OR/15/019 Project aims and objectives

Bonsor H C1, Oates N2, Chilton P J1, Carter R C3, Casey V3, MacDonald A M1, Calow R2, Alowo R4, Wilson P1, Tumutungire M5, Bennie M5. 2015. A Hidden Crisis: strengthening the evidence base on the sustainability of rural groundwater supplies – results from a pilot study in Uganda. British Geological Survey Internal Report, OR/15/019. 1BGS Edinburgh, 2ODI London, 3Wateraid UK, 4Wateraid Uganda, 5Makerere University

New ambitious international goals for universal access to safe drinking water depend critically on the ability of development partners to accelerate and sustain access to groundwater (UN 2013). The ‘future proofing’ of groundwater investments is therefore vital, in the context of global and local trends including demographic shifts, environmental impacts of human activity and climate change (Taylor et al. 2013). In Ethiopia alone, over US$1.7 billion will be needed to meet the rural WASH target over the next 5 years, with the largest proportion targeted at groundwater‐based water services (FDRE 2013). The returns – improved health, nutrition, time savings, education, particularly for the poorest – are well rehearsed, with women and girls benefiting most (UN 2013, Hunter et al. 2012). But these benefits, and the original investments, will be lost if improved services cannot be sustained.

The risks are real and the evidence on sustainability indicates that newly developed rural water sources are often abandoned, or provide only intermittent, poor quality services. Existing published evidence for SSA is fragmented and methodologically unclear, but suggests that 30% or more of groundwater‐based water sources ‘fail’ within a few years of construction (Rietveld et al. 2009, RWSN 2009, Lockwood et al. 2011) and a greater number can be seasonal (for example 50% in Sierra Leone) (MoEWR 2012). Critically, there is limited data or analysis on why sources are non‐functional and therefore little opportunity to learn from past mistakes. The cumulative effect of rural water supply failure in Africa over the past 20 years has been estimated by the World Bank to represent a lost investment of more than of $1.2 billion.

Aims and objectives

The UK‐funded UPGro research programme ('Unlocking the Potential for Groundwater for the Poor') for SSA funded a one‐year pilot study to develop a methodology to investigate the causes of groundwater‐based service failure in sub‐Saharan Africa. The intention is for this methodology to form a foundation for more substantial and larger‐scale research in the future to develop a statistically significant evidence base and examination of water point functionality and the underlying causes of failure across a range of physical, social, institutional and governance environments in SSA.

The research hypothesis of the catalyst project was:

“The underlying causes of the widespread failure of groundwater‐based water sources to deliver sustainable supplies are complex and multifaceted, but with the correct expertise and methodologies, the reasons for source and service failure can be understood, diagnosed, and ultimately predicted and mitigated”

The pilot project objectives are:

1. To review existing available evidence of source failure.
2. To develop a robust methodology to examine the causes of groundwater supply and service failure.
3. To apply the methodology to project areas of WaterAid Uganda country programmes, to test the methodology and to provide a systematic assessment of supply failure in the area.
4. Dissemination of the research results to key stakeholders at local and national level.
5. To develop a larger project proposal by the consortium to apply the research methodology over a much wider area of sub‐Saharan Africa.

Research approach

The pilot study brought together a multi‐disciplinary research team of groundwater, institutional, policy and governance experts, and practitioners in rural water supply. The research activities included:

1. Review of existing available evidence on groundwater supply failure
Although there are few published data on post‐construction sustainability, there are a significant number of datasets held by WaterAid, RiPPLE, UNICEF, RWSN and partners, as well as within consultant reports in the grey literature, that could be re‐analysed to provide an initial semi‐ systematic evidence base on the scale of the problem. The recent implementation of post‐ construction monitoring surveys of water supplies within WaterAid country programmes means there is now an increasing number of datasets from a number of different countries.

2. Development of a ‘toolbox’ to examine the causes of groundwater supply failure
Development of a diagnostic framework to examine causes of failure based on: evidence from the initial review (point 1); and expertise on water supply sustainability within the research team, in relation to both groundwater resources, social science and borehole engineering, in addition to the extensive in‐country experience of WaterAid and its partners in developing, monitoring and supporting rural water infrastructure.

3. Application of the toolbox – Pilot study
Application of the methodology in one of WaterAid Uganda’s country programme areas to provide a systematic assessment of causes of source failure in these districts (with a view to scaling up across Africa). The pilot study investigated failed boreholes fitted with handpumps in a mixture of WaterAid, local government, NGO and INGO programmes of different vintages. A strong field team of international experts and local practitioners and partners was assembled by the project in liaison with WaterAid Uganda.

4. Dissemination of the research results
To ensure the potential development impact of the research was realised, the research team actively engaged end users of the research in the pilot study from the outset. This led to co‐production of knowledge, which is recognised as an effective pathway for uptake of research. The project engaged with national Government, local government, local NGOs and practitioners, as well as the communities dependent on failing supplies. This was facilitated through WaterAid Uganda’s country partners and contacts in Uganda. A number of stakeholder workshops were conducted in Uganda, hosted by WaterAid Uganda.

5. Development of a larger project proposal
A larger proposal has been developed by the consortium to extend the research methodology to a much wider area of sub‐Saharan Africa. If funded, this will enable a much fuller and statistically defensible investigation of the factors that affect sustainability of groundwater supplies, across a range of hydrogeological environments and different settings of governance, community and institutional arrangements.

Programme of research

2013

Literature review

July–December: collation and review of existing post‐construction statistics, and development of the diagnostic methodology.

Pilot study fieldwork

August: reconnaissance fieldwork by WaterAid Uganda and district officers to identify appropriate sites for the pilot study in northeast Uganda, based on criteria defined by the partners, and partner/district records of failed water points.

September: Phase 1 pilot study fieldwork — community surveys and discussions, at 24 identified failed water points.

November: Phase 2 pilot study fieldwork — technological investigations (hydrogeological and borehole construction) at 10 sites selected from the Phase 1 surveys.

2014

February–April: collation and analysis of field data.

June–September: compilation of report.

September–December: dissemination of results through: report publication; UPGro/ODI public event; RWSN webinar with donor organisations and practitioners; workshop meetings at a local level organised by WaterAid Uganda, and at national‐level with partner NGOs and Ugandan Government ministry officials.

Purpose and scope of this report

This report will provide a summary of the work completed in the catalyst grant under the first four objectives. Lessons learnt from the project, particularly with respect to the methodology and ‘toolbox’ developed are reviewed in detail, for use by future work.

A larger consortium grant proposal was developed by the research team during the catalyst grant to undertake a much more significant piece of research in this area. The proposal was successful and a grant was awarded in November 2013 for a 4‐year research programme in Ethiopia, Malawi and Uganda, from 2015 to 2019. Work commences in April 2015.