Malawi - Report on workshop on national strategies for operation and maintenance of rural groundwater supplies

 72040 Government of Malawi Ministry of Works and Supplies Water Department Report on Workshop on National Strategies for Operation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater Supplies Mangochi, Malawi 1-4 December 1986 UNDPfWor1d Bank Hanclpump Project INT/81/026 UNICEF @ 1988 Government of Malawi and International Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentjThe Wortd Bank 1818 H Street. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433. U.S.A. All rights reserved Manufactured In the United States of America First printing. June 1988 Published for the Government of Malawi by the Water and Sanitation DMslon, Infrastructure and Urban Development Department, The Wortd Bank.  Workshop on National Strategies for Operation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater Supplies Mangochl, Malawi 1-4 December 1986 Report Contents Executive summary 1 1. Restructured maintenance system 2 2. Procedure to achieve community management 4 3. Rehabilitation 6 4. The Handpump 8 5. Role of the Ministry of Community Services 10 6. Role of the Ministry of Health 10 Workshop Introduction and background 12 Workshop objectives 13 Workshop participants 14 Workshop proceedings 15 Annexes 27 Annex 1: Opening Speech 28 Annex 2: Existing borehole and dUg well pump maintenance organisation in Malawi 30 Annex 3: The Abidjan Statement 32 Annex 4: The Livulezl maintenance system 34 Annex 5: Handpump field trials in the Livulezl Project 36 Annex 6: Handpump maintenance systems 40 Annex 7: Examples of hand pump maintenance systems 43 Annex 8: Community participation In maintenance of piped water projects 47 Annex 9: Community participation in operation and maintenance of urban communal water points 50 Annex 10: Who shall pay for maintenance and how? 52 Annex 11: The South Coast Handpump Project, Kenya 53 Annex 12: Strengthening the maintenance system at national level 55 Annex 13: Evaluation of borehole rehabilitation In Malawi 57 Annex 14: Community management of maintenance of hand pumps 59 Annex 15: Organisation of workshop 61 Annex 16: Ust of participants 63 Annex 17: Workshop programme 65 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements are due to a number of people and organisations for making the Workshop possible and ensuring its success. Firstly thanks go to the local steering committee for their work in preparing for the Workshop in the weeks leading up to it. Secondly. to the technical steering committee who helped to guide the discussions during the Workshop itseH. Thirdly. thanks to go to the secretariat for their help during a.nd immediately after the Workshop. Warmest thanks of all go the participants. whose willingness to contribute to the open discussion of the challenging and often daunting subject of handpump maintenance. Without their enormous contribution the Workshop could not have been the success it was. Thanks go to UNICEF and the UNDPlWorld Bank Handpump Project for co-sponsoring the Workshop and for their continuous and unstinting encouragement. The help of the UK Overseas Development Administration in supporting. and the British Geological Survey for releasing the Workshop organiser and rapporteur for the three weeks is gratefully acknowledged. The Workshop organiser would also like to thank the staff of the UNICEF Office in Lilongwe for their assistance in the production of the draft report. Workshop on National Strategies for Operation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater Supplies Executive summary In Malawi, 1.5 million rural people should today be served with potable water supplies close to their homes by 5,000 boreholes and 3,000 'dug wells, all equipped with handpumps. However, despite considerable investment of manpower and financial resources in maintenance, it is estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 of these pumps are out of order at anyone time, with severe consequences for the users. It is also estimated that over 20,000 more boreholes and wells are required, and the need for a solution to the serious maintenance problems of today is clear. The Workshop set out to address this issue and its key conclusion was that: "Self-help should play an Imponant role In the maintenance of wells and boreholes, as It does In most spheres of rural development In Malawi. Communities must be Involved to the maximum extent possible In the planning, siting and construction of their wells and boreholes and then should undenake the management of their water supply, Including the execution of routine repairs and the purchase of routinely wearing spare pans. Government has a major role to play In extension and training, and the execution of major repairs that communities cannot handle themselves... In reaching this conclusion. there was agreement on the following: 1. The existing maintenance system needs restructuring. 2. A Procedure must be developed. tested and adopted for the achievement of community management of rural groundwater supplies. This Procedure must then be followed in the construction and rehabilitation of all boreholes and wells. 3. Communities cannot be expected to take over the management of either old boreholes and wells in poor condition, or those fitted with heavy and complex pumps. A substantial rehabilitation programme is needed to rehabilitate or reconstruct old boreholes and wells and to replace old pumps. 4. Standard handpumps should be locally manufactured. be simple enough for communities to maintain with minimal tools and skills, and use easily replaced and readily available spare parts that communities can afford to purchase. 5. The Ministry of Community Services should have a formal, fully funded role to play in community mobilisation for management of rural groundwater supplies. 6. The Ministry of Health should run a formal, fully funded. programme of Health Education and Sanitation Promotion (HESP), in parallel with all rural groundwater development. 1 1. Restructured maintenance system Analysis Between 30 and 40% of Malawi's handpumps are out of action at any time, and ~ takes an average of 1·2 months before they are repaired. Handpumps used in the national borehole programme are difficult and costly (K350 per pump per year) to maintain. A truck and winch is needed to lift the heavy pumphead and a skilled team with specialist tools is required. Spares are imported, expensive, and often in short supply. The need for mobile units makes the system very expensive to operate and transport costs account for a high proportion of total costs. Because many of the vehicles are old, they are under repair frequently and for long periods. Repair costs are high, and when a un~ is w~hout its vehicle, no handpump repairs can be undertaken. The present system of mobile units is so stretched that it can only respond to breakdowns. No preventive maintenance is possible, though its desirabil~y is recognised. The system is difficult to supervise and manage because of inadequate numbers and poor training of staff. Reporting of breakdowns is inefficient because of poor communication w~hin the system and the district unit being to remote from the users. There was minimal community mobilisation or education in the planning or implementation of the national borehole programme, and so there is very little interest in maintenance or feeling of responsibil~y for the pump. There is no formal structure or budget allocation for maintenance of dug wells. Maintenance is carried out on an ad hoc basis by construction staff. Within the overall maintenance budget for borehole handpumps there are no allocations to the regions, which would encourage proper planning and utilisation of the funds. The shallow lift handpump for dug wells needs further development work to make it more reliable and easier and cheaper to maintain 2 Recommended actIons A committee in every village to be responsible for management of the water supply, collection of funds and purchase of spare parts. Pump caretakers within the village need to be trained in proper use, care and repair of pumps. The need for repair teams at Area level will depend on the ease of repair of the chosen handpump. A new cadre of Monitoring Assistants (as in the Rural Piped Water Programme) to be established, living within the Area (or EPA). The Monitoring Assistant (a Technical Assistant) has an important extension role and will be the cornerstone of the Government's support to community-based maintenance. Each Monitoring Assistant will be provided with a loan to buy a bicycle, and will cover 100 to 200 pumps. A strengthened and streamlined District Maintenance Team (DMT), to repair heavy pumps and to assist the Monitoring Assistants with complex repairs. The DMT will be led by a Senior Technical Assistant, who will also supervise the Monitoring Assistants. It will be staffed by a reduced team of driver-mechanic and 2 mechanics, and equipped with a motorcycle and specially fitted light truck. The District Works Supervisor will have a supervisory role, in particular with regard to authorising vehicle use. • Regular activities of the DMTs will be supervised at the regional level, which is currently staffed by a Regional Works Controller and a Regional Hydrogeologist. Further restructuring of the maintenance system at regional level may be necessary, to take full account of the maintenance needs of both rural piped water supplies and rural groundwater supplies. The maintenance programme will continue to be planned and supervised at national level. The existing Maintenance Unit at headquarters must be substantially strengthened, to include: a Training Officer responsible for designing and organising training programmes for DMTs, Monitoring Assistants and Community members; and a Mechanical Engineer to manage the national operation and specifically to supervise handpump design. procurement, quality control, and performance monitoring issues. In the short term, the Principal Hydrogeologist will continue to have responsibility for the programme. However, maintenance needs of the rural water supply programmes will have a major overlap in the field of extension support to and training of communities, and the technical differences are not too complex. This may justify a unified rural water supply maintenance structure, from Branch level at Headquarters through the Regions and Districts to Area level. 3 2. Procedure to achieve community management Analysis • The existing national programme for maintenance of handpumps consists of units or teams based at various centres across the country. These are primarily equipped to deal with borehole handpump breakdowns only. There is as yet no established shallow well pump maintenance organisation, and maintenance is carried out on an ad hoc basis by construction personnel. A centrally based system is characterised by high costs arising from the increased logistical inputs. It is also fraught with many other constraints or problems. Transport invariably accounts for the greatest proportion of the cost, about 42% of the annual budget in the year 1985186. The current system of operation is that of responding to reports on breakdowns only. Owing to the large number of boreholes and to the large travel distances involved per maintenance unit, there is very little scope for the preventive maintenance, which is so essential to prolonging pump life. There is very little scope for the recipient community to participate in the operation and maintenance, i.e. management, of their own water source. In recent years, the shortcomings of centralised maintenance have been generally recognised, as has the importance of community ownership and community responsibility for handpump maintenance. As a reSUlt, the demand for handpumps which can be maintained by village repairers has increased greatly. From experience with maintenance systems throughout the world. it is becoming clear that most successful programmes have in common the achievement of maximum community involvement in the maintenance of handpumps and minimum dependence on central government support. Experience has also shown that this must be preceded by the maximum possible community involvement in all stages of planning and implementing handpump projects, so that a strong feeling of community ownership of and responsibility for the pump is established from the outset. 4 Recommended actions If community management of maintenance of wells and boreholes equipped with handpumps is to be successfully achieved. a clear Procedure must be developed. tested and adopted. This Procedure must then always be closely followed. not only when new waterpoints are being constructed. but also when existing waterpoints are being rehabilitated. The Procedure is equally imponant whether the Government or a contractor is drilling boreholes - it is possibly more imponant in the latter case. The Workshop discussed the development of this Proce­ dure. and the possible benefits of involving social scientists from the Centre of Social Research (CSR) were considered. Draft Terms of Reference for a study by CSR are given in Annex 15. The Procedure Is likely to include the following stages: EXTENSION. where the Monitoring Assistants are in place and dialogue begins. AWARENESS. where the community is able to discuss its needs and aspirations, its willingness to contrbute (in kind and cash). its capacity to manage. CHOICE. where the community decides whether it wants an improved waterpoint. which brings with it the responsibility for management. ORGANISATION AND TRAINING. where the community forms a management committee and initiates funds collection, and extension staff begin a training programme (an extension process that will continue for years). CONSTRUCTION (OR REHABILITATION). where the community participate to the maximum extent possible. PUMP INSTALLATION AND SPARES DISTRIBUTION. where a pump that the community can maintain is installed and a spare pans distribution system established. HANDOVER. where communities formally undenake the responsibility for managing their own water supply. MAINTENANCE BACKUP. where the Government maintenance structure (comprising Monitoring Assistants. District Maintenance Team. Regional and National supervision) is in place to assist communities in need. 5 3. Rehabilitation Analysis For community management to be successful, boreholes and wells must be in good condition and pumps must be suitable for village-level maintenance. Many boreholes in Malawi are very old (some over 30 years) and in very poor condition, either due to siltation or to corroded casings. This situation can only be improved through cleaning, relining and redevelopment, or, in some cases, by abandoning the old borehole and drilfing a new one. Many pumps have exceeded their economic life and are thus veil expensive to keep in operation. These pumps will need to be replaced with pumps that villagers can themselves maintain. The principal technical problems can be summarised as: poor borehole design, resulting in silt and sand being drawn into the borehole causing silting up of boreholes and accelerated wear of pump components; the borehole handpumps used are difficult and expensive to maintain because they require heavy lifting equipment and specialised tools to remove the pumphead before any maintenance work can be carried out on the below-ground components. 6 Recommended actions To achieve community management of existing wells and boreholes, a major rehabilitation programme is needed. Ideally this should be carried out on a district-bY-Oistrict basis, to rationalise community mobilisation, implementation and maintenance system estab­ lishment. Modifying the maintenance structure to incorporate a much greater level of participation by the user communities makes the rehabilitation requirements massive, and the costs enormous. It is necessary. therefore, to evaluate the borehole rehabilitation programme carried out so far. The specific terms of reference are: 1. Review the planning of borehole rehabilitation with particular reference to the criteria used for choosing boreholes to be rehabilitated and selecting the approach to reha­ bilitation to be used in each case. This should include review of the data from con­ struction. from maintenance records and from water quality records, and the informa­ tion (from inspection of the site) on pump condition and usage, condition of surround, site rocation In relation to pollution risk and attitude of the user community towards the existing pump and towards rehabilitation. 2. Examine in detail the methodology of borehole rehabilitation. including: Methods of cleaning and re-testing the boreholes, design of remedial measures, such as inner linings and gravel packs and other alternative methods of implementinQ the remedial measures. Design and implementation of improved surface works.Thls detailed ex­ amination should include the removal of handpumps. plumbing of borehole depths and re-testing procedures to compare borehole condition and performance with that immediately following rehabilitation, immediately pre-rehabilitation and at the time of construction. Make detailed recommendations. if appropriate, for improvement to or alternatives for the methodology of rehabilitation. 3. Assess the technical effectiveness of borehole rehabilitation by carrying out a com­ prehensive and detailed examination of the maintenance records of rehabilitated boreholes before and after rehabilitation to determine the extent of reduction in both frequency of repairs and periods of inoperation of the handpumps. Within this detailed examination. make a comparison between boreholes at which the handpump was replaced with those at which it was not. 4. Assess the financial effectiveness and impact of borehole rehabilitation in reducing the recurrent cost of maintenance by carrying out a detailed costing analysis of maintenance before and after rehabilitation. 5. Review the technical and financial effectiveness of borehole rehabilitation with par­ ticular reference to the alternative approach (on a site-by-site basis) of replacement of seriously defective boreholes by newly drilled. properly designed and constructed boreholes. Establish technical and financial criteria for the choice between rehabili­ tation and replacement for each borehole. 6. Review the overall requirements for borehole rehabilitation on a national scale. and define the current needs for rehabilitation and/or replacement boreholes. 7. Examine the current and proposed projects in which borehole rehabilitation is a prin­ cipal component and assess the impact of those on the overall rehabilitation require­ ments. Define areas of the country where rehabilitation requirements are significant but which are not covered by present proposals. 8. Review the plant and equipment currently being used to implement borehole rehabili­ tation, and make recommendations. if appropriate, for alternatives. 9. Assess by direct observation and enquiry the impact of borehole rehabilitation on the attitude of the user community to the bcirehole and handpump, in cases both where the handpump was replaced and where it was not. 10. Review the present methods of recording technical and financial information regarding borehole rehabilitation and assess their effectiveness in providing a basis for monitoring rehabilitation. Recommend ways in which this could be improved. 7 4. The Hsndpump Analysis • Community management can only be achieved if handpumps are used that villagers can repair, and spare parts that villagers can afford to buy are readily available. Few pumps in the field trials, in Malawi and elsewhere, have proved suitable for village· level maintenance. As a consequence, much attention has been given to technological development of handpumps for rural water supplies. 8 Recommended actions In East Africa, development of handpumps for village-level maintenance has taken place over 5 years, with the objectives that pumps should be: modular in design, so that the same cylinder, rising mains and standard wearing parts can be used for direct action pumps to 12 m and deepwell pumps to 50 m. as simple as possible to install and maintain with minimal tools, skills and effort. relatively simple to manufacture in medium-sized, well managed workshops, requiring straightforward production engineering and minimal quality control. designed so that scheduled servicing should result in the virtual elimination of breakdowns and that such servicing involves only routine and simple replacement of Iow-cost wearing parts, such as bearings, seals and valves. suitable for use in aggressive groundwater through the use of corrosion- resistant materials below ground; and capable of resisting sand abrasion. designed to minimise forces, allowing the use of lighter components which can incorporate a larger design safety factor. low cost, so that user communities can generally afford to purchase the pump (perhaps with credit) and can always afford to maintain it. The new generation Malawi pump (known as the Afridev Pump by the Handpump Project, the Nyayo Pump in Kenya and the Ibex Pump in Ethiopia) is the resu~ of this development work and is now ready for full scale production. During 1987, production will be established in Malawi, hopefully including the injection moulding of bearings and c.ylinder valves and the full assembly of cylinders. With these pumps it should be possible for communities to manage their own boreholes and wells, with training by and extension support from Government. 9 5. Role of the Ministry of Community Services Analysis • The Ministry of Community Services (MoOS) is a service ministry, with an Assistant Community Development Officer and several Community Development Assistants in each district. MoOS has had a long association with rural water supply development in Malawi, having initiated the rural piped water programme in 1969 and managed it up to 1980. Many of the lessons learned and the methods adopted in this programme are directly applicable to the rural groundwater supply programme. 6. Role of the Ministry of Health Analysis The Ministry of HeaHh (MoH), through its Environmental Health Division, is currently implementing a HeaHh Education and Sanitation Promotion (HESP) programme within several rural piped water supply projects. The HESP programme, under the direction of the Principal Health Coordinator, is regarded as an outstanding suocess. In order to maximise the health benefits of investments in rural water supplies, it is generally recognised that health education and sanitation improvements are essential parallel activities. 10 Recommended actions The MoOS should playa formal, specific and fully funded role in community mobilisation and training for community management of rural groundwater supplies. This role needs clear definition within the Procedure described in 2. above, and should be developed by the proposed OSR study. It is possible that additional charges could be added to the construction cost of boreholes and wells, to meet the cost of community mobilisation and thus to ensure that MoOS has adequate resources to perform this crucial task. MoOS should be incorporated into a national, inter)ministerial steering committee which should oversee the rural groundwater supply programme. Recommended actions As a consequence of the success of the current HESP programme, a fully funded HESP component should be incorporated into the rural groundwater supply programme. MoH should also be represented in the inter-ministerial steering committee described in 5. above. 11 Workshop introduction and background Introduction Department of the Ministry of Works and Supplies has subsequently initiated several other integrated projects across the country. This report describes the Workshop on Na· In the Livulezi Project, some preventive tlonal Strategies 'or Operation and maintenance of handpumps is carried out by Maintenance of Rural Groundwater trained villagers (mostly women) and repairs are Supplies held at Club Makokola, Mangochi, carried out by maintenance assistants, equipped Malawi during 1·4 December 1986. with bicycles and tools, with substantial help from The Workshop was organised by the Gov­ villagers. Each maintenance assistant looks ernment of Malawi, in collaboration with the after about 100 pumps and lives amongst the UNDPlWorid Bank Rural Water Supply Hand· community that he serves. pumps Project and UNICEF. The Workshop was The Water Department has been monitoring jointly funded by the UNDPlWorld Bank Project technical, social and financial aspects of hand­ and UNICEF. pumps perlormance in the Livulezi Project since This report was prepared in draft by the 1982. The results of the monitoring have been workshop organiser and rapporteur in Malawi in consolidated into a substantive report. the week following the Workshop. Key observations regarding the maintenance system during 1984185 (when most pumps were Background to workshop 2-3 years old) are that: • the actual costs (both direct and indirect) of Rural groundwater supplies, compri$ing dug wells maintenance were about K40 per pump per year; and boreholes equipped with handpumps, cur· about 95% of the pumps are operating at any rently supply about 1.5 million rural people in one time; and that Malawi (about 25% of the total rural population) the response time between breakdown and through about 8,000 handpumps. h is understood repair rarely exceeds 2 weeks. that planned coverage of this type of water However, this apparently good record con­ supply could exceed 60% of the rural population. ceals the one critical bottleneck, and that is en­ Borehole handpumps have traditionally been suring the movement of spares from centralised maintained by mobile units, with 24 teams, each stores to the maintenance assistants. Whilst this equipped with a truck, based at different centres pilot decentralised maintenance system may not across the country. Although this system has be fully replicable across the country, there are been fairly effective in keeping relatively small clearty many lessons to be learned. The implica­ numbers of handpumps working, costs have tion for up to 30,000 handpumps are that cen­ escalated in recent years, as have logistical tralised maintenance would cost over Kg million problems as the numbers of boreholes have per year (at present prices) to give a level of ser­ increased. vice with a very slow response time and with sev­ It is estimated that: eral thousand pumps out of order at anyone time. the annual cost of handpump maintenance In contrast, a decentra/ised maintenance on the dispersed programme is K350 per pump system for the same number of pumps could cost per year; less than K1.5 million, with a rapid response time • about 60-700k of pumps are operating at any and only a few hundred pumps out of order at any one time; and time. that response time between breakdown and There are various options that can be con­ repair is typically 1-2 months, and sometimes sidered for the design and management of greatly exceeds this. decentralised, national hand pump maintenance In 1981/2 the then Department of Lands, system, and each option will have different impli­ Valuation and Water initiated a programme of cations in terms of policy, costs, allocation of Integrated Projects for Rural Ground­ responsibilities, and training needs. The water Supplies, a new approach based on a Workshop was held to review the findings of the high degree of community involvement in both monitoring programme and the implications for construction and maintenance of water supplies. the rest of the country, and to consider national The first integrated project was the Llvulezl strategies for operation and maintenance of the Project in Ntcheu District, and the Water rural groundwater supply programme. 