid such failures by means of more sustainable planning.)