Ziguinchor Community Water Stewardship
- Ziguinchor, Senegal
- 2020
- DWA FOUNDATION
ADVANCE established community stewardship of village water infrastructure, putting maintenance funding, technical capability and accountability in local hands.
The challenge
Boreholes and pumps installed by successive programmes failed within a few years because no one held responsibility for maintenance or held funds to pay for it. Spare parts were unavailable locally, repair skills sat with contractors who had long departed and committees existed on paper without authority or income.
Our approach
ADVANCE worked with village authorities to set tariff levels that communities accepted and that covered realistic repair costs. Local technicians were trained and equipped for routine maintenance, with a regional supplier agreement securing spare part availability. Committees kept open financial records reviewed publicly, and escalation routes were agreed for repairs beyond local capability.
The result
Water points stayed in service through locally funded maintenance rather than waiting for the next external programme. Communities could see how tariff income was spent, which sustained willingness to pay. Local technicians handled routine faults within days, and larger repairs followed an agreed escalation route instead of stalling.
Outcomes
- Community funded maintenance at accepted tariffs
- Trained local technicians and parts supply
- Publicly reviewed committee financial records