12 Workshop objectives The proposed objectives of the Workshop were: 1. To discuss the findings of the handpump testing pro­ gramme. These findings relate to: • the technical performance of the handpumps, in­ cluding both locally made and imported units. • the social acceptability of the handpumps. the involvement of villagers in handpump mainte­ nance. the effectiveness of different maintenance sys­ tems. • the cost of handpump maintenance. 2. To discuss the findings in relation to the national rural groundwater supply programme, including the following issues: selection of suitable pump types, and whether they should be locally manufactured or imported. if locally manufactured, the tendering procedures and execution of quality-control procedures. • the role, if any, of the community in siting, installing and paying for handpumps. the design of pump installations. to ensure optimum amenity value and minimal pollution risk. the role, if any. of the community in carrying out and paying for maintenance. the role, if any, of others (e.g. NGOs, the private sector) in carrying out maintenance. • the role of Government in carrying out and paying for maintenance. and the identification of appro­ priate distribution of responsibilities (i.e. to Water Department. District Councils, ADDS etc.). the organisation of an operation and maintenance system that will ensure speedy repairs at minimum cost. 3. To make detailed recommendations (including: a timetable, allocation of responsibilities, the inputs re­ quired, if any. from donors or other agencies) regarding the selection, manufacture, installation. operation, maintenance and financing of handpumps for rural water supplies in Malawi. These recommendations could be considered by the Government in formulation of policy for the Rural Groundwater Supply Programme. 13 Workshop participants In view of the importance attached by Govern­ involved in the past in the development of the ment to the workshop, and the fact that the level Malawi Mark I to Mark V series of direct)action, of performance of handpump maintenance has a shallow well pumps, and could perhaps be in­ major bearing on the rural development activijies volved again in the future. being carried out by other ministries, donors and Several of the invited organisations were un­ non-government organisations, it was proposed able to send representatives. The Workshop or­ to invite a wide range of participants. Invited ganisers had invited the Ministry of Agricu~ure, ministries and organisations were requested to and requested them to send a senior representa­ send senior representatives who were responsi­ tive involved in planning and managing the Na­ ble for the planning, implementation and man­ tional Rural Development Programme (NRDP) and agement of rural development, and who would the Agricu~ural Development Divisions (ADDs). A have an active interest in the provision of rural significant proportion of the current funding for water supplies. rural groundwater development comes from Thus the Ministries of Health, Com­ NRDP projects through the ADDS, and they have munity Services, Finance, Office of the been one of the most persistent critics of the President and Cabinet, and Local Gov­ Water Department's maintenance record. It was, ernment, as well as the Water Department therefore, a great pity that they were unable to and Ministry of Works headquarters were send anyone; the rural farming communities of represented by senior and experienced staff, Malawi are the principal sufferers from poor main­ who were able to contribute significantly to the tenance of handpumps. discussions and the successful outcome of the Also, the Ministry of Agriculture has probably Workshop. The principal donors and non-gov­ the most widespread and best developed exten­ ernment organisations involved in the water and sion services in the country. During the discus­ hea~h sectors were well represented. sions in the Workshop on the establishment of a UNICEF, a major contributor to the national modified maintenance system, it was suggested wells programme, is currently funding an in­ that their basic unij, the Extension Planning Area tegrated project at Emcisweni in the Northern (EPA) might be the most appropriate area of re­ Region, and is also supporting hea~h education. sponsibility for the proposed cadre of handpump literacy, nutrition and other programmes in the monitoring or maintenance assistants. The ab­ Ministries of Hea~h and Communijy Services. sence of the Ministry of Agriculture was greatly The Christian Services Committee regretted by organisers and participants alike. has been a long-standing supporter of the na­ Other organisations who were invited but tional borehole programme, and has many times were unable to attend were the Centre for Social expressed concern to the Water Department Research (CSR) of the University of Malawi, the about the problems of borehole and handpump World Health Organisation, World Vision Interna­ maintenance. tional and DANIDA. With his wide experience of USAID is the major current donor in the rural the rural piped-water programme and deep knowl­ piped-water programme and has been very keen edge of the rural communities in Malawi, Dr Louis to encourage community mobilisation for mainte­ Msukwa of CSR would have been of the utmost nance in the programme, and to expand the value as a resource person for the Workshop. He linked health education and sanijation compo­ was unable to attend because of a prior commij­ nents of the programme. ment to attend a regional meeting in Lesotho. The Save the Children Federation is DANIDA is currently funding an integrated carrying out a programme of water. health and groundwater project for the construction of new nutrition development linked to the Rural Growth boreholes and rehabilijation of existing boreholes Centres. The International Eye Foundation in the Karonga Lakeshore area, with a high level is concerned about high incidence of eye in­ of planned community and inter-departmental in­ fections in the Lower Shire Valley, and has sug­ volvement. Its resident project hydrogeologist gested a programme of borehole rehabilitation to from Karonga could have made a useful contribu­ improve the reliability of the rural groundwater tion to the Workshop. supplies there. Lastly, the Mechanical Engineering A list of participants' names appears In Department of the Polytechnic has been Annex 16. 14 Workshop proceedings This section, the main body of the report, describes the most Important points arising from the formal presentations, plenary sessions and group discussions. Many of the Issues raised early In the programme became more clearly defined as the Workshop proceeded, and the agendas set for the group discussions were Intended to help facilitate this. All of the material distributed during the workshop Is Included as Annexes to this report. Day 1: An Overview Malnala, who gave a brief resume of the history of groundwater development in Malawi, and The Workshop was opened by the Guest of Hon­ described the existing maintenance system for our, Mr C Clarke, the Secretary for the national borehole and dug well programmes: Works and Supplies. His speech (reproduced in full as Annex 1) left the partici­ The maintenance organisation is headed by the pants in no doubt as to his own personal concern Senior Borehole Maintenance Officer (STO) about the problems of maintenance of rural based at Water Department headquarters. groundwater supplies and his view that the Work­ He is supported by his deputy, the Borehole shop was of great importance to Malawi. Maintenance Officer (TO) who is presently He referred to the inadequacy of the present based at Zomba. Below this, in a supervisory maintenance system to deal with the existing capacity are four maintenance foremen 5,000 borehole and 3,000 dug-well handpumps. (STA) based in Balaka, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Up to 40% of the pumps are estimated to be out Karonga. of action at anyone time, representing no return on a financial input of many millions of kwacha, Maintenance of borehole handpumps is carried and resulting in great inconvenience. increased out by 24 mobile units, based generally at health hazards and disillusionment for the poten­ District level but also taking account of the tial users. distribution of boreholes. Each team, con­ With about 1.5 million people in the rural sisting of a driver and 4 to 6 semi-skilled areas served by the gravity-fed piped-water pro­ operators, has a 5 or 7 ton truck equipped jects, and relatively few suitable protected with an electrically operated winch for lifting sources still untapped, the remaining 4.5 million pumpheads and removing downhole pump of the present rural population will need to be components. The current organisation is served by groundwater supplies with handpumps. shown in Figure 1. Allowing for population growth, there is a total requirement of perhaps 30,000 handpumps. There is at present no formal maintenance Clearly a Significant change in approach to the organisation for the maintenance of the provision and maintenance of rural groundwater 3,000 or so dug-well handpumps; mainte­ supplies is required; one in which the spirit of nance is carried out by wells programme seH-help plays the same crucial role that it plays staff on an ad hoc basis and is completely in other rural development activities in Malawi. inadequate. The Secretary for Works concluded by assuring the participants that they had a very He went on to give an indication of the cur­ important job to do in a very short time, and urged rent cost of borehole maintenance. The average them to begin to define the ways in which this cost of maintaining a borehole handpump in the change of emphasis might be translated into an national programme now stands at about K350 effective and viable maintenance system. per year. The present accounting system does not readily permit the calculation of exact main­ The second session commenced with all of tenance costs on a borehole by borehole basis. the participants introducing themselves and the Boreholes which are visited very frequently will ministries or organisations they represented. The have incurred costs much greater than this aver­ aim of the organisers in so doing was to provide age, and may be so uneconomical as to require everyone present with an opportunity to say a replacement. Others which require less frequent few words informally about their organisation's repairs may be costing much less than this aver­ activities within or associated with the rural water age. supply programme, and to add their own prelimi­ Some useful stimulus for later discussions nary observations on the problems of mainte­ was provided by the budget figures presented by nance of handpumps. Mr Mainala. Of the total 1985/86 budget of about The first speaker was the Water Depart­ K 750,000, transport operating costs accounted ment's Principal Hydrogeologist, Mr SMN for just over 40%. staff costs for about 28% and 15 handpump spares for about 20%, the balance national programme had rested with local being various office and overheads expenses. government until 1980. However, the District He concluded by picking out some of the major Councils increasingly found their funds to be too problems of the existing maintenance system, limited for this in addition to all their other which were taken up, discussed and defined later responsibilities and, after lengthy discussions. in the Workshop. Mr. Mainala's paper is included borehole maintenance became a central govern­ as Annex 2 of this report. ment responsibility. It remains a very heavy He also referred to his recent visit to Abidjan financial burden for an over-committed revenue to attend the All Africa Seminar on Low-Cost budget. Rural and Urban-Fringe Water Supply. At the The role of the District Development Commit­ meeting, representatives of 30 countries in sub­ tees (DOCs) was briefly discussed. The DOC (of Saharan Africa and 15 external governmental and which the District Commissioner is Chairman) is non-governmental support agencies endorsed involved in the selection of priority villages for the Abidjan Statement. Its five-point strategy, boreholes to be construction under the national Mr. Mainala declared, was particularly relevant to programme. However, site selection, construc­ the present Workshop. tion and pump installation are carried out by The emphasis in the Statement on the adop­ government. There is no proper consultation with tion of Iow-cost technologies, decentralisation of the actual users themselves (as opposed to their responsibilities, increasing community participa­ representatives at district level), no proper tion in planning, implementing and maintaining handing over of the pump and no real sense of supplies and the integration of health education, community ownership of the supply. When the sanitation and other complementary activities, he handpump breaks down, all the users can do is felt, was a useful starting point for our own dis­ report the breakdown to a remote and busy cussions. The Abidjan Statement is included in official. this report as Annex 3. In early 1986, a series of meetings with the Speakers from the other government DOCs were initiated by the Water Department to ministries and non-government organisations discuss ways of improving the situation by raised a number of important points in this investigating the possibility of establishing session. The relationship between water and village water committees for all pumps. However, health was discussed by several, water-related this would be likely to meet with very limited diseases being a major health problem in the rural success because of the difficulty of mobilising areas. communities who have had no previous inputs to During one outbreak of cholera in the Lower the site selection, construction or maintenance Shire, a direct relationship was observed of the borehole and handpump and which they between cases reported and the state of repair of have viewed as entirely government's respon­ borehole handpumps. An emergency programme sibility, perhaps for many years in the case of the of handpump repairs was carried out and the older-established boreholes. number of cases of cholera immediately dropped. The relationship between poor water supplies The third session began with a panel presen­ and serious eye infections was also emphasised; tation on the Livulezi Groundwater Project. First, there is a planned project of borehole and hand­ Mr LWC Munlhall. the Senior Borehole Main­ pump rehabilitation in the Chikwawa District to tenance Officer (see Figure 1) provided some help alleviate this. The possibility of a major pro­ additional details of the existing maintenance ject for rehabilitation of existing wells and bore­ organisation and some of its problems. These holes and construction of new ones in Nsanje included the difficulty of keeping the vehicles District was raised. operational, occasional shortages of spare parts, The attention of the participants was drawn manpower constraints and the difficulties of to the relationship between RhardwareR and communication and supervision. These were RsoftwareR issues in the improvement of rural expanded on later in the Workshop. water supplies. They heard the story of the initia­ tion and expansion into the gravity-fed water The existing 24 units are distributed as follows: projects of consultation, participation and responsibility in ensuring the lasting success of Northern Region 5 rural development activities. Education and Central Region 9 training of both project staff and participating Southern Region 10 communities are essential elements of the devel­ opment of human resources, which must receive reflecting the overall distribution of population equal or even greater attention than the and the borehole density. The presentation was development of the physical resources. The continued by Mr FBJ Msonthl, hydrogeologist experience of the Ministry of Community in the Water Department and Project Manager of Services could be very useful in this respect. the Livulezi Project during its implementation. He A number of the problems with the existing provided some background to the project and de­ maintenance system were touched on. Financial scribed the way in which the maintenance system responsibility for hand pump maintenance in the had been established there. The project covers 16 180 sq km in the livulezi Valley in Ntcheu Dis­ continued the panel presentation by describing trict. A total of 201 wells and boreholes serve experience of the maintenance system in the nearly 50,000 people in 90 villages. Construction livulezi from 1983 to 1986, based on the careful was carried out in a pilot phase in early 1981 and collection of monitoring data on the frequency, in the main phase from early 1982 to late 1983. type and cost of repairs. An essential feature of the project was the Throughout this period, the project has oper­ involvement of the community right from the ated at 90 to 95% effectiveness; only 5 to 15 planning stage. Through the District Commis­ pumps have been out of operation at anyone sioner and local political and traditional leaders, time. The average response time is one or two large public meetings were held to announce the weeks, frequently much shorter but sometimes project and to encourage community participation longer in the case of more difficult repairs. A in the project. careful costing study, including staff, transport, This was followed up by extensive and inten­ overheads and spares has indicated that the sive efforts throughout the project to encourage average annual maintenance costs are about the formation of village water committees well in K40.00 per pump, about K1 per family, of which advance of water- point construction. This was in the spare parts component is about KO.1 2 per turn followed by considerable participation by the family. communities during implementation, by choosing Further details were given in the paper which the site of the water point, clearing access, pro­ was distributed to participants, and which is viding labour, providing bricks, sand, stone and included as Annex 4 of this report. water for apron construction and other assis­ Mr liyanage concluded his presentation with tance. a brief description of the handpump testing pro­ In this way, a strong sense of community gramme in the livulezi Project. The overall objec­ ownership of the well or borehole and pump was tive of the Handpump Testing and Development built up during preparation and implementation of Project is to monitor social, technical and the project, to provide a sound basis for commu­ financial aspects of handpumps and handpump nity participation in maintenance. performance, and to develop pumps which com­ To ensure there is adequate provision for munities can afford to maintain and are able to maintenance: maintain. The full details of the testing pro­ gramme and description of the handpumps is Each vii/age water committee selects one person given in the paper distributed to the participants as the caretaker for the pumps in that vil­ and included here as Annex 5. The panel lage. The committees consist largely of presentation produced responses from several women and most caretakers are women. The participants and a number of important points caretaker's main responsibility is to carry out were raised. It was pointed out that the experi­ preventive maintenance by weekly checking ence of maintenance in the Livulezi was very and, if necessary, tightening the bolts on the impressive but there was some concern that this Malawi pumphead. To do this, the caretaker might be a special case. It was proving difficult to is provided with two universal spanners and replicate this fully in subsequent integrated a diary to record these activities. projects. There were also important points raised The caretaker and committee have additional concerning the communities' part in the selection responsibilities for keeping the surroundings of technology options, and a cautionary word on clean, ensuring correct operation of the the potential dangers of government completely pump, reporting breakdowns to the mainte­ withdrawing from maintenance responsibilities. nance assistants and organising community The role of government would remain a key one. support for repairs. This was illustrated by the one major problem of maintenance in the livulezi Project. The supply The caretakers are assisted, trained and sup­ of spare parts to the project had at times been ported by two government maintenance irregular due to budget constraints. logistical assistants, each provided with a house, difficulties of distribution and occasional non­ store, bicycle, and tools and supplied with availability in Malawi. spare parts. Each is responsible for 100 Each of these points was taken up later in pumps serving 25,000 people. They were the group discussions, and will be commented on trained in the installation and repair of the again at an appropriate point in these proceed­ handpumps during construction and with the ings. help of the caretakers and committee are The last formal presentation of the first day able to carry out almost all repairs to the was a paper by Mr PJ Chilton outlining possi­ handpumps in the project. ble options for maintenance systems for hand­ pumps. Three general options were presented: Mr Msonthi handed over to Mr KG L1yan­ age, the UN Volunteer acting as Country A central managed system usually consisting of Monitoring Engineer for the UNDPlWorid Bank a public sector organisation with mobile Handpump Testing and Development Project. He maintenance teams, based at district 17  centres, which respond to breakdowns nance can be encouraged; reported by user communities. 5. Discuss constraints on the community par­ ticipation in maintenance; A community managed system in which full 6. Suggest possible additional agenda items for responsibility and capability for carrying out discussion on the third day of the workshop, maintenance rests with the user community. by listing the main problems of hand pump In such a system, the community collects maintenance. money, enters it into a maintenance fund and draws on the account to purchase spare There was an almost unanimous feeling that parts and perhaps pay local repairers to there were too many items on the agenda and maintain the pump. that time was too short to do them justice. Never­ theless, a number of subjects received a A system in which management is shared. This preliminary airing (which was the organisers' in­ typically involves the user community in tention) and became recurrent and gradually carrying out preventive maintenance and more closely defined themes later in the Work­ simple repairs. Major repairs are the respon­ shop. There was already general agreement on sibility of an external agency, often using the need for community mobilisation, education area mechanics equipped with basic tools and participation early enough in a rural water and a bicycle and paid by the agency, who supply programme that a sense of ownership may also be responsible for the distribution would be fostered. In commenting on the Abidjan of spare parts. In some cases contributions Statement, the importance of a multi-sectoral ap­ are made by the users to help pay part of the proach to the proviSion of rural water supplies, costs of maintenance. incorporating health education, sanitation and community developed, was endorsed. The features of each of these are further explained in the paper, which is included as Day 2: The Field Visit Annex 6 of this report. Several options exist for who actually carries out the maintenance and how it is financed, and there are a number of Some of the problems of borehole maintenance in conditions which need to be met to enable user the national programme, some possible solutions communities to participate fully and effectively in to these problems, and many of the issues raised the maintenance of handpumps. on the first day were well demonstrated by the A supporting paper was also distributed, field visit. containing notes on several case studies of The partiCipants travelled to Ntcheu, stop­ maintenance systems in a wide range of coun­ ping near Balaka at a Climax handpump. They tries, to be used as examples to promote discus­ noted the poor condition of the pump, with a great sion. Several, for example Thailand and Ghana, deal of waste water lying around the pump. The were experiencing exactly the same kind of participants talked about the pump to the users, problems as Malawi, particularly the high cost of who informed them that it belonged to govern­ transport and personnel in relation to the cost of ment and was entirely government's responsibili­ the spare parts for the handpumps. In many of ty to repair. the examples, the communities' involvement in At Ntcheu, the existing maintenance system routine maintenance is being promoted and en­ was illustrated by the Balaka Maintenance Unit, couraged by education and training, supported who demonstrated the lifting and removal of the by government staff from increasingly decen­ Climax pumphead and below-ground components tralised maintenance organisations. This suppor­ from a borehole at the market. The participants ting paper is included as Annex 7. saw the team with their 5·ton truck and speCialist This concluded the formal presentation of equipment, and watched them assemble the legs background papers for the opening day of the of the lifting frame which goes with the front­ Workshop. The participants divided into their four mounted winch. The pumphead, weighing about groups to consider the points on Agenda 1, and 80kg was lifted and laid beside the borehole, and reported back to the full plenary session at the the six a-metre lengths of galvanised steel rising end of the day. main and pump rods and the brass cylinder were removed in about 30 minutes. The cylinder was Agenda 1 dismantled to reveal the worn cup leathers with abrasive material embedded in them; material drawn into the borehole because of poor borehole 1. Review and identify key points from the construction, especially lack of properly de­ opening speech; signed slotted screen and gravel pack. 2. Review the principal points of the Abidjan With this make of pump, and several others Statement; used in the national borehole programme. the 3. Review the paper describing possible main­ pumphead and all the below-ground components tenance options; have to be removed in this way to replace the 4. Discuss and report on the possible ways in most rapidly wearing parts, the leather seals on which community participation in mainte­ the plunger. This maintenance