Government as a critical role to play in the provision of rural water supply services, however there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution. Limited financial and technical capacity, particularly in many local government water offices, means that there needs to be a strong partnership between public, private and NGO and community-based organisations.
At a national level, there is a need for a legal, regulatory and policy environment that facilitates, and doesn't hinder, the provision of sustainable rural water services.
National and district level monitoring, reporting, enforcement and technical support is also important to ensure that all the organisations involved in rural water supply in a given area are properly co-ordinated, that the level of service provided to rural communities is good and that the natural resource base isn't degraded.
RWSN provides a forum for government engineers, policy makers and managers to share their experiences and learn from each other about what has worked and what hasn't. In this section, you can get access to the RWSN information most relevant to policy and law makers.
Useful links:
- Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) is a partnership of governments, donors, civil society and multilateral organizations. Its aim is to ensure that all people have access to basic sanitation and safe drinking water.
- African Minister's Council on Water (AMCOW) is was formed in 2002 in Abuja Nigeria, primarily to promote cooperation, security, social and economic development and poverty eradication among member states through the effective management of the continent’s water resources and provision of water supply services.
- UN Water: Resources for Policy Makers on Water Supply, Sanitation and Health. A library of the latest UN guidance on WASH.