INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER, SANITATION, HYGIENE (WASH)

Organizer: Nile IWRM-Net and WASPA
Date:  May 18-21, 2009 (4-days)
VENUE: AICAD, JKUAT

Contact person:
1. Wangai Ndirangu Tel: +254 722 400,540, Email: wangai@batimentltd.com
2. Jackline Ndiiri Tel: +254 722 766037, Email: jacklinendiiri@yahoo.com

Language of Training Workshop: English

BACKGROUND
Since the 1992 International Conference on Water and Environment, consensuses has been emerging that scarcity and misuse of fresh water pose a serious and growing threat to sustainable development and improvement of water supply and sanitation. Human health and welfare, food security, industrial development and the ecosystems on which they depend, are all at risk, unless water and land resources are managed more effectively for the future. MDG number seven focusing on environmental sustainability has as one of its targets “to half by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation, and this against a dwindling freshwater sources.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of the common recurrent diseases in the developing countries are related to water, sanitation and hygiene. The studies  also showed that improvements in the quality and quantity of water in communities continues to be important for public health, if implemented together with effective sanitation and hygiene education programmes.

Evidence suggests, however, that water security, sanitation and public health situation are major challenges in most of the rural areas and poor urban slums of developing countries. This has been attributed to poor management of the available water resources. Poor management of water resources complicates efforts for enhancing water supply because it leads to contamination of sources from discharge of pollutants/effluents into surface sources and altering the reliability of sources, thus affecting both quality and quantity of the water. With these parameters unchecked, poor hygiene, high costs of water treatment sets in, threatening the entire economies with increased strain on health systems, and loss of productivity due to loss of lives and downtime of active population.

On the part, water service providers are being forced to seek sources that are further from the supply points.  This increases the investments cost and operations cost for water supply and threatens challenges commercial management principles are applied for improving services by the providers. 

Inadequate sewerage treatment is a major contributor to water pollution with wide ranging effects on health, agricultural production the environment and drinking water quality. Inefficient management of water supply services results in high water loss, unnecessary new water developments and poor viability of water utilities. Recognising the upstream and downstream impacts of utility operations is one entry point to more efficient operation and appropriate prioritisation of investment and links with current priority being given to integrated water resources management.

This realization invites sector players to engage fundamental shift in the manner of management and development of freshwater sources, which is underlying a greater recognition of the interdependence of all peoples, and of their place in the freshwater system.

Improved performance of utilities is one important means to increase water supply and sanitation services coverage for the poor, reduce water pollution and improve population health. In particular, increased utility performance is essential if countries are to cope with rapid urbanisation taking place across Africa. Yet capacity challenges are the major handicap for development in Africa. Development of local capacity remains an important stimulus for identification water supply and sanitation priorities and the planning development with reference to sustainable WRM.

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM): IWRM offers a conceptual framework with a goal of sustainable management and development of water resources. IWRM requires the wide and organized platform to allow different stakeholders to come together as a team having the same point of view in terms of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).  In case of water supply and sanitation, the IWRM agenda is become more relevant because;
• over-abstraction and increased pollution, the protection and management of freshwater resources is rapidly becoming the overall sectoral priority
• management freshwater sources will be most effective if carried out at lowest subsidiary level
• water interventions are an important component of public health programmes and better still if integrated with hygiene and sanitation education other participatory interventions
• pollution discharges of users upstream become cost of supply for users downstream

Objectives of the course:
Overall
To support the progressive development of a WASH sector that is inclusive, collaborative and addresses the sustainability of services and use of resources
 
Specific objectives
The objectives of the training course are to:
1. Highlight the position of integrated water resources management in water supply and sanitation
2. Discuss the role of WSPs in enhancing water supply and sanitation services coverage for the poor, reducing water pollution and improving public health.
3. Understand the impacts of sanitation practices on water resources and cost of water supply.

Expected Outcomes:
a) Equip participants with skills to plan and coordinate water supply and sanitation services with water resources planning at their own levels and areas.
b) Better understanding of impacts watershed management on water service delivery
c) Understanding of water and sanitation interrelation to avoid water resources pollution
d) Schedule of follow-up actions to support and sustain capacity building on sustainable sanitation at the national level developed.

Target Group:
Water Service Providers, professionals and practitioners in water and sanitation, NGOs

Partners
Kenya Association of Water Service Providers, Water Services Trust Fund (WSTF)/  UNICEF, WRMA

Methodology and Organization:
The workshop will use adult learning tools, focusing on participants sharing their own experiences, and guided by the introduction of new conceptual approaches and tools. There will be a combination of short lectures, practical exercises, group work and discussion. Fifty percent (50%) of the workshop time will be allocated to theory/concepts and tools, another percent (30%) to group discussions and exercises, and twenty percent (20%) to case studies ad experience sharing. Since the course is aimed at participants with some understanding of relationship of WASH and water resources management presentations on concepts and tools will only distil key points, whose application will be illustrated by presentation of case-studies. Group discussions will be aimed at allowing participants the opportunity to further share experiences in the discussed concepts and tools.

The training content will borrow the structure and materials being developed by Capnet 

Key Areas to be covered:
1. Introduction to IWRM
2. WASH, environment and development
3. Water resources quality, quantity and health
4. Water use efficiency
5. Sanitation, effluent and waste management
6. Peri-urban water and sanitation services
7. Water supply and sanitation technology and choices
8. Land use aspects in WASH
9. Economic and financial instruments for IWRM and WASH
10. Financing water supply and sanitation; investment, subsidies and cost recovery 
11. Institutional and political for water supply and sanitation
12. Convergence for national strategies and plans for WASH and water resources management

Participation Fee: Participants will be pay Kshs 34,500 (usd 430) participation fee to cover facilitation, course materials, lunch and health breaks but excluding the cost of travel, subsistence and accommodation. Half-board accommodation is available at the training venue at the cost of kshs 4,500 (usd 45)