task had already 18 been carried out twice before in 1986; at bore­ pump in a few minutes, first dropping the foot holes with severe problems of sand in the pump valve into its specially designed receiver at the discharge this may rise to more than six times a bottom of the PVC rising main, then lowering the year. The common problem of corrosion and high plunger on its hooked rods and carefully repla­ iron content of the discharge water was seen in cing the bushes and re-assembling the hanger the eaten-away pump rods and flaky coating on and handle, tightening the bolts and replaCing the the rising main. cover. The whole operation took about 25 min­ Leaving the mobile team to complete the re­ utes, and could have been even quicker if there pair, the Workshop then moved on to Mphepozi­ had been no questions to answerl nai at the southern end of the Livulezi Project, The Workshop participants were clearly very where one of the project maintenance assistants impressed by this demonstration. The Afridev is based. The participants were able to discuss pump could be the basis for a fully community­ his work with him and examine his store of spare managed system, with relative cheap, easily parts and tools. He told the partiCipants that manufactured locally. and therefore readily avail­ three of his borehole handpumps and two dug well able, spare parts which are simple to replace. pumps out of 100 were not operative at present. This raises the possibility of routine maintenance The participants were able to have similar being carried out on a scheduled basis, probably discussions with the second maintenance assis­ annually, in which all the wearing parts are tant during a stop for lunch at his house in replaced as a package costing perhaps K15-20. Kandeu. This is an exciting prospect. The second pump visited was a Malawi bore­ A number of the participants cautioned that hole pump with similar downhole components to the pump was still new and relatively untried in those at Ntcheu. The participants were able to Malawi. The Afridev pumphead has been sub­ meet members of the village water committee and jected to extensive field trials and is now going the pump caretaker, and see her diary and main­ into full-scale production in Kenya. The retrac­ tenance spanner. The participants also noted the table downhole components and hooked pump improved sanitary condition of the borehole and rods are undergoing field testing in Kenya and surround, the lack of waste water spillage close now Malawi and will go into full production in 1987. around the borehole (because of the long outlet The UNDPlWorid Bank Project has great confi­ pipe) and the general cleanliness of the site. dence in the potential for this pump, the result of After the caretaker had removed the cover 5 years' development work, to form the basis for plate of the pump, the maintenance assistant a truly community-managed maintenance helped the committee members, who were all system. A leaflet describing the Afridev pump women, loosen the fulcrum. hanger and pedestal was distributed to the Workshop participants. bolts and then remove the handle, pumphead and The three pumps visited could be said to repre­ hanger unit. They then called on some of the men sent three maintenance options: of the village to assist in lifting the rising main. By using large wrenches and several people, the The Climax pump at Ntcheu, requiring a truck and community and the maintenance assistant be­ winch and special tools, representing the tween them were able to lift the same length of centrally managed system; rising main as the team at Ntcheu. The third pump visited was an Afridev pump The Malawi pump, requiring the maintenance from Kenya. The pump features the results of assistant, several specialised tools and help extensive development work over the last two from the committee and villagers, repre­ years - relatively cheap but hard-wearing plastic senting the shared system; and fulcrum and hanger bushes, easily retractable plunger and footvalve and easily dismantled. The Afridev pump, in which all operations were hooked pump rods. The pump had only been carried out by the committee and caretaker installed the previous week, but the maintenance with one spanner, a length of rope and a assistant had already been able to train the pump special fishing tool, representing the poten­ caretaker and committee members to dismantle tial for a community-managed system. the pump to replace the wearing parts. With only a single small spanner, the women The contrast in handpump maintenance seen were able to open the pumphead, loosen the on the field visit completed the background handle and hanger bolts, remove the plastic needed by the Workshop participants for the bushes, remove the plunger on the hooked rods intensive discussions to follow. and remove the foot valve with a specially designed catcher on a nylon rope from the same Day 3: Problems, Solutions and depth as in the other two boreholes. The dis­ Structures mantling operation was completed in a few minutes and then all wearing parts - bushes, The only formal presentation of the morning was a seals and valve bobbins could be replaced short paper by Mr WRG Mandowa, which is equally quickly. included as Annex 8 of this report. He described The women were able to re-assemble the the arrangements for maintenance in the rural 19 piped-water programme, including the roles of the number of agenda items, a smaller and much several committees and the Water Department more specific agenda was set: monitoring staff and the types of maintenance operation that each carries out. Agenda 2 The principle of the user communities making small cash contributions to the cost of mainte­ nance is well established in the rural piped-water 1. Discuss the reasons for the poor perform­ programme, although the actual mechanisms and ance of handpumps maintenance in Malawi. amounts vary from project to project. The Tap 2. Design a maintenance system that will work Committee collects funds from each household effectively in Malawi. for purchase of bib-cocks and cement to repair the apron and in some projects also to pay the Asking the groups to design a system caretakers who look after the intake. concentrated their minds wonderfully I In their Dr LAH Msukwa of the Centre for Social presentations. the group spokesman listed the Research has recently completed an extensive many problems of the present maintenance sys­ survey of a number of piped-water projects and tem, and from them it was possible to summarise has discussed the communities' contributions to a consensus view of the problems: the cost of maintenance. These were summarised in a table in Mr Mandowa's pre­ Poor borehole design, particularly the lack of sentation. By calculating a shadow cost of labour properly graded gravel pack. results in the for the time spent by the community on pumping of sih and sand which produces infill maintenance and adding this to the cash of the boreholes and increased cylinder and contribution, the community share of total cup leather wear and hence frequent and maintenance costs in five schemes varied from costly repair visits. 26% to 77%. The cash contribution varied between 3% and 8% of the total maintenance The handpumps used in the national borehole costs in the same five schemes. programme are difficult and costly to main­ A further interesting point is mentioned in his tain. A truck and winch are needed to lift the survey. In several of the schemes the local heavy pumphead and rising main and a leaders were asked whether the Water Depart­ skilled team with specialist tools is required. ment or local authorities should take over the Spares are imported, expensive and often in maintenance of the schemes from the communi­ short supply. The pumps are not appropriate ty. In all cases the answer was an emphatic "No" I for the community to maintain. T~ey feel that they have so far managed to main­ taIn the schemes and are sure they can continue The need for mobile units makes the system very to do so provided government support is main­ expensive to operate, and transport costs tained and in some cases improved. are a high proportion of the total costs. They pointed out that borehole handpumps, wh!ch .are the responsibility of government to Because many of the vehicles are old, they are mamtaln, are often broken down for long periods. under repair frequently and for long periods. On the other hand, because the piped-water Repair costs are high, and when a unit is schemes are partly maintained by the beneficia­ without its vehicle no handpump repairs can ries, the repairs are carried out very quickly. The be undertaken. communities feel they can do, and are actually doing a better job than the government. The present system of mobile units is so The last formal presentation of the Workshop stretched that it can only respond to break­ was paper by Mr F Kwaula of the Urban Com­ downs. No preventive maintenance is munal Water Points Project. He described the possible although its desirability is rec­ sy~tem of co~mittees responsible for the ope­ ognised. ratIOn and maIntenance of the water points. Two particular problems were highlighted by The present system is difficuh to supervise and the speaker. Firstly, the maintenance policy for manage because of inadequate numbers and !he communal water points was not properly def­ poor training of staff. Ined and explained to the communities, many of whom therefore still expect government to carry The method of reporting breakdowns is inefficient out al! mainte~ance tasks.. Secondly, the tap because of poor communication within the committees qUIckly become Inactive because of system and the district unit being too remote lack of proper guidelines as to their functions and from the users. lack of regular follow-up and monitoring of their effectiveness. The paper is included as Annex 9 There was minimal community mobilisation or of this report. education in the planning or implementation Almost the whole morning was given over to of the national borehole programme and discussions in the same four groups. Following there is very little interest in maintena~ce or the complaints on the first day about the large feeling of responsibility for the pump. 20 There is no formal structure or budget allocation Coast Handpump Project in Kenya. These papers for maintenance of dug wells. Maintenance is are included as Annexes 10 and 11 of this report. carried out on an ad hoc basis by con­ There was general, but perhaps not unani­ struction staff. mous agreement that, like the communities in the piped-water projects referred to by Mr Msukwa, The shallow lift handpump for dug wells needs people would prefer to pay a little for something further development work to make it more that works, rather than having something for free reliable and easier and cheaper to maintain. which does not work. Two of the discussion groups were strongly in favour of communities Wrth the overall maintenance budget there are no paying towards at least the cost of the spare allocations to the regions to enable proper parts. They felt we should not underestimate the planning and utilisation of the fund. willingness and ability of the user communities to contribute towards maintenance costs. All Having defined the problems so clearly, it groups agreed that there might need to be further was relatively easy for the groups to propose study of this issue. solutions. There was consensus on the need for These suggested solutions to the problems standardisation on a handpump which could be of handpumps maintenance were Incorporated locally manufactured, easily maintained and for into the group presentations of the maintenance which the spare parts would be cheap and readily system they would like to see, and it was not sur­ available. At institutions requiring water to be prising that the proposals were broadly similar. raised by a handpump to an overhead tank, there The main features were: would still be a place for the Climax pump, and govemment maintenance staff would be required Water committees and pump caretakers at to maintain them. village level. All the groups agreed that the user com­ munities should then carry out routine preventive • Maintenance or monitoring assistants at maintenance and minor repairs themselves. area level. However, this would require: • A more strongly regional, decentralised • a much greater level of community mobili­ government maintenance organisation. sation even before a project begins, to est­ ablish a sense of ownership of the supply These features were summarised for the ple­ and a desire to maintain it. nary session, as shown in Figure t. The Workshop participants then separated • a much more decentralised maintenance into their four groups again, having been asked to structure so that the lowest level of the gov­ define their proposed maintenance structure in ernment system was close enough to the more detail. They discussed the functions and community to be able to train and support duties of each level in the structure. and the add­ them and monitor their activities. itional inputs required. It wes emphaSised by several groups that Agenda 3 these requirements implied a massive education and training programme, for both communities Define the structure in detail: and maintenance staff, which the Water Dep­ artment would be unable to undertake on its own, How do we achieve the structure? and was in any case not necessarily the best equipped organisation to undertake it. There was - geographically, area by area? general agreement that the expertise of the Min­ istries of Health, Community Services and - institutionally? which ones? Agriculture in particular, through their eXisting trained staff in the rural areas, could be very - financially? do we need additional usefully employed in this mobilisation, education funds? and training exercise. There was active and open discussion about From the group presentations. a summary willingness and ability of user communities to pay composite proposal for the structure in given in towards the cost of maintenance. Two papers Table t and Figure 1. The area and village levels were distributed to provide background for these follow the general model established in the discussions. The first was a brief presentation of Livulezi Project but with significant additional options for the financing of handpump main­ responsibilities. tenance, supplementing the presentation on H communities are eventually going to col­ maintenance options given on the first day of the lect and manage funds, the communities will need Workshop. The second was a brief description of to be stronger and more closely monitored. Both the organizational and financial arrangements for the committees and the monitoring assistants will maintenance that were being tested in the South need more and broader training then at present in 21 the integrated projects. It was suggested that the monitoring assistants could be based at Exten­ construction of a new water point or rehabili­ sion Planning Area (EPA) level, as this is the tation of an existing one; basic planning unit for agricultural and other rural development activities within the NRDP. installation of an easily maintained pump; The district level would have a crucial role to play in liaison with other government departments training in maintenance of the pump; to plan and coordinate the multi-sectoral approach to the community within the district. establishment of a spares distribution sys­ The regional and headquarters levels would be tem; strengthened to enable them to perform the tasks of planning, management and supervision and continuing support and backup from the training. government maintenance organisation, and The second question on the agenda could be establishing a monitoring and extension ser­ rephrased as "How do we go from what we have to vices; what we want?" In discussing this, the Workshop agreed that a programme of borehole rehabili­ The group went on to propose a programme tation and handpump replacement would be of water point rehabilitation over a number of required, on a district by district basis, to enable years, on a district by district basis, perhaps one the new system to be established. This would in each region concurrently. The community require considerable planning and supervision at mobilisation and extension tasks would be all­ headquarters and regional levels, and a sub­ ocated to other ministries (Health, Community stantial injection of funds. Services) and separately and specifically fun­ A suggestion was made that the massive ded. Detailed planning and supervision of the additional training requirements could be met by a work would be carried out at regional level and a new maintenance training unit based at head­ regional team would be established to carry out quarters, but organising and presenting training the work. courses throughout the country as the new sys­ tem was being established. This new unit would Day 4: The Way Forward also require additional, specific funding. There was further agreement that the maintenance The last session of the Workshop was opened headquarters would need to be strengthened with with the distribution of and comments on the mechanical engineering expertise to enable it to composite maintenance structure given in Table carry out the vitally important work of continuing 1 and Figure 1. The Workshop then split for the handpump development and the establishment last time into the four groups to consider the final and implementation of tendering, purchase and agenda: quality control procedures for new handpumps and spare parts. A warning was given that gov­ Agenda 4 ernment should carefully monitor prices and see that there was adequate manufacturing capability Following the consensus yesterday on the imp­ and interest to ensure proper competitive bidding ortance of a multi-sectoral approach to for pump manufacture. community management of water supplies: One of the discussion groups made a par­ ticularly useful contribution by trying to define a 1. Discuss whether the Ministry of Community process that could be followed to ensure the services should have a formal role in com­ sustain ability of rural groundwater supplies. This munity mobilisation or handpump mainten­ was summarised as a series of steps or tasks: ance. making the community fully aware of the 2. Discuss whether the Ministry of Health objectives, implications, responsibilities and should run a complementary programme of benefits of a programme of improving rural Health Education and Sanitation Promotion groundwater supplies; (as in the rural piped-water programme) coupled with the programme of community perhaps allowing the communities to choose mobilisation for handpump maintenance. whether they want an improved water source; 3. Continue yesterday afternoon's second dis­ cussion item rephrased as follows: organisation and training of the community in Discuss and present well-defined pro­ preparation for them to manage their own gramme or project for the implementation of water supply; the proposed maintenance structure. 22 Table 1. Proposed maintenance structure Level Staff Transport Duties 5. Headquarters Principal Plan and supervise Hydrogeologist national programme Maintenance Borehole record Section Engineer system Training Officer Mobile Training Budget preparation Unit (Bulk spares procurement) Pump design. purchase, monitoring and quality control Maintenance training 4. Region Regional Vehicle workshop Hydrogeologist (distribute spares) Supervise districts Detailed planning and supervision of rehabilitation Regional budget preparation 3. District STA(TO) Light truck (Distribute spares) Driver and crew motorcycle Repair institutional & private pumps. Supervise monitoring assistants. Report to region. Liaise with DOC and other ministries at district level Backup support - major repairs. 2. Area (EPA) Monitoring Bicycle Major repairs Assistant (TA) Training caretakers Report to district (stock spares and distribute) Health education 1. Village Water Committee Report breakdowns Pump caretaker Care of pump and surrounds. Preventive maintenance. Collection and Management of funds. purchase of spare parts. Education to rest of community The groups differed somewhat in their ap­ surface completion works. establishment of an proaches to this final discussion period. There improved maintenance system of the type def­ were hints that some felt they had covered the ined the previous day and strengthening of the ground adequately and had little further to add. management and training capability of the gov­ Others had specific proposals to make. Three of ernment maintenance staff. Both included formal the groups felt that the roles of the Ministries of roles for the Ministries of Health and Community Health and Community Services in education and Services. One group felt the onus was now on the mobilisation should be made formal. so that a Water Department to provide active follow-up to properly planned and adequately funded pro­ the Workshop by preparing detailed proposals for gramme could be prepared.One group felt that consideration by the other participating ministries the existing multi-sectoral approach of the gov­ and interested donors. ernment adequate to cover these requirements. The fourth group, which had made the project Two of the groups made outline proposals for proposal on the previous day, had modified its borehole and hand pump rehabilitation pro­ approach somewhat. Rather than proposing new grammes. Both included cleaning out of bore­ projects, they suggested that the process they holes, replacement of handpumps. improved had described the previous day should be 23 incorporated into all existing projects. This would to the Workshop and all who had taken part in its include separate funds for health education, organisation and declared the Workshop closed. sanitation and community development acti­ vities. While these might be covered by some of Additional conclusions and the existing projects, others might require add­ itional funding for these components. There was recommendations a suggestion that this could possibly be done by adding a supplementary charge onto the borehole The principal conclusions and recommendations cost to cover community mobilisation, health of the Workshop have been extracted as the education. sanitation promotion and maintenance Executive Summary, which was prepared imm­ training. ediately following the Workshop and in advance All groups agreed that some additional of this report. A number of additional conclusions funding would be required, for several specific and supporting points are included here. purposes in addition to those described above. The Workshop was impressed by the The most substantial requirement could be for achievements of the maintenance system in the training courses, preparation of training materials Livulezi Project. but there was concern and dis­ and vehicles and staff for a maintenance training cussion about the difficulty of fully replicating unit. this success in subsequent integrated projects. The establishment of a new and expanding Cultural and social differences between the cadre of monitoring assistants could imply sub­ Livulezi and other areas and more difficult hydro­ stantial additional staff costs for the government. geological conditions were advanced as possible However, these could be partly absorbed by the reasons, but neither of these was accepted. re-deployment of existing staff, as the change in The success of the Livulezi Project dep­ emphasis of the duties of the district team could ended largely on the careful fostering of com­ lead to its reduction in size. The increased staff munity participation in all aspects of the project. costs could also be partly offset by savings from This was facilitated by having one and often two the expected reduction in transport costs. Funds hydrogeologists stationed full time in the project. might also be required for equipping the monitor­ Unfortunately, severe manpower constraints ing assistants with tools and bicycles, and pro­ prevented there being full time hydrogeological viding them with houses and stores. supervision of Dowa West or Lilongwe North East Following this final presentation by the four Integrated Projects. In these circumstances it is groups, and comments from the floor, the Work­ inevitable that, amongst all the other duties of the shop rapporteur made a verbal summary of the Project Hydrogeologist, the community consul­ deliberations and findings of the Workshop, high­ tation and mobilisation tasks will be neglec1ed. lighting the main points of agreement and noting It is not the communities which differ from the areas where participants had expressed project to project, but the approach to the com­ reservations, as has been done in a more exp­ munities. This reinforces the need for strength­ anded from in the proceedings. ening the community mobilisation component of The Workshop was then closed by Mr BH rural groundwater development by using the Mwaklkunga of Ministry of Works head­ expertise and resources of other government quarters. He welcomed the overall conclusions departments. and recommendations arrived at by the Work­ Hthe "engineering" emphasis of hand pumps shop participants. He undertook to report back to maintenance is reduced by the use of simpler and the Principal Secretary in the Ministry (our Guest more easily maintained pumps, and if the of Honour at the opening of the Workshop). He "extension and monitoring" emphasis is cor­ asked the Water Department to review as a respondingly increased, then the approach to matter of urgency all current and imminent maintenance in the groundwater programme will groundwater development projects to ensure that become more similar to that in the rural piped­ the detailed proposals for a process of multi­ water programme. In the longer term, consider­ sectoral community mobilisation and education ation should therefore be given to establishing a could be adequately catered for. unified rural water supply maintenance structure He urged the representatives of the other from headquarters, through the regions and ministries and organisations to carry the mes­ districts to area level. sage of the Workshop home with them, and to There is some evidence that the mainte­ use their new-found appreciation of the problems nance system in the Livulezi Project is getting of handpumps maintenance to improve their org­ stronger with time, as the communities become anisation's understanding of the difficulties the increasingly used to and dependent on their Water Department was facing. Mr. Mwakikunga hand pump supplies, and become more confident thanked all the participants for their contributions of their ability to maintain them. 24  Figure 1 ExIsting and proposed maintenance structures WATER ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF I CHIEF WATER RESOURCES OFFICER CHIEF WATER RESOURCES OFFICER I I PRINCIPAL HYDROGEOLOGIST Level 1 PRINCIPAL HYDROGEOLOGIST Headquarters SENIOR MAINTENANCE BOREHOLE MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE AND TRAINING OFFICER REGIONAL HYDROGEOLOGIST REGIONALHYDROGEOLOGIST < ) REGIONAL WORKS I\) c.n REGIONAL REGIONAL REGIONAL I REGIONAL CONTROLLER MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE Level 2 MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR (S) SUPERVISOR (C) SUPERVISOR (N) SUPERVISOR (Zomba) (Vacant) (Vacant) Region I I I 4 SUB-REGIONAL 3 SUB-REGIONAL 2 SUB-REGIONAL MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE FOREMEN FOREMEN FOREMEN (3 Vacant) (2 Vacant) (1 Vacant) I 11 9 I I 5 Level 3 DISTRICT DISTRICT MAINTENANCE UNITS MAINTENANCE UNITS MAINTENANCE UNITS District MAINTENANCE TEAM < >SUPERVISOR WORKS Level 4 MONITORING Area (EPA) ASSISTANTS levelS VILLAGE WATER COMMITTEES AND Village PUMP CARETAKERS Annexes Annex 1: Opening Speech 28 Annex 2: Existing borehole and dug well pump maintenance organisation in Malawi 30 Annex 3: The Abidjan Statement 32 Annex 4: The Livulezi maintenance system 34 Annex 5: Handpump field trials in the Livulezi Project 36 Annex 6: Handpump maintenance systems 40 Annex 7: Examples of handpump maintenance systems 43 Annex 8: Community participation in maintenance of piped water projects 47 Annex 9: Community participation in operation and maintenance of urban communal water points 50 Annex 10: Who shall pay for maintenance and how? 52 Annex 11: The South Coast Handpump Project, Kenya 53 Annex 12: Strengthening the maintenance system at national level 55 Annex 13: Evaluation of borehole rehabilitation in Malawi 57 Annex 14: Community management of maintenance of handpumps 59 Annex 15: Organisation of workshop 61 Annex 16: List of participants 63 Annex 17: Workshop programme 65 27  ANNEX 1 Opening Speech: Workshop on Operation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater Supplies C. Clarke, Secretary for Works and Supplies The District Chairman, Malawi Congress Party contribute to the cost, are growing steadily, Members of Parliament based on the principle of economic viability. In Members of the Diplomatic Corps the rural areas we have in the past accepted the Visitors from Donor Agencies policy of free water for the rural population. Distinguished GUests Admirable as this policy is, it is not achieved Ladies and Gentlemen without some soul searching. Our rural gravity­ fed piped-water programme is undoubtedly a It is my very great pleasure to welcome all of you beacon in Africa. It has been admired and copied to this Opening Session of what I regard as one in many areas and could well be seen as the flag of the most important workshops I have had the ship of His Excellency the Life President's policy privilege of either opening or attending. I would of improving conditions for his people in the rural like to extend a special welcome to the areas and thus providing an anchor to prevent a representatives of Donor Agencies who I believe drift to the towns. In so dOing the economy of the can and will assist us in our attempts to identify ru ral areas is improved and the importance of and solve our undoubted problems concerning such improvement and growth cannot be over­ the operation and maintenance of rural emphasised because it is in. the rural areas that groundwater supplies. I would particularly wish to both the present stability and the future thank UNICEF and the World Bank for prosperity of Malawi is founded. recognising the existence of these problems and However, there is a limit to the numbers that agreeing to make this Workshop possible by can be accommodated under gravity-fed providing the funds to ensure that it was held. schemes. At present approximately 1.5 million of However, I am sure our overseas visitors the rural population are fed or will be fed from and the members of the donor community who such projects. Another 1/4 million is have been so generous in the past will forgive me accommodated by our urban district water sup­ if on this occasion I save an extremely warm and plies. This leaves approximately 4.5 million for special welcome for the Malawian participants at whom water will have to be found utilising means this Workshop. I am particularly glad to see those other than the urban district water schemes or who represent the local rural communities. If I the rural gravity-fed scheme. Inevitably, these can be excused for perhaps pre-empting the alternative means will principally be based on recommendations and conclusions of the groundwater. Workshop before it is even opened. I believe that My experts advise me that a dug well this gathering can prove to be amongst the most supplies about 125 people and a borehole important which the District Development supplies 250. On that basis it is obvious that Committees. local politicians and the various 18,000 boreholes would be needed, assuming a representatives of the rural population will ever static population.But Malawi does not have a attend. Malawi have every reason to be proud of static population. If one works on the basis of a her water development programme. It is true that conservative population growth of 2.5%. it would God has endowed this land with water resources be prudent to plan for 30,000 boreholes being that could be the envy of all but these have not required as quickly as physical and financial been left unexploited. For this thanks go to the resources will allow. pioneering done in Malawi by both Malawians and The Ministry of Works and Supplies and the visiting engineers in ensuring that our resources Government in general recognises the need for are properly tapped and explored. When an intensified drilling programme and every considering the work which has been done in endeavour is being made to enlist the services of ensuring that nature's gift is made available to as contractors to attempt to fill the gap as quickly as many as possible, I am reminded of the rather money and muscle permit. In these circum­ flippant story told of the Minister of the Church stances, I have no doubt that the donors will who, looking at a beautiful garden, remarked to recognise the problem and assist in providing the gardener on the wonderful things that could solutions. be created in a garden when man and God worked However, although I believe that the hand in hand, to which the gardener replied that possibility of beating the capital investment the Heavenly Father did not make a very good job problem exists. I find myself at this Workshop of it when He had it all to Himself. concerned about our Will, enthusiasm and Our urban water schemes, feeding a popula­ courage to beat the inevitable maintenance tion who are basically wage earners and thus can problem that will arise from such an intensive 28 groundwater programme. At present the financial controllers of their prosperity. responsibility for the maintenance of rural You will learn during this week of what the groundwater schemes other than those within Livulezi Projed has proved. Its potential is private organisations rests with Treasury to enormous. It can bring the maintenance costs of provide the funds and the Ministry of Works and individual boreholes down from the high level to a Supplies to provide manpower. figure attainable by every village. More important The present allocation in financial terms is perhaps, it has given the local community a approximately K 1 million. The present physical purpose and an interest in the provision of their capacity is centred on 24 maintenance units, own water supplies and in so doing has ensured namely one for each distrid. One does not have an increase in the quality of life which cannot be to be a statistician to realise that a million assessed in financial terms. Kwacha and 24 teams will be totally inadequate to The Workshop on which we embark this week deal with 30,000 boreholes. It is indeed already can be the fore-runner of the expansion of the inadequate to deal with the existing 6,000, as can Livulezi experience throughout Malawi. The be seen by the poor maintenance record example of local communities accepting the presently existing. A conservative estimation challenge is already there in the gravity-fed water would be that 40% of the country's boreholes are schemes. Expertise to build on this is available out of adion at anyone time, representing no both through my Ministry and the External Donor return on a financial input of K 20,000,000 and and their water experts. The people of Malawi untold misery for the potential users. have the background of self-help and re­ Therefore, Distinguished Guests, the sourcefulness that is necessary to allow them to options to us are clear. We either demand more accept the challenge. The nation has listened to from Treasury in the knowledge that Ministry is His Excellency's exhortation to build and improve already hard pressed and that our allocation on what we found. However, in many respects, it would need to be increased 7-fold to meet our will be a novel experience and will need much new maintenance demands. Our manpower dedication on all our parts to ensure the role of demand would also be pushed up accordingly and the local communities is properly organised. If we in my opinion unrealistically. Or we look for an seek help from outside for the task I am sure it alternative method of meeting our obligations and will be forthcoming but of one thing I am certain our desires for our rural population. If so we have for the sake of our children and our children's to explore new ideas and chart out a new path in children we must move in the direction of virgin territory. community participation in this vital area and stop Considerable input and research has been relying entirely on central government to provide. put into what is evocatively termed an integrated I would beg you therefore to begin to plot out groundwater scheme which aims to produce a the path this week. With no more ado and to avoid system that places the onus and responsibility wasting any more of your vital time, let me for maintenance back with the people who use declare this Workshop open and wish you God's the boreholes in the rural areas and thus make speed in your task. them the masters of their own destiny and the Thank you. 29  ANNEX 2 Existing borehole and dug well pump maintenance organi­ sation in Malawi S M N Mainala, Principal Hydrogeologist, Department of Water, Ministry of Worlcs and Supplies 1.0 Introduction 5,800 boreholes in the country, but the figure grows each day as more and more boreholes are Although Malawi is endowed with a reasonable drilled in various parts of the country. amount of surface water resources in rivers and The construction of hand dug wells has been lakes, the special distribution of these resources organised into a major development programme makes it both economically unsound and techni­ only since about 1980. By that year, there were cally unfeasible to provide domestic water supplies only approximately 1,000 wells properly equipped exclusively from them. Thus the development of with handpumps. The majority of wells are in areas surface water resources has been, is and will con­ underlain by fairly shallow water tables, and are tinue to be complemented by the concurrent de­ thus restricted in distribution to only certain parts velopment of groundwater resources in virtually all of the country. There are now about 3,000 wells, parts of the country. mostly in the Lower Shire Area, along the Lakeshore area and in Mzimba Dowa and Uiongwe 1.1 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION Districts. The 1977 census of the country showed a popula­ 2.0 Existing maintenance organisation tion of 5.5 million of whom 5.0 million were rural and costs based. Agricultural potential of, and availability of water in, an area have been the most important 2.1 NATIONAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME factors controlling population distribution. The cur­ rent and projected population distribution between The existing national programme for maintenance urban and rural areas is shown in Table 1 below. of handpumps consists of units or teams based at The distribution pattern is estimated to remain various centres across the country. These are fairly close to the 10 to 1 ratio between rural and primarily equipped to deal with borehole handpump urban. breakdowns only. There are now 24 units spread across the country, each station or team being lo­ Table 1 Population DlstrlJutlon In Malawi (millions) cated on the basis of borehole density and logisti­ cal ease. Each team consists of between 5 and 7 YEAR RURAL URBAN TOTAL people, semi-skilled operators, provided with a 5f7 ton truck equipped with a mast and winch. Each 1985 6.39 0.71 7.1 team is (supposed to be) headed by a maintenance 1990 7.47 0.83 8.3 assistant, who directs on a daily basis 2000 10.44 1.16 11.6 maintenance trips from station. The maintenance organisation is headed by a 1.2 BOREHOLE AND DUG WELL DISTRIBUTION senior Borehole Maintenance Officer (STO) based IN MALAWI at Water Department HQ. He is supported by his deputy, the Borehole Maintenance Officer (TO) Protected water supplies for rural domestic pur­ who is now based at Zomba. There are, immedi­ poses are obtained predominantly from boreholes, ately under this supervisory level. four mainte­ dug wells and piped water schemes. The first nance foremen (STA) based at Balaka, Lilongwe, boreholes were drilled, and dug wells constructed Mzuzu, and Karonga. in the early 1930s in the Lower Shire by Colonial As pointed out before, there is as yet no Development Schemes. The development of hand established shallow well pump maintenance dug wells then continued sporadically, becoming a organisation. and maintenance is carried out on an major concern of the Water Department only since ad hoc basis by construction personnel. 1980. The drilling of boreholes, on the other hand, continued rapidly since the first few in the Lower 2.2 MAINTENANCE COSTS Shire and, between 1947 and 1969, about 100 boreholes were drilled each year. The programme The average cost of maintaining a borehole pump expanded considerably in the early 1970s, during now stands at about K350 per year, giving an an­ which approximately 500 boreholes were being nual budget of about K1,OOO,OOO for an estimated drilled each year. 3.000 visits made to installations per year. This By 1979. some 4,200 boreholes had been also gives an estimated per capita cost of about drilled across the country. The number has since K1.5 based on the total number of people actually increased steadily as a result of increased demand using boreholes today. Transport invariably ac­ and improved programming. especially in integrat­ counts for the greatest proportion of the cost. ed project areas. There are now approximately about 42% of the annual budget in the year 30 1985/86. Wages account for about 20% and pump puts. It is also fraught with many other constraints spares about 15%. Actual expenditure figures for or problems some of which are explained below. the 1985/86 fiscal year are given below. The most important requirement is that there must be adequate competent personnel for super­ 3.0 Problems of the exIsting systems vision to minimise undue overheads arising from ir­ and some solutions responsible actions of low ranking personnel. It is also vitally dependent on adequate and reliable The current system of operation is that of re­ means of transport. Presently, we operate 5(1 ton sponding to reports on breakdowns only. Owing to trucks that are not easy to manoeuvre, are not the large number of boreholes and to the large suitable for most rural roads and are very expen­ travel distances involved per maintenance unit, sive to run and maintain in the terms of fuel, spares there is very little scope for the preventive mainte­ and repairs. nance so essential to prolonging pump life. In summary, it is inoperable without a proper It must be pointed out at the outset in general programming capability. In Malawi, one of the major that there are only two main categories of mainte­ problems in maintenance is that, over the years, nance schemes for rural domestic water supplies. many pump types acquired abroad have been in­ The first consists of the various types of schemes stalled and their maintenance requires a reliable characterised by a pronounced centralisation of supply of spares from the same supplier. Some of control and supervision with all necessary inputs these suppliers have now gone out of business, being organised and distributed from a central na­ leaving us with a number of unmaintainable tional office and little or no scope exists for all of borehole and shallow well pumps. those schemes that rely on local management Among the many serious handicaps of a cen­ (which may not necessarily mean funding as well) trally organised system is that there is very little of individual installations. Essential to the former scope for the recipient community to participate in category is the existence of a properly established the operation and maintenance i.e. management, supervisory capacity. Essential to both cate­ of their own water source. The current workshop gories, however, is the awareness and apprecia­ should therefore. address itself to the central tion of the local ownership of an installation by the problem of direction as to where we go from here in beneficiary community. In Malawi, the long, tradi­ terms of what maintenance system or systems. tional system has been of the first category. The time is now ripe to make these choices of A centrally based system is characterised by options. high costs arising from the increased logistical in- Ministry of Works and Supplies: Borehole Fund - Maintenance Trading and profit and loss account for the year ended 31 March 1986 1985 1985/6 198516 K K K 185074 Sales 39,120.00 Govemment subsidy 750000 00 789,120.00 274050 Opening Stock 99,275.00 .wa2. Add: Purchases (Materials) Z2.l31,QQ 292432 171,388.00 99251 Less: Closing Stock 2Q 2ZQ 00 ~ Cost of goods sold 15111800 (8101) Gross profit 638,002.00 LESS eXpENSe 52588 Vehicle Repairs and Spares 118,600.00 17193 Tyres, Tubes and Batteries 8,365.00 Electricity 560.00 958 Water Rates 1,391.00 920 Office Expenses and Stationery 7,603.00 168938 Fuel and Lubricants 165,147.00 16463 Transport and Travelling 39,670.00 110146 Wages 115,810.00 Postal Service Charges (8.00) Refunds to Clients 1,697.00 250 Audit Fees 250.00 3550 Pension Contribution 7,346.00 Reimbursements 71,337.00 9105 Uniforms and Protectives 16.186.00 13639 Salaries 29,636.00 578 Capital Expenditure En pepBEC!AJ1QN Camping Equipment and Hand Tool 6,574.00 Motor Vehicles 2,9l!H2Q 59308Q.OO (402492) Net LossIProfit 44,922.00 31  ANNEX 3 The Abidjan Statement Lasting health and economic benefits for the rural and urban-fringe populations of Africa can be achieved through Increased community management of water supply and sanitation systems based on proven low-cost technologies. African governments and donors are urged to identify and commit adequate resources and provide all necessary support for the direct Involvement of communities In choosing, managing and paying for their water and sanitation systems. Representatives of 30 countries of sub­ IDWSSD. However, 70% of Africa's rural Saharan Africa and 15 external people are still without these basic services, governmental and non-governmental and too many projects are abandoned or support agencies, together with other functioning well below capacity because of specialists from Europe, Asia and Latin failure to provide for essential maintenance America, meeting in Abidjan, Cote d'ivoire, in needs. While communities are paying the October 1986, have endorsed this price in high child mortality, debilitating dis­ statement and a 5-point strategy which they ease and unsanitary living conditions, gov­ believe can assist in achieving substantial ernments are faced with increased medical improvements in the health and living care, reduced food production, and produc­ conditions of hundreds of millions of people. tive time and energy lost in collecting water, Recognizing the serious threat to the costs which can be ill afforded in times of se­ health and well-being of more than 200 mil­ vere austerity. lion people living in rural and urban-fringe ar­ The outcome of the Abidjan Seminar eas of Africa who presently lack access to adds further impetus to the momentum of safe water and adequate sanitation facilities, the IDWSSD, and reflects a growing con­ delegates at the All-Africa Seminar on Low­ sensus among African nations of the political Cost Rural and Urban-Fringe Water Supply commitment and economic policies n$eded see the achievements of the first half of the to meet the continent'S urgent needs. International Drinking Water Supply and In endorsing this Abidjan Statement, the Sanitation Decade (IDWSSD) as a founda­ 100 delegates were united in believing that tion for accelerated progress. African countries, with sustained donor sup­ Policies based on some or all of the five port, have the potential to make substantial points in the strategy have seen an progress in the second half of the Interna­ estimated 30 million additional rural people tional Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation provided with improved water supply and Decade and beyond. sanitation facilities in the first five years of the 32 1. GOVERNMENT have recognized that affordable and sustainable progress depends on adoption of low-cost technologies. That recognition should now be translated into Iong­ term commitments and establishment of the institutional framework in which community management of water supply systems can be effective. Decentralization of responsibility for planning and management means optimizing the use of public and private sector resources. Central and district government have a key role in organizing and supporting training programs at all levels, standardization policies, and distribution facilities for spare parts and materials. Governments should request donors to support the implementation of projects compatible with the policy of sustainability and replicability. Donors have again declared their collective support for such policies and will intensify their efforts to ensure full inter-agency coordination, as stressed during recent External Support Consultation meetings. 2. COMMUNITIES will be willing to take effective responsibility for running their own water supply systems, provided that they obtain the system that they have chosen, can afford, and have the resources to sustain. Successful projects involve community members - with women having a vital role - in all stages, beginning with their motivation by skilled community workers well ahead of implementation. Local committees can and should be involved in planning, site selection, construction and installation. Wrth initial training and sustained support from govemment and other agencies, the committee should take over responsibility for organization of system maintenance, and for the collection and management of funds. 3. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH to health-related development brings maximum benefits from investments in the water supply and sanitation sector. There is strong evidence that water supply improvements planned alongside complementary activities in sanitation and health education have a multiplier effect on health and economic benefits. Similarly, introduction of community water supply components into primary health care programs, or into specific programs promoting food production, environmental protection, livestock watering, and general rural and urban-fringe development activities will enhance the benefits from each individual investment. 4. TECHNOLOGY CHOICE must match the community resources available for upkeep of the system. Research into low-cost community water supply and sanitation technologies has demonstrated that equipment is now becoming available to match the favored strategy of full community management of completed systems. Experience has shown, for example. that properly chosen handpumps. suitable for maintenance by trained caretakers, supported where necessary by area mechanics, are the best guarantee of dependable long-term water supplies. In-country manufacture and planned distribution of pumps brings added reliability. 5. MAINTENANCE is the key to long-term success. Community maintenance supported by a national strategy of standardization and well-organized distribution of spare parts, brings substantial increases in reliability and reciJctions in recurrent costs - bringing per capita costs down appreciably when compared with the alternative of centralized maintenance practised in many countries. The result is more dependable supplies of safe water, and continuing improved health. 33  ANNEX 4 The Livu/ezi maintenance system KG Liyanage 1. Description of the system maintenance assistant then goes to check the broken down pump.lf he is unable to repair it The project covers an area of about 180 square immediately he sets a date for repair and kilometres. The estimated 1990 population in this organises community support. On the day before area is about 50,000 people. There are 201 water­ the repair several villagers (mostly women) come points with handpumps supplying clean drinking to the maintenance assistant's house to collect water to the above mentioned population in 90 the tools and spare parts needed for the job. villages. Waterpoint construction started in early One reason for this arrangement is that the 1981, was largely completed by the end of 1982 maintenance assistant cannot carry heavy and was fully completed by late 1983. A borehole spanners or spare parts like pipes on his bicycle. was planned to serve a community of 250 people The maintenance assistant gets the help of the and a dug well to serve 125. Thus the number of villagers (men) to lift the rising main pipes, tighten water-points in each village varies according to the pipes etc. during the repair. The tools are its population. brought back by the villagers on the following Presently 10 types of borehole and shallow day. During the almost four years of operation of well pump are installed in the Livulezi this system, there is no record of loss of any Groundwater Project as the Handpump Testing tools through non-return or other negligence by Programme is being carried out there. the villagers. Maintenance of these 201 handpumps is looked after by two "maintenance assistants" who are 2. Effectiveness of the system government employees. They were trained in the installation and repair of handpumps during the At any time, 90-95% of the pumps are working, construction of the project and each takes care according to the statistics collected during the of 100 pumps serving about 25,000 people. One last four years. The average down time (time maintenance assistant is living in the village of between breakdown and repair) of a pump is 1 - 2 Kandeu and the other in Mphepozinai. Both have weeks. been provided by the project with houses and with bicycles so they can reach the pump to carry 3. Costs of maintenance out maintenance. They keep a stock of some spare parts and the tools needed for repairs in A complete costing study of the Livulezi Project store rooms next to their houses. has been done recently. All overheads were Each waterpoint in a village has a pump considered even at headquarters level in committee with one person from the committee Lilongwe for this study. h revealed that the selected as the pump caretaker. These average cost of maintenance of a pump in the committees consist largely of women and most Livulezi project is about K 40.00 per year (for all caretakers are women. The pump caretaker's 10 types of handpumps; some - such as the main responsibility is to carry out the preventive Malawi pump and the India MK II pump - have maintenance requirements for the pumps in the lower costs than this). The cost breakdown is village, such as weekly checking for loose nuts given below: and bolts on the pump. Where Malawi pumps are installed, the caretaker is provided with two Annual cost Annual cost "universal" spanners to carry out preventive per pump per person maintenance. The maintenance assistant signs (Kwacha) (Kwacha) the pump caretaker's diary every month after Direct costs inspecting the pump.The functions of the pump Spare parts 4.8 0.02 committee are: Maintenance staff 7.9 0.03 1. Keeping the pump surrounding clean. 2. Ensuring correct operation of the pump. Subtotal 12.7 0.05 3. Reporting of pump breakdowns to the mainte­ nance assistant. Indirect costs 4. Organising community support for repairs on Share of overhead staff 17.3 0.07 pumps. Transport 10.6 0.05 When a pump breaks down, the caretaker or a member of the pump committee informs the Subtotal 27.9 0.12 maintenance assistant responsible for that area by sending a message with a villager. The Total 40.6 0.17 34  Thus the total costs per family of 6 is K1 per Lilongwe. On these trips, he carries the spares year, and the spare parts cost is only K 0.12 per required for maintenance to the project if they are family per year. available in Water Department stores. This supply was not regular during a period of 7 4. Discussion months where there was no UNV involved in the project. During this period the maintenance Since the Livulezi Project is the testing ground assistants continued to carry out their tasks for the Handpump Testing Project, several dif­ efficiently, but no spares were delivered and the ferent types of handpumps are installed for situation quickly became critical. testing, some of which are very difficult to A further important constraint is a lack of career maintain. If one or two standard and easy-to­ structure for the maintenance assistants, who maintain pumps were installed in the project, are currently employed and paid as unclassified maintenance would be even easier. Then we wor1<men. There is therefore a risk of losing these could certainly expect a more effective system very skilled people, due to their low salaries, than the present. with even lower downtime and limited associated benefits and poor career thus a lower percentage of pumps broken down at prospects. anyone time, and also logistical problems would H pumps were standardised, locally manu­ be reduced because fewer types of spare parts factured, maintained by villagers themselves and would be needed for repairs and it would be easy spare parts distributed through retail shops, to maintain stocks. many of these constraints could clearly be re­ A time and motion study was carried out to duced. analyse the time involvement of each maintenance assistant on repairs. The average 6. car.:ar1sanc1 tts mahenarmsystem In utilisation of time by each maintenance assistant I.JvUezI with tts c:artrallsed I'IIlIcmI on repairs. including time spent travelling on a malrtenara system bicycle, is 18% of the available wor1<ing time. Each maintenance assistant could therefore There are about 8,500 water-points in the Na­ theoretically look after more than 100 pumps. If tional Programme equipped with deep-lift and one maintenance assistant was looking after all shallow-lift pumps. These would provide almost 2 the 200 pumps in the project his utilisation of time million people with water supplies, if all pumps on repairs should only be 27 % of the available were operational. Most of the boreholes are fitted time. with Climax and National pumps, which are heavy However, the travelling distances for a bi­ and difficult to maintain. There are 24 cycle becomes a constraint on further expansion maintenance teams strategically located across of the maintenance assistants responsibilities, the country, each equipped with a 5 ton truck with unless a large number of pumps occur in a a winch. Once a pump is broken down, the village relatively small area. This relatively low utilisation fills in a small card with details of the water point of time on actual repairs also implies that there and sends it to the District Commissioner'S would be time available for other activities such Office. The card is collected by the district as committee monitoring and training, and health maintenance team. education. The following figures give some indication of the differences between the centralised maintenance 5. Constraints system and the decentralised system on trial in the livulezi Project. One extremely important condition for the maintenance system to function properly is National timely supply of spare parts to the maintenance Livulezi Programme assistants. For this, spares should be readily available off the sheH from suppliers and they Percent of pumps should be distributed in good time. As an ex­ wor1<ing at anyone time 90-95 55-65 ample, there have been occasions where the ball Response time 1-2 weeks 2-3 months bearings needed for the Malawi pump were not Cost of maintenance available in Malawi. (per pump.year) 40.00K 300.00K Supply of spare parts (not only for pumps, but also for the maintenance assistants' bicy­ It is clear that the potential effectiveness of a cles) has been regular during the periods when an decentralised national maintenance system UN Volunteer (UNV) has been involved in the could be an order of magnitude greater than the testing programme. This is because the UNV is current centralised system. travelling down to the project once a month from 35  ANNEX 5 Handpump field trials in the Livulezi Project 1. The Field Trials groundwater for rural domestic supplies; to introduce the self-help concept into the 1.1 OBJECTIVES & JUSTIFICATlON borehole drilling programme; • to involve the community in handpump It is estimated that more than 2,000 million people maintenance. in the developing countries lack adequate The project was designed and implemented supplies of safe water and adequate sanitation by the Groundwater Section of the Department of facilities. The goals of the United Nations Lands, Valuation and Water (now the Water International Drinking Water Supply and Department), and was financed by DANIDA and Sanitation Decade include the provision of UNICEF. The pilot phase was completed in 1981 sanitation facilities and reasonable access to and the main construction phase was carried out safe drinking water to as many people as in 1982 and 1983. Detailed monitoring of possible in developing countries. The technical and financial aspects of the water UNDPlWorid Bank Handpumps Project is part of supplies and the handpumps in particular has the UN effort to achieve these goals. been underway from late 1982 to the present. In the past, there have been serious problems with the poor performance and short 1.3 METHODOLOGY working life of most handpumps used for community water supply. Some of these The field testing of handpumps and related problems are associated with handpump design, activities are taking place in 17 countries in selection and quality of manufacture. Others are Western Africa, Eastern Africa, South Asia, East rooted in the organization of handpump Asia and Pacific. and Latin America and the installation and maintenance programmes. Until Caribbean. This is done in collaboration with recently, data on evaluating and improving national and international institutions in each handpump performance, including the non­ country. In each country a Country Monitoring technological factors which influence it, were Engineer, who is usually a United Nations Volun­ sparse and inconclusive. likewise, there was teer. is assigned to monitor the field trials. The also a lack of reliable data on the comparative CME observes. advises, and reports on the performance of various handpumps. installation. operation and maintenance of all In response to the above problems, the project pumps in his area, for which standard UNDP and the World Bank undertook a project to monitoring forms have been developed. monitor social, technical and financial aspects of handpumps and to foster the technological Type of Monitoring Source of Compiled by development of handpumps, in order to improve Forms Information Whom the reliability and reduce the cost of rural water supplies from wells equipped with handpumps. 1. WeHandpump Office Monitor characteristics 1.2 THE LlVULEZI PROJECT (summary file) 2. Repair and main- On site or The Malawi Government is collaborating with the tenance report Workshop Monitor UNDPIWB Project in a testing programme which (repair file) is being carried out in the Upper livulezi 3. Site inspection On site Monitor Groundwater Project in Malawi. The livulezi report Project is situated in Ntcheu District, about 130 4. Village caretaker Village Village km south of Lilongwe, and covers an area of diary Caretaker about 185 sq km. 5. Maintenance On site Project The overall aim of the project is to supply assistant's diary mainten­ clean, potable water to an estimated 1990 ance population of 60,000 people. The objectives of assistant the project were: 6. Social and Village Anthropo­ to implement an integrated system of cultural factors Iogist providing dug well protection and borehole or monitor rehabilitation together with the construction 7. Maintenance cost Office Monitor of low cost boreholes and dug wells in the data Upper Livulezi Valley; • to optimise the utilization of ground water resources; • to provide minimum-cost development of 36 2. Evaluation of Pumps above failure is the sealed pump rod filling with water. This makes the pump extremely heavy to SHALLOW WELL PUMPS operate. Generally the pump has very good design features to simplify maintenance, but it Perhaps 50 % of handpumps required in Malawi appears that poor quality control has led to the will lift water from less than 8 m. These shallow pump being unreliable. heads allow the use of very simple direct-action Ease of installation and repair: Easy pump to handpumps. An underlying principle of a direct­ install and repair at village level. action pump is that no lever or other force­ User acceptance: In the initial stage after reducing mechanism is used due to the pump's installation, users like the pump because of its shallow application. The absence of a lever lightness in operation (due to its buoyant pump eliminates any wear related to bearings in a rod) and high delivery. As the pump becomes fulcrum and the direct-lift action greatly simplifies heavy to operate (when pump rods are filled with manufacture. A further advantage is that high water), users dislike the pump, and this dislike is plunger speeds are achieved, which allow the use intensified by frequent breakdowns. of plungers without seals. Costs: The pump and all spare parts could be locally manufactured fairly cheaply (less than the 2.1 MK VSHALLOW WELL HANDPUMP MKV). The introduction of a simple, cheap and easily 2.3 MADZI (BLAIR) HANDPUMP assembled handpump was a focal part of the Community Protected-Wells Programme, which This direct-adion pump was designed by the Blair started in 1975. Since that time six "Marks" have Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Health in been developed each being an improvement on Zimbabwe and is now manufactured in modified the earlier version. The Mark V is a direct-action form by Pipe Extruders Ltd in Malawi. Five pumps handpump. Over 3,000 MK V pumps have been are installed on boreholes with pumping heads to manufactured in the Water Department Workshop 10m and five pumps on shallow wells with since July 1980. pumping heads to Sm. Reliability: The most common breakdown Reliability: Failures with this pump are with this pump is breakage of the PVC pump rod breakage of both the inner PVC rising main pipe at its connection to the handle. This is a solvent­ and the outer PVC casing pipe at their threaded cemented joint and the pump rod fails at a weak connections to steel adapter unions. This failure point on its collar. Due to this weak point, the has been more common in deep settings than in intervention rate (repair rate) is high with the MK shallow settings. V pump compared with similar dug well pumps. Ease of installation and repair: Easy to Ease of installation and repair: Installation of install. With a certain amount of training it is the pump is fairly easy. One disadvantage of the possible to repair and maintain at village level. pump is that the footvalve or the plunger have to User acceptance: This pump is not very be replaced frequently for minor faults. popular among users for the following reasons: Replacement is not simple since rising main pipe <a) low delivery. and pump rod have to be cut and jointed each (b) messy (their feet and clothes get wet and time. This pump needs a lot of improvement to pumped water can get polluted if users hands are make it reliable and easy to maintain. dirty). User acceptance: This pump has a high (c) only specific containers can be used for delivery rate and therefore users like the pump. collecting water (narrow high containers are diffi­ But they commonly have little faith in the pump cult to use). due to its frequent breakdowns. Costs: The Madzi pump is similar in cost to Costs: Generally spare parts are cheap and the MK V pump above. easily obtainable. Present cost of the pump is around 1<250.00 for a 6m-deep installation. 2.4 NIRA AF85 HANDPUMP 22 TARA HANDPUMP Nine Nira AF85 direct-action pumps, manufac­ tured in Finland, of two cylinder sizes (63 mm dia Six Tara direct-action pumps made in and 75 mm dial have been tested since February Bangladesh, were installed in AugustlSeptember 1986. Pumping heads range from 2-10m. 1985 on dug wells, with a pumping head ranging Reliability: Only one case of breakdown has from 2to 4m. been reported to date. The handle became Reliability: The common failure with the Tara unscrewed from the pump rod, probably caused pump is disconnection between pump rod and by children rotating the handle anticlockwise. handle, as in the Mark V pump. The pump rod is Reliability of the pump is very high because of connected to the handle by screw threads and good quality material and strict quality control in this failure occurs due to wearing out of the manufacturing. female threads on the handle. Another common Ease of installation and repair: Easy to problem with the pump which contributes to the install and repair at village level. 37  User acceptance: Users are happy with the at Lilongwe Mechanical Development Ltd without pump because of its high delivery rate and its any jigs and fixtures. Many problems were reliability. encountered due to assembly faults in these pre­ Costs: The pump is very expensive production pumps. Between April and June 1982. (approximately K700 for a 10m setting). 22 of these pumps were installed in the Livulezi Project. In the meantime, drawings were prepared 2.5WAVINPUMP for a full scale production run and a full range of jigs and fixtures were built for pumphead as­ One Wavin Pump, manufactured in the sembly and quality control. Seventy- seven of Netherlands was installed in March 1986 and two these production units. with greatly improved others in August 1986. All three pumps are quality. were installed in the Livulezi Project installed on shallow dug wells with a maximum between August 1982 and November 1983. Pre­ pumping head of 4m. production pumps (prototypes) have had a Reliability: A breakdown was recorded on the greater number of interventions than production first pump in early October 1985. The failure was units. Bearing failures in the prototype pumps at the PVC threads in the pump rod to handle have been greater in number than in the pro­ connection. duction pumps. This clearly shows the benefits of Ease of installation and repair: Once the mild good quality control in the production units. steel socket is set into concrete, properly Reliability: With 99 Malawi pumps in the field installing the pump is easy. Repairs on the pump trials. extensive performance data has been are simple. collected. The most common failures have been User acceptance: Users are happy with the hanger bearings, fulcrum bearings and seals. pump because of its high delivery and good Plunger (piston) failures were generally a result of reliability. disconnections, and foot valve failures were a Costs: No information has been received consequence of severe leakage due to regarding costs as the pumps are prototypes. embedded foreign matter. With approximately 1.5-2 years between breakdowns. the reliability 2.6PEKPUMP of the Malawi pump is high. Ease of installation and repair: Although Two PEK direct-action pumps, manufactured in originally designed to use plastic rising mains and Canada, have been monitored since August and extractable plunger and footvalve. production November 1985. Pumping heads are about Sm designs of these components are only now being and 2m respectively. finalised. In the interim. down-hole components Reliability: The pump with a deeper setting of for the Malawi pump comprise 50mm galvanized 10m installed on a borehole has given two mild steel rising main pipes. 1Smm mild steel breakdowns since it was installed in November pump rods and 2.5" dia or 3" dia brass piston, 1985. In the first instance it was pump rod to cylinder and footvalve. Since these components handle disconnection at the joint and on the are heavy to handle, installation and repair of the second occasion was breakage of the spring in Malawi pump is a difficult and skilled job. the foot valve. The pump with the shallow setting However. the few Malawi pumps with prototype has had no breakdown so far. extractable down-hole components are very Ease of installation and repair: Easy to simple to repair and have set targets for the install. Repairing the footvalve may be development of a standard VLOM Malawi pump. complicated at village level. This development work is almost complete and is User acceptance: Since the delivery is low, described below. the pump is not very popular. User acceptance: Because of its high delivery and reliability users like the pump. BOREHOLE HANDPUMPS 2.8 INDIA MK " HANDPUMP Borehole pumps, which can be used to pumping heads of SOm or more, generally use levers or India MK 1\ pumps. manufactured in very large other force- reducing mechanisms. Until recently, numbers in India, have had few interventions most borehole pumps have been expensive. compared to other borehole handpumps. Out of complex and difficult to maintain. In the last few the few interventions on the India MK II pumps years, a new generation of Village Level during the period of four years monitoring, most Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) interventions are on down-hole components. This handpumps have been the subject of intensive clearly shows the good quality control on the development and testing. pumphead. However, this need for a high level of quality control reduces the potential for local 2.7 MALAWI HANDPUMP manufacture of the India MK II pump in Malawi. The reliability of the India MK II pump has been Development of the Malawi pump, an early VLOM very high indeed. design, started in 1981 in Malawi. In January Standard down-hole components for the 1982. a pre-production run of 25 pumps was built India MK II pump are 32mm diameter galvanised 38 rising-main pipes, 12mm mild steel pump rods and relatively simple to manufacture in medium­ 63mm 10 brass cylinder. Handling these sized well-managed work-shops in East components in installation or repair is a difficult Africa, requiring straightforward production and skilled job, with very limited potential for engineering and minimal quality control. community involvement. Designs make maximum use of stock size Reliability: The India MK II pump has been materials. to minimize the amount of very reliable. machining required; User acceptance: Users are happy with the pump, mainly because of its reliability. designed so that scheduled servicing should result in the virtual elimination of breakdowns 2.9 CONSALLEN HANDPUMP and that such servicing involves only routine and simple replacement of easily accessible The Consallen pump has had a very high number low-cost wearing parts, such as bearings. of interventions compared with the Malawi pump seals and valves; and the India MK II pump. The main failure has been the breakage of the rising main at the suitable for use in aggressive groundwaters threaded joints. Due to this frequent failure, the through the use of corrosion-resistant Consallen pump has become unpopular among materials below ground, and capable of the users. Standard Consallen down-hole com­ resisting sand abrasion through proven seal ponents are 32mm dia ABS rising main, 9.5mm and cylinder-wall combinations and intake stainless steel pump rods and 50mm 10 stainless configurations; steel cylinder. Although the cylinder valves are not extractable, all these components are very designed to minimize forces. allowing the use light compared with the conventional down-hole of lighter components which can incorporate components described above. For installation or a larger design safety factor. This can repair, less skill is needed than for the India MK II improve fatigue life for relatively highly pump or the standard Malawi pump. stressed components, such as pump rods Reliability: Unreliable. with frequent break­ and rising mains; downs. User acceptance: Users dislike the pump low cost. so that user communities can mainly because of its unreliability and low generally afford to purchase the pump delivery. (perhaps with credit) and can always afford to maintain it. Target figures are: US$400 for 3. Pump Design and Development a complete pump set at 25m depth. with full recurrent costs of less than US$30 per year. As a consequence of problems recognised with pumps in the field trials in Malawi and elsewhere. The new generation Malawi pump (known as much attention has been given to technological the Afridev pump by the Handpump Project, the development of handpumps for rural water Nyayo Pump in Kenya and the Ibex Pump in supplies. In East Africa, this development have Ethiopia) is the result of this development work taken place over 5 years. with the objectives that and is now ready for full scale production. During pumps should be: 1987. full production will be established in Kenya. hopefully including the injection moulding of modular in design, so that the same cylinder. bearings and cylinder valves and the full rising mains and standard wearing perts can assembly of cylinders suitable for pumping heads be used for direct action pumps to 15m and to 60m. deepwell pumps to 50m; With these pumps it should be possible for communities to manage their own boreholes and as simple as possible to install and maintain shallow wells. following training by and with with minimal tools, skills and effort. including extension support from government. Further an extractable piston and footvalve; details of the pump are given in Annex 8. 39  ANNEX 6 Handpump maintenance systems PJ Chilton Introduction removed and serviced, it is likely that someone in the user community can repair the pump. In the Experience has shown that the use of past, relatively sophisticated skills and handpumps in rural water supplies has often met equipment have been required to repair nearly all with serious problems of inadequate design, poor types of deep lift pumps, including those used in quality of manufacture, lack of durability, poor the national borehole programme in Malawi. As a maintenance practice and over-extended reSUlt, a centralised maintenance system has administrative organisation. Failure rates of over grown up in Malawi and has been the most 50 % within two years of installation have been common in Africa. reported. The problems are on a world-wide scale While a maintenance system is partly and have been encountered to a greater or lesser defined by who repairs the pumps - village degree in all countries where handpumps are repairer, area mechanic or central maintenance used on a large scale. team - it is perhaps more fundamentally The financial burden on the governments of determined by its management structure. developing countries from the maintenance costs Management can be the responsibility of a of handpumps is rapidly increasing in those central authority or the community, or shared countries where rural water supplies are between the two. considered to be a free social service. In recent years and in many countries, those responsible Central management for planning, funding and implementing rural water supplies are concluding that at least the direct A maintenance system based on central costs of maintenance must be born by the management usually consists of a public sector beneficiaries, otherwise handpumps could be go­ organisation with mobile maintenance teams, ing out of service almost at the same rate as they based at district offices, which respond to are being installed. It is worth noting that where breakdowns reported by user communities. In a communities themselves are able to carry out few cases, repairs are also made according to a maintenance, these direct costs can be regular schedule, but experience has shown that extremely low, and affordable even to the poorest timely routine preventive maintenance is very communities. People prefer to pay for difficult to achieve with mobile teams. One of the handpumps that work, rather than not to pay for major disadvantages of a centralised handpumps that do not work. maintenance system is that, even if it is run There are probably no fixed rules to effectively, the transport costs are inevitably determine whether a government or community­ high. The present national borehole maintenance based maintenance system, or some balance system in Malawi is exactly summarised by the between the two is the right choice. The exact first sentence of this paragraph. The main details of the design of a maintenance system will features of the existing system and the major be specific to a country, and will depend on many problems which it has are described in a separate technical, social, financial and administrative paper and are not repeated here. considerations. The aim of this summary paper is to identify some of these considerations, to Community management present a number of options for the design of maintenance systems, and to illustrate these In recent years, the shortcomings of centralised briefly by a number of examples from other maintenance have been generally recognised, as countries. has the importance of community ownership and community responsibility for handpump Maintenance systems maintenance. As a result, the demand for handpumps which can be maintained by village The type of maintenance system that is viable in repairers has increased greatly. a given situation depends to a large degree on From experience with maintenance systems the level of skill that is needed to repair the pump throughout the world, it is becoming clear that and the ease of removing its down-hole most successful programmes have in common components. If specialised tools and lifting the achievement of maximum community equipment are required, a central maintenance involvement in the maintenance of handpumps team or a well trained and well equipped area and minimum dependence on central government mechanic will be required. " repairs are simple to support. Experience has also shown that this make and down-hole components can be easily must be preceded by the maximum possible 40 community involvement in all stages of planning the responsibilities of each are allocated in and implementing handpump projects, so that a considerable detail and should be discussed, strong feeling of community ownership of and understood and agreed upon before the responsibility for the pump is established from handpump is installed. There are thus two, more the outset. With completely village-based or less equal, partners to the maintenance maintenance, full responsibility and authority for system, and difficulties with either may lead the carrying out maintenance rests with the user system to fail. For example a major potential community. In such a system, the community disadvantage of the shared system is that policy collects money, enters it into a maintenance changes or budgeting restrictions in the central fund, and draws on the account to purchase authority can seriously interfere with mainte­ spare parts and perhaps to pay local repairers to nance. maintain the pump. In the ideal case, spare parts In addition to who makes the repairs and the are readily available and widely distributed on the management structure, several other factors local market. interact to define a maintenance system. These Community management need not include whether repairers are employed in the necessarily mean that the actual repairs have to public or private sector and how payment is be carried out by the user community. The made. Many combinations of repairer, community could hire the services of a management structure and payment mechanism specialised handpump mechanic. This system are possible. By selecting one item from each of reduces somewhat the overriding desire for the four columns in Table 1, a maintenance simplicity, as the pump repairer would be structure can be defined. Most combinations are expected to carry a basic tool kit and be trained possible, but some are more typical than others. to make nearly all types of repairs. However, the Also, various combinations of repairer are simpler the pump and the easier its down-hole possible in a tiered system of maintenance. The components are to remove, the more likely it is approaches to maintenance in the national pro­ that a local mechanic will be able to successfully gramme and in the Livulezi Project are indicated maintain the pump. However, there may be times on Table 1. when even a simple pump cannot be repaired by the community. The rising main may need to be Table 1. Possible Options for replaced, or down-hole components may be Maintenance Community accidentally dropped into the borehole, a borehole may have to be redeveloped or a well deepened. In such cases, the community is likely Management Repairer Employment Payment to need the assistance of an area mechanic or structure sector mechanism central maintenance team, and so a maintenance system in which responsibility is shared between Cantrall Financed by1,2 Cantrall Public1.2 the community and central authority may be the Ban central most effective. authority Shared management SIlar'J Area2 Private Community mechanic signs main­ tenance Increasingly the responsibility for carrying out contract and financing maintenance is being shared between the community and an outside agency, Community ViIIa$18 Community repairer pays user usually the government but sometimes a non­ fee or water government organisation. Shared management rate to typically involves village repairers within a central community undertaking preventive maintenance authority. and perhaps simple repairs. Major repairs are Community then the responsibility of the external agency, pays for often area mechanics equipped with tools and a services bicycle and paid by the agency, who may also be rendered and/or responsible for provision and distribution of spare spares on ad parts. In some cases charges or contributions hoc basis are collected from the users to help pay part of the cost of maintenance. The objective of current handpump development work, with the Afridev 1. Incicates national borehole maintenance programme pump for example, is to increase greatly the 2. Indicates Uvulezi Project proportion of maintenance and repair tasks that can be regularly and successfully carried out at Once a policy decision has been made to village level. minimise government involvement in The proper functioning of a shared system maintenance and to require user communities to will depend on both the user community and the pay for maintenance, what remains to be decided central government agency. It is essential that is whether repairs will be made by area 41 mechanics or village repairers, and whether the maintain as possible. community pays for services rendered or enters In discussion of handpump water supplies, into a maintenance agreement with a repairer. people often refer to the pump being reliable. These issues are discussed in a separate paper. Strictly defined, the reliability of a water supply is However, there are a number of other factors the length of time that it operates between major which can be considered requirements for or repairs. A reliable handpump may be well de­ constraints on community participation in the signed and very robust, and operate for a maintenance of handpumps. The fir s t relatively long period of time, but when it breaks requirement is community participation in down (and all pumps do), it may be difficult and planning and implementing the handpump project. expensive to repair. The pump may be out of For even a minimal degree of community operation for weeks if the parts required for repair participation in hand pump maintenance, the are sophisticated and expensive and the skills community attitude to and interest in safe and equipment needed are very specialised. In drinking water is a decisive factor. " a well or contrast, a handpump which requires more borehole and handpump are provided without frequent but very simple maintenance may be out adequate introduction and discussion, and of action for only a day or two at anyone time. without community participation in construction, This latter supply is said to have a high level of then the improved water supply will be seen as availability. Availability defines the total amount something provided by government without the of time that a supply is operating in any given village having requested it or having been period, and ensuring the maximum availability of consulted. In such a situation, the community will the supply must be a prime objective of the expect the government to maintain the pump as maintenance system. well as providing it. The community's attitude to the pump and their desire to maintain it are also dependent on Reliability their perception of the benefits from the pump. Awareness of the importance of safe drinking water should not be expected to exist at village level. Health education is therefore a vitally Availability I I Operating Notoperatil important component right from the very early stages of a handpump project. In addition, it is I . important for the pumps to be sufficiently reliable that they operate for long enough for the One approach to improving availability is the community to get accustomed to the improved concept of scheduled maintenance. "the main supply and actually to experience the benefits wearing components of the hand pump, for from it. example the fulcrum and hanger bushes, the A further important factor which has an piston seal and the plunger and footvalve seals influence on the design of a maintenance system can be made locally and very cheaply as well as is the distribution of population (and hence the being easy to replace, then it is possible that distribution of handpumps). In the Livu lezi replacement of these at each pump on a regular, Project anc! in other integrated project areas in (e.g. annual), basis may ensure the highest Malawi, population densities are in the range of possible level of availability of the water supply. 100 to 250 persons per square kilometre, and In conclusion, it could be said that, if rural villages are strongly nucleated and often of communities: considerable size. In this situation, a mainten­ • need and want an improved water supply; ance system incorporating village caretakers and • can afford to pay for its maintenance; project maintenance assistants with bicycles can • can acquire the skills to maintain it (or can be established, and 80 to 100 handpumps are locate and pay someone from nearby) likely to be within bicycle range. In contrast, the • can obtain the spare parts to repair it ; drier parts of southern Zambia, for example, have • can acquire the organisational skills to a population density 10 to 15 times smaller, and manage it; villages are often more than 1Okm apart. In that then the potential for sustain ability is as high situation, there can be no place for a mainten­ as it can ever be. ance assistant or area mechanic on a bicycle. Community management still leaves a major With such widely dispersed handpumps, the cost role for the government, in planning and pro­ of a central government mobile team would be moting water supply development, in extension very high. The only effective solution in this support and training of communities and in situation is a repair capability in each village ensuring local manufacture and quality control of (which might have several pumps), emphasising appropriate handpumps. the need for a handpump which is as easy to 42  ANNEX 7 Examples of handpump maintenance systems Summary notes from case studies Introduction The system was modified in the following way. Government would continue to purchase all The following notes on a number of case studies spare parts, store them centrally and distribute are intended to illustrate some of the options for them to its stores at sub-divisional level. Gov­ establishing a maintenance system, which have ernment would establish a further level of local already been described. They are from a wide stores at thana level with a sub-assistant engi­ range of countries, some of which may have neer supervising a group of government-em­ physical, social and economic conditions very ployed maintenance men. At the next lowest different to Malawi. They should, therefore, be level, each district would appoint a maintenance taken as examples to promote discussion, rather man, paid by the district and responsible for all than statements of the type of maintenance sys­ pumps in the district. The cost of the spare parts tem that should or should not be established in required in the district would be paid from the Malawi. district budget, and recovered by local taxation or by directly charging for spare parts. Bangladesh The district maintenance man would maintain and repair the pumps in his district, drawing any Previously in Bangladesh, a government-organ­ necessary spare parts from the thana stores. ised handpump maintenance system had been Each handpump has a caretaker with some established. Government purchased spare parts training in proper use of the pump and health ed­ and distributed them from a central store to dis­ ucation. He also keeps the area around the pump trict and sub-divisional level. At the next lower clean, carries out minor routine maintenance, level, the thana, maintenance mechanics were keeps a record of visits by the district mainte­ employed by government and each had respon­ nance man and reports breakdowns. sibility for 200 handpumps. They obtained spare parts from the sub-divisional stores and bicycled India to the villages to repair the pumps. There was no contribution by the community towards the cost Previously in India the government used to con­ of spare parts. struct wells and install handpumps without mak­ The mechanics were, in theory, responsible ing any formal provisions for maintenance and for routine preventive maintenance, but in prac­ repair of the pumps. An advantage of this ap­ tice they were only able to respond to break­ proach was that the government was able to downs as the pump was one which required fre­ standardize on a suitable handpump and ensure quent maintenance. Nevertheless, the system satisfactory completion of the well. A great dis­ was reasonably successful. Several evaluations advantage was that the government did not have showed that 65-75% of pumps were working at an opportunity to promote health education anyone time, a relatively good service level through an established pump maintenance net­ compared to the performance rates in some other work. Pump maintenance was left to the local countries. and at a relatively low unit cost. Con­ communities, but without any provision for the tributing factors to this success were the fact supply of spare parts or for training. As a result, that the pump was a shallow lift pump and a high as many as 80% of the handpumps were not level of standardisation was possible, the com­ operating two years after installation. munities were highly motivated towards hand­ Considerable efforts, supported by UNICEF, pump supplies, and the maintenance was were made to develop a better handpump, which relatively well organised and supervised. resulted in the India Mark II. and to provide for its However, with 25-35% of handpumps out of maintenance. The "three-tier" system was first order at anyone time, this failure rate was con­ developed in Tamil Nadu. sidered to be too high. Moreover, Bangladesh is At village level, a responsible person living one of the countries with the greatest number of near the pump is chosen with the consent of the handpumps, probably 800,000 by now and the village. He or she is given a two-day course on total expenditure for a completely government­ the importance of safe drinking water supply, the financed maintenance system would amount to mechanism of the pump and the failures that several million US dollars, even at the relatively might occur. The caretaker is trained to attend to low annual unit cost of 5 to 10 US dollars. It was minor repairs and is supplied with basic tools and therefore decided to transfer at least part of the pre-stamped postcards to report breakdowns and cost of handpump maintenance from the govern­ indicate the repair required, which are sent one ment to the user communities. each to the block-level fitter and the district 43 mobile team. per year or approximately 0.25 US dollar per At sub-district or block level, a fitter is person. appointed for every 100 pumps, under the (1 US dollar - K 2 approx). administrative control of the Block Development Officer and the technical supervision of the Dis­ Although these costs and the dollar trict Engineer. When a request is received from a conversion may be out of date. the percentages caretaker, the fitter goes to the village and are useful. The actual cost of the spare parts is attends to the repair. In the case of major repairs, only 4% of the total. Labour. vehicle costs and the district-level team goes to the village upon overheads make up the bulk of the costs, as they receipt of the request. do in the national maintenance system in Malawi. It was intended that each district mobile Within this system, getting the community to pay team would cover 1,000 handpumps, but experi­ for spare parts would have little impact on the ence has shown that they can only effectively overall costs to government. It is an easily main­ cover 500. The costs of maintenance, including tained pump and a change in the whole the block-level fitters and the district teams and maintenance structure which is required. all spare parts are borne by the government. Experience with this system in Thailand has Much of the actual burden of carrying out mainte­ shown it to be not very effective. Therefore the nance and all of the costs falls on the gov­ Public Health Department is adopting a modified ernment. The India Mark II handpump on which system with village health volunteers trained in the programme was based (and which is install~ routine maintenance such as lubrication and in the Livulezi Project) is a very strong and reh­ changing worn parts. Technicians of the able handpump, but not one for which much of the Provincial Public Health Unit, with vehicles and all maintenance could be done by village care­ necessary equipment are able to undertake major takers. More recently the pump has become the repairs on request. subject of extensive modification, partly spon­ sored by the UNDP,wB Handpump Project, to al­ Ghana low a greater level of simple maintenance. In the Upper Region of Ghana, a regional Thailand handpump maintenance system was set up between 1974 and 1978 for the 2,400 handpumps The main approach to handpump maintenance in in the area. The system was operated from five Thailand has been for water supply agencies to district centres and maintenance was carried out have their own maintenance units. These have as two separate activities: mobile teams equipped with a medium-sized truck a) inspection and minor repairs every 2 or 3 and repair eqUipment and each team is respon­ months; and sible for maintaining 250 pumps. Each month b) complete pump servicing on an -as they service about 125 pumps, so in two months required- basis. nearly all pumps should be covered. Supervisors The system had 250 field and workshop check whether the scheduled maintenance visits staff, vehicles and motorcycles for the routine are properly carried out and make random inspections. Each mechanic with a motorcycle inspection visits to pumps. would visit 50-110 handpumps each month and The costs of the mobile units are met by the report major repair requirements to the mobile government and are as follows: team, which had a one-ton truck with winch to remove the pumphead and down hole Cost of mobile maintenance team components. The Regional Stores procured (responsible for 250 pumps) equipment, vehicle parts and handpump spares and distributed them to the districts. The system Itsm Annual cost was thus very similar to the national borehole (baht) (per csnt) maintenance system in Malawi. Experience of operation of the system Spares for vehicles 7200 3.1 revealed a number of major problems. The In­ Fuel 30000 13.2 spections by motorcycle-mounted mechanics Repairs 6000 2.6 were able to cover about 80% of the handpumps Transportation 360 0.6 on a regular basis, but the motorcycles Personnel (3) 54000 23.7 themselves were out of operation for almost 50% Travel allowance 60000 26.3 of the time. Their useful life proved to be only 1 to Handpump spares 9200 4.0 2 years. The trucks were out of operation due to Depreciation of vehicles 20000 8.8 breakdowns for about 40% of the time, and the OVerheads (20 %) .3lUlQQ 1U estimated service life of the vehicles was 3 to 4 228000· 100.0 years. The operating costs were therefore very high, but, as the hand pump maintenance units • Equivalent to 14250 US dollars. were an integral part of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation, it was difficult to assess Maintenance cost per handpump 57 US dollars precisely the operating costs. 44  A survey was carried out at the end of the dollars per year. The Vergnet is thus an ex­ third yeafs operation to assess the performance pensive pump to maintain. of the maintenance system. Some 83% of the handpumps were found to be in operation. Of the Burkina Faso pumps which were out of service, about 11 % had problems with the above ground components By 1985, the government was responsible for which the motorcycle inspector was able to about 10,000 handpumps. The past record of repair, and the remaining 89% needed the service maintenance had been very poor. A centralised trucks to lift the below ground components. Of government system, with all maintenance teams the operating pumps: operating from the capital, was unable to reach many of the pumps, and spare parts were often 63 % were in good condition unavailable. There was no provision for training of 28 % were in fair condition caretakers at village level, and the required fi­ 5 % were in poor condition nancial resources for maintenance were more 4 % were in very poor condition. than double the annual budget of the whole of the Water Department. Togo An improved maintenance system is being set up, with regional offices to carry out major The need to maintain properly the hundreds of repairs and support village-level routine mainten­ handpumps installed in the country led the ance. A spare-part distribution system is to be government to organise a two-tier, decentralised set up, with a new revolving fund at each district maintenance system. At the district level, a to meet the costs of maintenance. Trained local mobile maintenance unit of the regional sub­ artisans will be paid by the villagers to carry out division of the National Water Agency pays simple repairs, and a pump attendant will be ap­ regular maintenance and repair visits to each pointed by the village water committee to carry hand pump. At the village level, unpaid village out preventive maintenance. The village water caretakers are selected by the village and trained committee will be responsible for collecting the to repair the above ground components of the money to pay for pump maintenance and repair Vergnet handpump. They also carry out routine by the district team. maintenance, clean the well surrounds and report Economic feasibility studies have concluded breakdowns. An instruction manual and tools that it is within the villagers' means to pay for were provided. handpump maintenance. by collecting 4 US An existing commercial chain of department dollars per year from each of an average of 50 stores with its sales points widely distributed in families using each handpump. This amount the country agreed to stock the spare parts. In would cover the fees of the local artisan and the the first year of the project, all spare parts were cost of spare parts and probably the cost of guaranteed by the pump manufacturer, and after repairs by the district team, but depending on the the first year the villagers were expected to buy type of pump in use. the spares commercially. The costs of setting up Two possibilities for handling the revenue the maintenance system were subsidised by the were suggested. In one, 75% of the revenue European Development Fund until 1984. would be used to pay the local artisan and for the The early experience with this system spare parts and repairs done by the district team, showed that the trained villagers, who were often and 25% would be paid to the Water Department bicycle repair men, were quite capable of headquarters to cover overhead costs. The replacing pump parts and connecting rods. second possibility under consideration is that the However, the resuhs of the health education were village committee would simply pass on the disappointing, and showed that much more time money to the regional office, which would itseH in was needed for this than the mechanics were turn pay the bills presented by both the pump able to provide. attendants and district teams. At the time of In the first year of operation, 1980-81 the writing (1984) it was not clear which was going to costs were as follows: be used, but both are likely to face major administrative and accounting problems. A Staff 30% further, major, technical problem is that of the Transport 65 % handpumps presently employed ( ABI, India Mark Materials 5% II) are not very suitable for village level (not pump spares) maintenance. About 50-60% of the total transport costs Note were for fuel. The maintenance costs per The above notes have been summarised from handpump were estimated at 147 US dollars, Practical Handpump Maintenance Systems by excluding spare parts. The cost of spares was 90 E.H. Hofkes, IRC, 1984. US dollars per year, giving a total of 237 US 45  ANNEX 8 Community participation in maintenance of piped water projects WRG Mandowa 1.0 Introduction Main Committee, the Repair Team, the Tap Com­ mittee and the Water Department Monitoring There are now over 1 million people in Malawi's staff. In addition to these four institutions, men­ rural areas who are served by about 8,000 village tion should be made of the important role played taps which they themselves have installed by by the caretaker. This refers to the person laying 5,000km of piping. Community participa­ appointed by the community to take care of the tion in rural piped water projects starts in the project intake. early stages of project conception. In order for one to appreciate the structure that has emerged 3.1 THE MAIN COMMI7TEE for the maintenance of completed projects, it is important to understand the role the community The Main Committee is perhaps the most import­ plays during construction and the organisational ant local institution in the maintenance of structure that is set up to accomplish the work. completed projects. Generally, the duties of the Main Committee include: 2.0 The role of the community during construction a) To supervise the activities of the Repair Teams and Tap Committees and ensure that The key to success of gravity rural piped water these organisations are functioning properly. projects is the involvement of the whole com­ b) To check the pipeline and report any major munity and the setting up of an organisation problems to the monitoring assistant or ask which can handle the large amount of work which the Repair Team to take necessary action has to be done and to ensure that everyone does where it is judged the latter could do the his share. work. A public meeting is held to announce the c) To organise fund raising for the maintenance project at which all leaders are present: Members of the project either through village headmen of Parliament, Chiefs and Party Leaders. This or through tap committees and to pay the meeting will ascertain that the people want the project caretaker. project and are willing to work for it. The meeting d) To supervise the caretaker. then appoints a Project Main Committee to e) To report to the Area Action Group on the organise the work. This Committee has the auth­ functioning of the water project and seek ority of the Chief and all the leaders and people. It assistance of the AAG where necessary. is therefore able to control the work which has to f) To consider any requests for additional taps be done and is able to overcome any problems and submit these to the project staff. which may arise. It is important that these com­ g) To organize self-help labour whenever this is mittees are not appointed by the Government but required. that they derive their authority from people, h) To settle any dispute or disagreements chiefs and other leaders. which may arise from various tap committees Under the Main Committee, in a large project, and repair teams. there will be a number of Section Committees, which will be responsible for different sections of 3.2 THE REPAIR TEAM the pipeline. Finally, there will be a Village Com­ mittee in each village to see to the construction Several projects have now got repair teams which of the tap site, apron and soakaway pit. This are distinct from the main committee. In a way Committee will have a number of women and will these teams are the technical arm of the main also be responsible for the cleanliness of the tap committee. Members of the repair team receive surrounds and for maintenance of the tap training in simple maintenance work and are (replacing the washer etc.) expected to be able to repair any breakage on pipes except asbestos cement pipes, which can 3.0 Organisation for maintenance only be repaired by the project staff. One member of the team, usually the Chairman, keeps all the Four institutions are crucial for the proper main­ tools, equipment and spares required for mainte­ tenance of completed projects. These are the nance work, although in some projects such 47 responsibility is given either to the chairman or 5.0 Types of maintenance secretary of the Main Committee. 5.1 ROUTINE OPERA nONS AND 3.3 THE TAP COMMITTEE MAINTENANCE Every tap has its own tap committee charged with Routine operations and maintenance on the water the following responsibilities: systems are the responsibility of the repair teams, which work under the general direction of a) to check that the tap site is always clean; monitoring assistants. Repair teams are b) to organise work for cleaning of the expected to repair PVC pipe breakages, replace soakaway pit whenever necessary; taps and repair broken aprons around taps. c) to charge anybody who deliberately breaks Usually they must carry out minor repairs without the tap; any direct supervision of the monitoring assis­ d) to raise funds from users for the replacement tants. In addition to the work of the repair teams, of a wom-out tap or repair of the apron or for inhabitants of project villages are expected to paying the project caretaker; rebuild the earthen ridge over the pipeline route e) to ensure that children do not play at the tap every year and also clean storage tanks once or site; twice a year. f) to report any breakages on the pipeline to the repair team. 5.2 MAJOR MAINTENANCE 3.4 THE WATER DEPARTMENT MONITORING Major maintenance activities include the STAFF replacement of pipelines and the repair of river crossing, washouts and damaged intakes. Such The purpose of the monitoring programme is to activities are beyond the capabilities of local pipe monitor the performance of the water projects repair teams. The Water Department at the and to support the local maintenance moment has technical and financial responsibility organisation consisting of self-help consumer for all major maintenance, although communities committees. Maintenance and repair of the are required to provide self-help labour where projects is the responsibility of the communities such inputs are appropriate. served by the water projects. The monitoring staff performs routine inspections and provide 6.0 Cost of Maintenance technical and organisational support to the local communities. The primary aim of the information Louis Msukwa of Centre for Social Research in collected during inspections is to help monitoring his evaluation report (Institution Building for the staff in the performance of their duties and give Maintenance of Rural Piped Water) has made an early warning of potential problems within the attempt to assess the total cost of maintaining water projects. the completed piped water schemes and the proportion met by the community. 4.0 Role of committees In collection of From the five projects on which maintenance funds for maintenance costs were calculated, he noted that community input as a proportion of total maintenance costs' The committee which is involved in collection of varies from 77.7% to 26%. Total per capital funds formaintenance is the Tap Committee. The maintenance cost varies from K1.34 to KO.07. Tap Committee collect funds from each Government annual per capita maintenance household for purchase of bib-cocks and cament expenditure is KO.13. for repair of tap apron. References 1. Institution Building for the Maintenance of Rural Piped Water by LAH Msukwa, Centre for Social Research. 2. WASH Field Report No 186 - Malawi Se"-Help Rural Water Supply Program: Final Evaluation 48 Table 1: Summary community Input for 5 Projects Luflra Ng'onga MchinJI Sumulu MuianJe West Cash contribution 1,048.00 210.00 272.00 448.50 1,433.50 Qacl[ibuliall ill killd Main Committee 307.84 483.96 269.36 240.50 257.52 Repair team/Caretaker 227.18 83.40 218.22 697.08 1,185.48 Tap Committee 2,597.40 1,152.92 815.48 262.70 802.90 AAG 60.00 60.00 30.00 General community 1,850.00 2,368.00 592.00 1.739.00 7,999.40 Total community contribution 6,090.42 4,358.28 1,925.06 2,939.28 10,245.30 Table 2: SUmmary of contribution from government on maintenance of 5 projects Luflra Ng'onga MchinJI Sumulu MulanJe West Wages 1,385.00 704.00 1.220.00 1,009.00 915.00 Bicycle allowance 97.00 97.00 97.00 97.00 97.00 Training 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Supervision 200.00 200.00 250.00 610.00 315.00 Repairs 200.00 50.00 30.00 150.00 400.00 Housing 4,500.00 Total for minor maintenance 1,982.00 1,151.00 6,247.00 1,966.00 1,827.00 Major maintenance 6,500.00 100.00 2,866.00 5,500.00 Total 8,482.00 1,251.00 6,247.00 4,832.00 7,327.00 49  ANNEX 9 Community participation in operation and maintenance of urban communal water points Fabiano Kwaule Introduction Problems In December 1981, Malawi launched the Monitoring and studies carried out in four com­ UNCDF/UNDp,wHO-assisted Urban Communal munal water point centres, under the Interna­ Water Point Project, whose objective was to tional Reference Centre (IRC) sponsored Public supply potable water to low-income urban groups. Stand post Water Supply Project, have shown A total of 600 communal water points were that the major problem with this arrangement is constructed and are now in operation in 50 urban that it is sometimes difficult to assess whether a centres. technical problem has been caused by negli­ The main feature of the project is that gence or wear and tear. This often leads to taps community participation did not take the form of taking a long time to be repaired, and hence self-help labour during construction of the water causes disruption to the supply of water. points. Communities were only consulted in siting Secondly, it appears that the Communal of the water points and were asked to organise Water Point Project's maintenance policy was not themselves into Tap Committees to be respon­ clearly defined and explained to the communities, sible for operation and management of the com­ most of whom still look to the department for munal water points and collection of water rates maintenance of any type including replacement from consumer groups. of stolen or lost valve box locks/keys and In each centre, a Centre Water Council was maintenance of cracked pillars or aprons. formed under the chairmanship of the District However, the studies in the demonstration Commissioner, to monitor and support the Tap centres have shown that there is great need now Committees. to involve the communities in simple maintenance of the stand posts in order to overcome some of Operation and maintenance the delays in fixing broken taps while assess­ ments are made of the actual causes of the Consumer groups usually numbering 10-40 family breakdowns and who should be responsible for units elect the Tap Committees. The committees paying for their maintenance. are responsible for fixing the opening and closing So far on a trial basis some communities times of the water points, assigning households have managed to replace broken taps and valve to clean soakaway pits and the tap surroundings box locks using their own funds. It however and collecting monthly contributions from con­ required great effort to convince them that sumer groups. because the water points belong to them, they The procedure of payment for water con­ should take the initiative to attend to minor sumed is such that every month a meter is read technical problems through small money contri­ and a bill issued to the committee. The committee butions to purchase spare parts, instead of then decides how much will be contributed by waiting longer for the Department's repair team to each household. After collecting the contribu­ procure the parts. tions from consumers, the committee deposits the money at a Government Cashier'S office. The Tap Committees committees are encouraged to deposit all surplus funds in order to maintain credit balances on their Experience in the four PSWS demonstration cen­ accounts. tres has also shown that a strong Tap Committee The policy of the Communal Water Point is a prerequisite to a successful community­ Project as regards maintenance of the stand­ based operation and maintenance system. Un­ posts is that breakdowns caused by wear and less a strong and active committee is instituted tear of the facilities should be maintained by the at the outset of the project. community participa­ Water Department, using the department's own tion in operation and maintenance will be greatly resources and maintenance staff. Breakdowns hampered leading to the systems over­ caused by negligence or vandalism are supposed dependence on plant operators and monitoring to be paid for by the communities, using assistants. community funds to purchase necessary spare On the other hand, Tap Committees tend to parts while actual fixing of the parts is done by fall inactive soon after they are instituted due to the department's maintenance team. lack of proper guidelines on the objectives of the 50  project, functions of the committees and what is system, where to report and what to report when expected from individual members of the commit­ the water stops, but also to teach them the rules tees in order to make the project a success. and regulations of the supply. If possible, guidelines should be written in a Experience in the demonstration centres has simplified form and be distributed to the commit­ shown that user education is especially essential tees. The guidelines should outline committee in the initial stages of the project and that it procedures such as frequency of meetings and should be an ongoing process throughout the agendas, methods of re-electing officials, and lifetime of the project. If possible some methods defining roles for each of the members. The should be devised whereby objectives of the committees should also be monitored on a regular project should also be clearly defined to those basis to ensure that they are operating ef­ who have joined the project at a later date. It is fectively. evident that community participation will not be sustained by communities who do not fully Training comprehend the objectives of the project. A successful community-based operation and Conclusions maintenance system should also include a training component for caretakers. These care­ Although the Urban Communal Water Project is takers should be individuals elected by the com­ not completely parallel to rural water supply munities themselves to undertake maintenance projects, as many of the people using communal work. water points are wage earners, traders and businessmen, there are still common areas of User education interest. For example, both projects require committees to oversee the operation and main­ User education is also an important component in tenance of the systems. The experience on Tap a community-based operation and maintenance Committees and their problems acquired in the system. H users are not properly briefed on the Urban Communal Water Point Project could be objectives of the project, they may not be readily successfully applied to the rural setting and vice willing to contribute labour or money towards versa. maintenance of the facilities. On the other hand, Also the success in financial management users have also to be instructed properly in the by communities themselves in the urban setting operation of the water supply, not only to teach could perhaps find a place in the rural setting as them what to do in case of a problem with the well. 51  ANNEX 10 Who shall pay for maintenance and how? Group discussions Introduction spare parts, where, for example, revenue is normally paid into a {;Jeneral government account. A crucial factor in the viability of any main­ Thus, where there IS a system in which both tenance system for handpump water supplies is government and community are contributing, it is how the maintenance costs are to be met. The likely to be preferable for the community to financial arrangements for meeting maintenance organise the collection and payment for spares costs will reflect the Qovernment's policies and themselves, buying them from local private commitment towards Improving rural water sup­ sector suppliers, parallel to but independent of plies, and will also take account of arrangements the government contribution. made under a joint plan of action with interna­ tional organisatIOns and bilateral aid agencies. 3. THE COMMUNITYPAYS ALL COSTS It has often been the desire of funding or­ ganisations to leave the question of maintenance In this case the users may either pay the full of development projects entirely in the hands of charge for the maintenance service provided by government, and this has contributed to the government, or the full cost of hiring local difficulties of maintaining handpump projects. It mechanics to carry out maintenance and repair is understandable that tne main burden of finan­ work. If this is to be feasible then maintenance cing maintenance should rest with the benefi­ requirements must be as simple as possible and ciaries (government and/or communities). the cost must be kept very low. In existing However, it is essential that donors take an maintenance systems, costs vary widely active part in designing, planning and establi­ depending on local conditions and the type of shing maintenance systems in parallel with pro­ pump and type of maintenance system ject Implementation, in order that their investment employed. The range is from 5 to 250 US aollars IS not wasted by massive and prolonged hand­ per year per pump. Higher pump densities implied pump failure. by a more complete coverage of the rural population would bring down the upper limit to Methods of flnanclng maintenance perhaps 120 US dollars. Based on 200 to 250 costs people served by each pump, the per capita cost would then range up to 0.6 US dollar per year. Several possible options exist: These may not seem ve~ large amounts of money, but may be quite difficult to raise in the 1. GOVERNMENTPAYS rural areas, ana the costs must be seen in the context of the local levels of income. It has been The government pays the full costs of suggested (World Bank,1976) that any charges maintenance including labour, buildings, over­ for water should not exceed 5% of family cash heads, vehicles, fuel and spare parts. income, and should preferably be less (2.5 to 3%). 2. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISES 4. DONOR SUBSIDISES The government pays the cost of the central maintenance organisation; staff, vehicles, ope­ In this case, the donor providing funds for the rating costs, buildings and so on, and the user implementation of the project would also provide community contributes the cost of the spare funds for the establishment of the maintenance parts and the voluntary pump caretakers. The system, training, vehicles if necessary. tools, community COUld, in another alternative, also pay initial stocks of spare parts and then a level of a service charge for the actual maintenance work subsidy to the actual cost of maintenance which carried out on the pump. Or the community may could be gradually reduced on a year by year organise themselves to pay for and carry out basis. simple maintenance tasks ana minor repairs, with the government carrying out and paying for major 5. OTHER OPTIONS repairs. The method of financing can incorporate a Other options for the financing of handpump wide range of options, with many different prop­ maintenance costs may also be possible, and ortions of government and community contribu­ have been considered In some countries. One tion to the overall costs. Thus it may also lend such option would be some form of cross­ itself to a scheme in which the level of community subsidy. using income generated from another contributions to finanCing is increased over a source of revenue to subsidise the costs of period of time. handpump maintenance. A further option is to The collection of and accounting for com­ encourage the development of income­ munity contributions may present major adminis­ generating activities associated with the imp­ trative problems for government. It may be diffi­ roved water source, such as vegetable gardens cult to recycle revenue to meet the costs of using the waste water. 52  ANNEX 11 The South Coast Handpump Project, Kenya Anne Maim The South Coast Handpump Project in Kenya, extension workers were recruited to assist in like the Handpump Testing in the Upper Livulezi community mobilisation. The recruitment was Project in Malawi, is a part of the UNDPIWB done in phases to allow on the job training and to Handpump Testing Programme. The Project area reflect increaSing community liaison activities. is about 300 sq km and is situated on the coast of 'rhis training comprised meetings and discus­ Kenya in Kwale District about 50 km south of sions with key community elders and government Mombasa . It has an estimated population of administrative officials and community barazas. 50,000 people in 35 villages. These five extension workers became res­ In July 1983, AMREF (African Medical and ponsible for one part of the area each. where they Research Foundation) carried out a study in the worked with community mobilisation and educa­ project area, to find ways to involve local tion in pump maintenance. sanitation and health. communities in the planning. installation and The extension workers also help the village com­ maintenance of handpumps. The study consisted mittees to open bank accounts for the money of informal discussions and interviews with ad­ they collect for pump maintenance. ministration officers. community leaders. opinion The price for the standardised locally manu­ leaders, ordinary community members and pro­ factured handpump will be around Ksh 7000 ject personnel who were already in place. The ($450) and the spare parts for yearly replacement study made the following recommendations: Ksh 200 ($13). It has been decided that the villagers should pay for the spare parts. 1. Health education should be incorporated The replacement of the test pumps by the both in water handling and excreta disposal standardised pump started in November 1986, so practices because it was realized that to begin with. the project team made an although the handpump may deliver water "Operation and Maintenance Study· in which 10 free from contamination. improper handling villages were picked out for the start of the may cause contamination after collection. replacement of pumps and the first pilot trials of Women. being directly involved in water an Operation and Maintenance system. Meetings collection were identified as the main target were arranged with the villagers and water group. committees and the administrative leaders (chief 2. The project should employ a social scientist and subchiefs) in the area were informed. The with skills in community organisation and extension workers arranged meetings in the mobilisation. communities at which there were discussions 3. The decision on which well is to be protected, concerning training. collection of money, spare where a new borehole should be sited and parts distribution, and the role of the pump the timetable of work should be based on committee. After these discussions, the villagers discussion and agreement with the relevant asked for more time to discuss among them­ community. selves, and times for a second round of meetings 4. The community should be consulted with were decided. The meetings the communities regard to handpump performance, any arranged themselves included representatives necessary modification required as a result from 5-7 water committees which made it possible of their experience during actual use and to exchange experiences and ideas between how well-covers should be constructed to different committees. The following is a summary allow easy access in the event of pump of the suggestions from the communities failure. concerning the operation and maintenance issue: A Kenyan Non-Governmental Organisation. 1. More people should be trained in pump KWAHO (Kenya Water for Health Organisation) maintenance within the communities. (So far whose main objective is to help Kenyan men and 24 women have been trained). women to obtain safe drinking water and 2. Older men and women should be trained. sanitation facilities towards improved health, was (The reason is that younger people move approached by the Government and UNDP. This more often and may leave the community). resulted in a new project, Training of Women in 3. Each water committee should raise a fixed the Development. Maintenance and Use of amount for pump maintenance. When the Simple Water Supply Systems. to be imple­ fixed amount is reached, the collection mented in collaboration with The South Coast should stop, but as soon as a substantial Handpump project. Two social scientists were part of the money is used the collection employed in the Project and in 1984 five should start again. 53 4. The distribution and selling of spare parts holes and caved in wells will require involvement should be organised by the project initially. of Ministry of Water, but. as there is quite a long and eventually spares should be available period between these serious breakdowns, the from shops. overall cost will be much lower than if the Ministry were to carry out all maintenance. The "Training of Women in Maintenance of So far, the communities have shown a lot of Rural Water Supply Project" has now been exten­ interest. responsibility and capability in the ded for another 15 months which will allow more operation and maintenance of the handpumps. training in pump maintenance. but also allow Even if the area has a lot of rivers and swamps recording of the experiences from the previous the people appreciate their handpumps because two years. they have understood the importance of clean At the beginning. spare parts will be stocked water. Even though the pump maintenance works at the project camp. but as soon as possible that ~uit~ well now. (with the support from the project). responsibility will be given over to local shop­ it will be much easier when all the test pumps are keepers. One idea is to place the parts on con­ replaced with the standardised Afridev hand­ signment with the shopkeepers. This means that pump. The trainees can then concentrate on one the shopkeeper pays for the part when sold and pump and they will not have to hesitate when it not beforehand. Training and support will con­ comes to choosing spare parts and tools to fit the tinue until the communities feel that they can pump. take over the responsibility for the handpump. The South Coast Handpump Project ended in When this time comes a formal handing over December 1986 and all personnel and equipment procedure will emphasise the community's will be transferred to the new, larger Project. A ownership of the handpump. final report on the handpump testing. borehole There are still doubts about the villagers' drilling, well recovery, operation and maintenance capabilities for carrying out the maintenance and system and community involvement is expected minor repairs. so investigations will continue to to be finalised in the beginning of 1987. see if there is a need for a skilled mechanic to assist in difficult repairs. Cases like silted bore- 54  ANNEX 12 Strengthening the maintenance system at national level Draft proposal Rural groundwater supplies, comprising dug wells this conclusion, there was full agreement that the and boreholes equipped with handpumps, present maintenance system needs to be currently supply about 1.5 million people in restructured, and a modified structure was drawn Malawi, about 25% of the rural population. up. Planned coverage of this type of water supply There was full agreement that Government could exceed 60% of the rural population, and a would continue to have a major role to play in total of 30,000 handpumps could be required. planning and promoting the development of rural Borehole handpumps have traditionally been water supplies, in extension support and training maintained by mobile units with a truck. This of communities, and in ensuring local system was fairly effective in keeping relatively manufacture and quality control of appropriate small numbers of handpumps working, but costs handpumps. To fulfil this role adequately, the and logistic problems have escalated as the maintenance organisation requires strengthening number of boreholes has increased. It is now at national headquarters level. It is proposed, estimated that the annual cost of handpump therefore, to establish a Maintenance maintenance in the national programme is K350 Management and Training Unit (MMTU). per pump, that about 60-70% of pumps are oper­ ating at anyone time and that the response time Posts and duties between breakdown and repair is typically 1-2 months and sometimes greatly exceeds this. The establishment of a new, expanding cadre of The rural piped-water programme is monitoring assistants implies a massive training successful primarily because of the role that requirement. There is a need for a maintenance communities play in managing their own training capability at headquarters, headed by a schemes. Both the willingness and the ability to professional Training Officer with responsibilities undertake this management develops during and for: as a consequence of the participation of the community in the planning and construction of • designing training programmes for District each scheme, when a strong sense of ownership Maintenance Teams (DMTs) Monitoring and responsibility is firmly established. Assistants, Pump Caretakers and Village In 1981/2 the then Department of lands, Water Committees; Valuation and Water initiated a programme of • planning, organising, monitoring and Integrated Projects for Rural Groundwater evaluating a programme of training courses Supplies, a new approach based on a similar high for DMTs and Monitoring Assistants (training degree of community involvement in both of trainers) in handpump maintenance, health construction and maintenance of the supplies. In education, management and record-keeping, the livulezi Project, completed in 1983, an communication and community mobilisation; equally strong sense of ownership has been • planning. monitoring and evaluating the achieved. Preventive maintenance is carried out training of communities by the Monitoring by trained villagers (mostly women) and repairs Assistants in a wide range of skills, including are carried out by maintenance assistants with pump maintenance, water usage, hygiene, substantial help from the villagers. Careful sanitation improvements and book-keeping; monitoring of the maintenance system in the • development and production of training livulezi has shown that the actual costs of materials including pump maintenance maintenance are about K40 per pump per year, posters, caretaker diaries and monitoring about 95% of the pumps are operating at anyone forms; time and the response time between breakdown • liaison with the Mechanical Engineer (see be· and repair rarely exceeds two weeks. low) in the planning and organising of training A Workshop on National Strategies for programmes and the preparation of training Operation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater materials; Supplies was held in Malawi in December 1986. • liaison with the extension, education and Its objectives were to review the findings of the training sections of the ministries of handpump testing and maintenance monitoring in Agriculture, Health and Community Services the livulezi Project, and to discuss the findings in the designing, organising and monitoring of in relation to the national rural groundwater joint training programmes and training supply programmes. materials. The major conclusion of the Workshop was that self-help should play an important role in the The training officer would require a small maintenance of wells and boreholes. In reaching number of training staff at Technical Officer level 55 to organise and manage training courses in the reporting procedures; districts. These courses would include major • liaise with the Training Officer In the training sessions for groups of newly recruited or preparation of training materials; transferred monitoring assistants, and shorter, • liaise with the Training Officer in the planning regular courses and workshops for monitoring and organising of training programmes. assistants in areas or districts in which the modi­ fied structure had been established. The unit The Principal Hydrogeologist will, in the short would need a specially designed vehicle (perhaps term at least, continue to have overall responsi­ similar to those used by Extension Aids) to bility for handpump maintenance and both the transport training materials and to show films or Training Officer and Mechanical Engineer would slide shows at training courses. The unit would report to him. and through him to the Chief Water also need a separate budget for operating costs, Resources Officer and Water Engineer-in-Chief. production of training materials and holding training courses. Costs The maintenance section should also have (and perhaps eventually be led by) a Mechanical Kwacha Engineer at headquarters, with the following 1. Establishment Costs responsibilities: i) vehicle for maintenance training unit; specially equipped, 4WD station wagon with visual aids • liaise with the Principal, Senior and Regional facilities 60,000 Hydrogeologists responsible for groundwater development projects to plan timely procure­ Sub-total 60,000 ment and delivery of handpumps and spare 2. Operating Costs parts; Annual Budget • plan and manage handpump and spares pro­ ij two professional officers 15,000 curement by the preparation of tender docu­ two technical officers 8,000 ments, evaluation of man ufacturing two drivers 5,000 capabilities and evaluation of tender bids, i) vehicle running costs 30,000 placement of orders through established Hi) production of training materials 25,000 iIf) costs of holding training courses ~ government purchasing procedures; • preparation of quality control procedures and Sub-total.12.3JlQQ monitoring of quality control; • evaluation of handpump and maintenance performance by preparation and monitoring of 56  ANNEX 13 Evaluation of borehole rehabilitation in Malawi Draft terms of reference Background rehabilitation has been carried out in the Livulezl and Dowa West Projects, is currently underway in Rural groundwater supplies, comprising dug wells Lilongwe North East. Emclsweni and Karonga, and boreholes with handpumps currently supply and Is planned in several other project areas. about 1.5 million people in Malawi (about 25% of Over approximately the same timespan, a the rural population) through nearly 9,000 UNCDF project for maintenance of boreholes has handpumps. It is anticipated that approximately been underway. Plant, including drilling rigs and 70% of the rural population will need to be served vehicles and workshop equipment and tools was by groundwater supplies, where no suitable provided by UNCDF and technical assistance by protected sources exist for gravity-fed piped­ UNDTCD between late 1981 and the end of 1984. water projects. It is likely, therefore, that up to Within this project, there were no funds for 30,000 boreholes and dug wells with handpumps actually carrying out borehole rehabilitation. but will be required as quickly as physical and limited funding was obtained from other sources financial resources will allow. for rehabilitation of boreholes in the Lower Shire In Malawi, borehole handpumps have tradi­ and Salima Lakeshore areas. To date, the tionally been maintained by mobile units equipped number of boreholes rehabilitated is: with a 5-ton truck, based at various (mainly district) centres cross the country. There are now Integrated projects: 24 such units. Although this system was fairly Livulezi 5 successful in keeping a relatively small number Dowawest 35 of handpumps working, costs have escalated Lilongwe North East and effectiveness has decreased in recent years Emcisweni ) about to begin due to a number of major administrative, logistical Karonga ) rehabilitation and technical problems. The principal technical Lower Shire 99 problems can be summarised as: Salima Lakeshore 60 • poor borehole design, resulting in silt and Total 239 sand being drawn into the borehole causing silting up of boreholes and accelerated wear However, if the maintenance of boreholes of pump components; and the reliability of rural groundwater supplies is • the borehole handpumps used are difficult to be significantly improved on a national scale, and expensive to maintain because they by modifying the maintenance structure to require heavy lifting equipment and incorporate a much greater level of participation specialised tools to remove the pumphead in the maintenance and management of their before any maintenance work can be carried supplies by the user communities. then the out on the below ground components. rehabilitation requirements are massive, and the costs enormous. It is necessary, therefore, to Recognising this, the Groundwater Section evaluate the borehole rehabilitation programme of the then Department of Lands, Valuation and carried out so far. Water proposed in 1981 a programme of Inte­ The general terms of reference for the evalu­ grated Projects in which the construction of new ation are to assess the technical and financial wells and boreholes would be combined with the effectiveness of borehole rehabilitation, and rehabilitation of existing wells and boreholes, and determine its impact on borehole and handpump a new and unified maintenance structure estab­ maintenance, and recommend measures to lished In those projects. This programme has Improve the planning, design, implementation and been underway since 1981, and borehole monitoring of borehole rehabilitation. The specific terms are set out on the next page. 57 The specific terms of reference are: 1. Review the planning of borehole rehabilitation with particular reference to the criteria used for choosing boreholes to be rehabilitated and selecting the approach to rehabilitation to be used in each case. This should include review of the data from construction. from maintenance records and from water quality records, and the information (from inspection of the site) on pump condition and usage, condition of surround, site location in relation to pollution risk and attitude of the user community towards the existing pump and towards rehabilitation. 2. Examine in detail the methodology of borehole rehabilitation, including: Methods of cleaning and re-testing the boreholes, design of remedial measures, such as inner linings and gravel packs and other alternative methods of implementing the remedial measures. Design and implementation of improved surface works. This detailed examination should include the removal of handpumps, plumbing of borehole depths and re-testing procedures to cc)mpare borehole condition and performance with that immediately following rehabilitation, imme­ diately pre-rehabilitation and at the time of construction. Make detailed recommendations, if appropriate, for improvement to or alternatives for the methodology of rehabilitation. 3. Assess the technical effectiveness of borehole rehabilitation by carrying out a comprehensive and detailed examination of the maintenance records of rehabilitated boreholes before and after rehabilitation to determine the extent of reduction in both frequency of repairs and periods of inoperation of the handpumps. Within this detailed examination. make a comparison between boreholes at which the handpump was placed with those at which it was not. 4. Assess the financial effectiveness and impact of borehole rehabilitation in reducing the recurrent cost of maintenance by carrying out a detailed costing analysis of maintenance before and after rehabilitation. 5. Review the technical and financial effectiveness of borehole rehabilitation with particular reference to the alternative approach (on a site by site basis) of replacement of seriously defective boreholes by newly drilled. properly designed and constructed boreholes. Establish technical and financial criteria for the choice between rehabilitation and replacement on a borehole by borehole basis. 6. Review the overall requirements for borehole rehabilitation on a national scale, and define the current needs for rehabilitation and/or replacement boreholes. 7. Examine the current and proposed projects in which borehole rehabilitation is a principal component and assess the impact of those on the overall rehabilitation requirements. Define areas of the country where rehabilitation requirements are sjgnificant but which are not covered by present proposals. 8. Review the plant and equipment currently being used to implement borehole rehabilitation. and make recommendations. if appropriate. for alternatives. 9. Assess by direct observation and enquiry the impact of borehole rehabilitation on the attitude of the user community to the borehole and handpump. in cases both where the handpump was replaced and where it was not. 10. Review the present methods of recording technical and financial information regarding borehole rehabilitation and assess their effectiveness in providing a basis for monitoring rehabilitation. Recommend ways in which this could be improved. 58  ANNEX 14 Community management of maintenance of handpumps Draft Terms of Referenoe for a Study by the Centre for Sooial Research Background ply programme. The key conclusion of the Work­ shop was that: Rural groundwater supplies, comprising dug wells and boreholes equipped with handpumps, cur­ Self-help should play an important role in the rently supply about 1.5 million people in Malawi, maintenance of wells and boreholes, as it about 25% of the rural population. Planned cov­ does in other spheres of rural development in erage of this type of water supply could exceed Malawi. Communities must be involved to the 60% of the rural population, and a total of 30,000 maximum extent possible in the planning, handpumps could be required. siting and construction of their wells and Borehole hand pumps have traditionally been boreholes and then should undertake the maintained by mobile units with a truck. This sys­ management of their water supply, including tem was fairly effective in keeping relatively small the execution of routine repairs and the pur­ numbers of handpumps working, but costs and chase of routinely wearing spares parts. logistical problems have escalated as the number Government has a major role to play in ex­ of boreholes has increased. It is now estimated tension and training, and the execution of that the annual cost of handpump maintenance in major repairs that communities cannot han­ the national programme is K350 per pump, that dle themselves. about 60-70% of pumps are operating at anyone time and that the response time between In reaching this conclusion there was breakdown and repair is typically 1-2 months and agreement that, if community management of sometimes greatly exceeds this. maintenance of wells and boreholes with hand­ The rural piped-water programme is pumps is to be successfully achieved, a clear successful primarily because of the role that procedure must be developed, tested and adopt­ communities play in managing their own ed. This procedure is likely to include the follow­ schemes. Both the willingness and the ability to ing stages: undertake this management develop during and as a consequence of the participation of the AWARENESS; the community is able to discuss community in planning and construction of each its needs and aspirations, its willingness to scheme, when a strong sense of ownership and contribute in kind and cash and its capacity responsibility is firmly established. to manage. In 1981/2 the then Department of Lands, Valuation and Water initiated a programme of CHOICE; the community decides whether it Integrated Projects for Rural Groundwater Sup­ wants an improved water point, which brings plies, a new approach based on a similar high with it the responsibility for management. degree of community involvement in both construction and maintenance of the supplies. ORGANISATION AND TRAINING; the community In the Livulezi Project, completed in 1983, an forms a management committee and initiates equally strong sense of ownership has been collection of funds and extension staff begin achieved. Preventive maintenance is carried out a training programme. by trained villagers (mostly women) and repairs are carried out by maintenance assistants with CONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION; the substantial help from the villagers. Careful moni­ community participates to the maximum ex­ toring of the maintenance system in the Livulezi tent possible. has shown that the actual costs of maintenance were about K40 per pump per year, about 95% of PUMP INSTAlLATION AND SPARES DISTRIBU­ the pumps are operating at anyone time and the TION; a pump that the community can main­ response time between breakdown and repair tain is installed and a spare parts distribution rarely exceeds two weeks. system established. A workshop on National Strategies for Oper­ ation and Maintenance of Rural Groundwater HANOOVER; the community formal undertakes Supplies was held in Malawi in December 1986. responsibility for managing their own supply Its objectives were to review the findings of the handpump testing and maintenance monitoring in MAINTENANCE BACKUP; the government main­ the Livulezi Project, and to discuss the findings tenance structure assists communities in in relation to the national rural groundwater sup­ need. 59  The Workshop discussed this procedure, what extent can the experience of the former and the possible benefits of involving social sci­ be applied to the latter? entists from the Centre for Social Research (CSR), in a study of issues related to the devel­ 4. To what extent are communities willing and opment of the procedure. The study could include able to pay for spare parts and routine main­ the following issues related to the community tenance? How should the collection and management of rural water supplies: management of funds be arranged? 1. How can responsibilities for maintenance be 5. How can the communities' sense of owner­ apportioned in the rural communities? Are ship of the supply be emphasised? there existing structures or committees which could take on these responsibilities? 6. How should training in pump maintenance be carried out? By whom, when, where and how 2. What is the role of the community in plan­ often? ning, siting, construction and maintenance of the water supply? How can community 7. How can the procedure outlined above be participation be most effectively encour­ established at already existing boreholes aged? When and how should the community which are to be rehabilitated? be approached and over what time period in relation to other project activities. 8. What is the role of other government depart­ ments in establishing community manage­ 3. To what extent are the requirements for ment of handpump supplies? community management similar in the piped­ water and groundwater programmes, and to 60  ANNEX 15 Organisation of workshop The Workshop was first proposed at the end of This committee consisted of: April during a regular visit to Malawi by the Regional Project Officer, Mr Grey. It was Mr S Malnala Principal Hydrogeologist originally scheduled for September, but later Mr M Kumwenda Senior Asst. Secretary, postponed to early December. A small, local Ministry of Finance steering committee was set up in October. Mr D Manda Principal Community consisting of: Development Officer Mr L Chlpunga Principal Public Health Mr S Malnala Principal Hydrogeologist, Officer Water Department Mr J Chilton Workshop organiser and Mr H Vokhlwa Principal Administrative rapporteur Officer, Water Dept. Mr D Grey World Bank Mr J Llyanage Country Monitoring Engineer, UNDPlWorid Bank The task of this committee was to provide Mr J TOIM188nd Project Officer, UNICEF technical direction of the Workshop, revising the outline programme on a day-to-day basis to take The committee met several times in the account of the timing requirements for group weeks preceding the Workshop. Their tasks discussions, presentations and plenary were mainly administrative, namely to prepare an sessions, and setting the agenda items for the invitation list, issue invitations and follow these group discussions. The committee also divided up to make the participants list, make accommo­ the participants into their four discussion groups: dation arrangements at Club Makokola, organise transport and make all arrangements for the Discussion groups Workshop secretariat. In addition, there was a need for technical A B preparation for, organisation of, and reporting on the Workshop. It was felt that Mr J Chilton, Mr F Msonthl Mr G Chavula former Hydrogeological Adviser to the Water Mr D Manda Mr L Chlpungu Department would be of great assistance in this Mr F Kwaule Mr R Josenl role, and the British Geological Survey agreed to Mr S Malnala Mr L Munthall release him and the UK OVerseas Development Mr S Zembere Mr A Lwanda Administration agreed to support him for three Mr J Townsend Mr J Kayenda weeks. Mrs A Maim, a member of the Regional Mrs A Maim Mr K Llyanage Project Office in Nairobi would assist in the Mr E Jumula Mr J Chilton technical preparation and organisation of the Workshop. C D Accordingly, Mr Chilton and Mrs Maim arrived in Malawi on 22 November. Their first Mr P Mkandawlre Mr C Govatl task was to produce an outline programme for the Mr D Grey Mr S de Souza Workshop, which was discussed by the steering Mr K Msowoya Mr B Chandlyarma committee, revised and presented to the Water Mr W Mandowa Mrs C Sinoya Engineer-in-Chief and Ministry of Works Mr S NJIrenda Mr J Nasungwl Headquarters. They also prepared a number of Mr J Barrows Mr C Gurney background papers, which were distributed to Mr B Mwaklkunga Mr M Kumwenda participants during the Workshop and are in­ cluded as Annexes to this report. During the workshop, day-to-day admini­ Preparations were made for the field visit, strative matters were dealt with by Mr Vokhiwa. and to do this Mrs Maim, and Mr liyanage visited Secretariat services were provided by: the livulezi Project a few days before the Work­ shop. The steering committee met twice during Mr D Pereya Secretary Ministry of I this week. Another important task was to make a WorksHQ final list of participants, following up invitees who MI88 E Phlrl Secretary, Ministry of had not replied, and ensuring that appropriate WorksHQ and senior representatives were coming from Miss C Dula Secretary, Water each organisation. Department A technical steering committee for the Mr N Nantgododa Machine Operator, Workshop was established the evening before Office Equipment the Workshop began. Department 61 Workshop costs In the planning and preparations for the Workshop it had been agreed that the co­ sponsors, the UNDPlWorid Bank Handpumps Project and UNICEF, could share the local costs equally. These were estimated at about 10,000 US dollars (K20,OOO). It was further agreed that, for ease of administration, the UNDPlWorld Bank would pay the running costs and UNICEF the accommodation costs of government partici­ pants. The actual costs of the Workshop are summarised below: A) Operation Co.t. 1. At Clyb Makokola Kwacha 1.1 Hire of conferenoe facilities 504.00 1.2 Packed lunch for field visit 252.00 1.3 Tea and coffee breaks 386.33 1.4 Drinks on opening day 42.67 1.5 Reception on opening day 1519.68 1.6 Soft drinks for field visit 10.20 1.7 Hire of public address system 60.00 1.8 Repairing film projector 82.17 1.9 Telephone calls 14.80 _SJb.T* 287165 2. Transport 2.1 Vehicle hire charges 3058.17 2.2 Fuel 633.85 2.3 Drivers' subsis~ allowanoe 250.00 2.4 OIher transport charges 188.30 SJb.T* 4130 32 3 Stationery 450.06 4. Subsistenoe allowance for Mr Uyanage 396.00 Tolal 7848.03 B) Dally .ub.I.lence allowance for government participant. 10395.00 The travel and subsistence costs of the Workshop organiser and rapporteur were met by the UK Overseas Development Administration, who also reimbursed the British Geological Survey for three weeks of his time. All non­ government participants to the Workshop were responsible for their own travel and accom­ modation costs. 62  ANNEX 16 List of participants MINISTRY Of WORKS HEADQUARTERS Mr BH Mwakikiunga Engineer-inChief WATER DEPARTMENT. MINISTRY Of WORKS Mr SC de Souza Water Engineer-in Chief Mr SMN Mainala Principal Hydrogeologist Mr fBJ Msonthi Hydrogeologist Mr PP Mkandawire Regional Hydrogeologist (N) Mr GMS Chawla Regional Hydrogeologist (C) MrCCGovati Regional Hydrogeologist (S) MrLWC Munthali Senior Borehole Maintenance Officer Mr WRG MandOwa Engineer, Rural Piped Water Programme MrfKwaule Project Officer, Public Standpost Water Supplies MINISTRY Of HEALTH Mr LL Chipungu Principal Public Health Officer Mr EP Jumula Chief Health Inspector (N) Mr BB Chandiyamba Chief Health Inspector (C) Mr KEK Msowoya Chief Health Inspector (S) MINISTRY Of COMMUNITY SERVICES MrDMManda Principal Community Development Officer MrCESinoya Senior Community Development Officer OffiCE Of THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET Mr SA Nyirenda Senior Administrative Officer, Administration Mr RAJoseni Chief Works Supervisor, Rural Growth Centre Project MINISTRY Of fiNANCE Mr MLC Kumwenda Senior Assistant Secretary MINISTRY Of LOCAL GOVERNMENT MrACLwanda Chief Technical Officer UNIVERSITY Of MALAWI Mr SN Zembere Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic UNICEf Mr J Townsend Water and Sanitation Projects Officer 63 CHRISTIAN SERVICES COMMITTEE Mr JJ Kayencla Water Engineer Mr ..1Nasungwi Assistant Water Engineer MrC Gurney Health Coordinator SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION MrJ Barrows Health Coordinator INTERNATIONAL EYE FOUNDATION MrG Demisse Project Manager UNDP/WORLD BANK Mr PJ Chilton Hydrogeologist (ODA) Mrs A Maim Civil Engineer, World Bank Regional Office MrDRCGrey Regional Project Officer Mr KG Uyanage Country Monitoring Engineer 64  ANNEX 17 Workshop programme Monday 1 December 9.00-9.00 Registration Chairman: 9.00-9.45 Opening Ceremony Mr B. Mwakikunga Mr.C.Clark - Secretary for Works and Supplies 9.45-10.15 Coffeerrea Chairman: Sessign 2 MaintenatJC9 of wells and borehol9S: an overview Mr. S. de Souza Water Englneer-in-Chief 10.15-10.45 Opening remarks and introduction of participants 10.45-11.00 Introduction to Water Department and borehole maintenance system. Mr. S. Mainala- Principal Hydrogeologist 11.00-12.30 Introductory remarks from all ministries. donor agencies and non-governmental organisations 12.30-14.00 Lunch Chairman: Sessign 3 Maintenanc» of wells and boreholes: Mr. L Chipungu Systems and options and the Livulezi Model Principal Public Health Officer 14.00-15.00 Panel Presentation by: Mr. L. Munthali- Senior Borehole Maintenance Officer Mr. F. Msonthi- Former Manager of Livulezi Project Mr. K. Liyanage- Country Monitoring Engineer Mr. D. Grey- Regional Project Officer 15.00-15.30 Maintenance systems options and introduction to discussion groups. Mr. S. Mainala and Mr. J. Chilton 15.30-15.45 Coffeerrea 15.45-17.15 Discussions in four groups of Agenda 1 17.15-17.45 Presentation of findings by the spokesman from each grouP. followed by general discussion 18.30 Reception/Cocktail Party Tuesday 2 December Reid visit to Ntcheu and Livulezi Project 8.00-10.30 Travel to Ntcheu 10.30-11.15 Removal of Climax pumphead and below ground components from national programme borehole at Ntcheu by Balaka maintenance unit 11.45-12.15 Discussion with maintenance assistant at Mphepozinai 12.45-13.15 Lunch at Kandeu and discussions with maintenance assistant, pump caretakers and villagers 13.30-14.45 VISit to Malawi pump and demonstration of dismantling pump by caretakers and villagers 15.00-15.30 Visit to Afridev pump and demonstration of complete removal and replacement of bearings and downhole components by villagers 15.30-17.30 Return to Club Makokola 20.30-22.00 Video films (Water and sanitation) 65 Wednesday 3 December Session 4 Maintenance of wells and boreholes: Chairman Problems, solutions and possible structures Mr M Kumwenda Senior Assistant 8.00-8.15 Opening remarks and introduction to group discussions Secretary, Ministry of 8.15-10.00 Discussions in four groups of Agenda 2 Finance. 10.00-10.30 CoffeelT'ea 10.30-10.45 Short presentation on community participation in maintenance of rural piped water projects. Mr. Mandowa 10.45-12.00 Discussion in four groups of agenda 2 12.00-12.30 Presentation of findings by the spokesman from each group, followed by general discussion 12.30-14.00 Lunch Session 5 Maintenance of wells and boreholes: Defining the structure Chairman: MrDManda 14.00-14.15 Opening remarks and short presentation on community Principal Community participation in maintenance in the communal water Development Officer points project. Mr Kwaule 14.15-14.30 Introduction for group discussions 14.30-15.45 Discussions in four groups of Agenda 3 15.45-16.00 CoffeelT'ea 16.00-17.15 Discussions In four groups of Agenda 3 17.00-18.00 Presentation of findings by the spokesman from each group, followed by general discussion Thursday 4 December Sessign 8 Maintenanctil of wells and boreholes: The way forward Chairman: 8.30-8.45 Opening remarks and introduction to group discussions Mr S Mainala 8.45-10.00 Discussion in four groups of agenda 4 Principal Hydrogeologist 10.00-10.30 CoffeelT'ea Chairman: 10.30-11.00 Presentation of findings from each group, followed by Mr. B. Mwakikunga general discussion Engineer-in-Chief 11.00-11.30 Summing up of workshop findings by rapporteur 11.30-12.00 Concluding speech and formal closing of workshop ~, Mr. Mwakikunga 66 .i J I , , I } I ; t J I I \ I , t f f ! , j , i i J j } 1 , ,