A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents

This paper summarises the findings of a review of policy and strategy documents published circa 2008 by a diverse set of eleven development partners in the rural water sector. It was carried out as part of the Triple-S (Sustainable Services at Scale) Initiative using a Qualitative Document Analysis...

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Main Authors: Anna Le Gouais, Elise Wach
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Water Alternatives Association 2013-10-01
Series:Water Alternatives
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol6/v6issue3/227-a6-3-7/file
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author Anna Le Gouais
Elise Wach
author_facet Anna Le Gouais
Elise Wach
author_sort Anna Le Gouais
collection DOAJ
description This paper summarises the findings of a review of policy and strategy documents published circa 2008 by a diverse set of eleven development partners in the rural water sector. It was carried out as part of the Triple-S (Sustainable Services at Scale) Initiative using a Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA) approach to assess the extent to which the reviewed documents align with a set of 'building blocks' identified by Triple-S as integral to ensuring sustainable service delivery in the rural water sector. Based on the reviewed documents, the policies of the development partners included in this analysis demonstrate a clear commitment towards a number of important elements believed to be necessary for sustainable service delivery including learning and adaptive management, coordination and collaboration, capacity support for local government, and harmonisation and alignment. However, the analysis of the policy documents results in low scores for planning for asset management (i.e. renewals) and recognition and promotion of alternative service delivery options to community management (e.g. Self-supply of, or delegated management to, the private sector). Thus, this study indicates that these areas, considered by Triple-S to be crucial for improving sustainability, are relatively neglected and merit more attention in the policies of organisations.
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spelling doaj.art-b0e051be85464afbb41cdb76e69a9d6a2022-12-21T22:58:20ZengWater Alternatives AssociationWater Alternatives1965-01751965-01752013-10-0163439461A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy DocumentsAnna Le Gouais0Elise Wach1Aguaconsult, Wivenhoe, Essex, UKInstitute of Development Studies, Brighton, Sussex, UKThis paper summarises the findings of a review of policy and strategy documents published circa 2008 by a diverse set of eleven development partners in the rural water sector. It was carried out as part of the Triple-S (Sustainable Services at Scale) Initiative using a Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA) approach to assess the extent to which the reviewed documents align with a set of 'building blocks' identified by Triple-S as integral to ensuring sustainable service delivery in the rural water sector. Based on the reviewed documents, the policies of the development partners included in this analysis demonstrate a clear commitment towards a number of important elements believed to be necessary for sustainable service delivery including learning and adaptive management, coordination and collaboration, capacity support for local government, and harmonisation and alignment. However, the analysis of the policy documents results in low scores for planning for asset management (i.e. renewals) and recognition and promotion of alternative service delivery options to community management (e.g. Self-supply of, or delegated management to, the private sector). Thus, this study indicates that these areas, considered by Triple-S to be crucial for improving sustainability, are relatively neglected and merit more attention in the policies of organisations.http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol6/v6issue3/227-a6-3-7/fileRural watersustainabilitypolicyqualitative document analysis
spellingShingle Anna Le Gouais
Elise Wach
A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
Water Alternatives
Rural water
sustainability
policy
qualitative document analysis
title A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
title_full A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
title_fullStr A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
title_full_unstemmed A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
title_short A Qualitative Analysis of Rural Water Sector Policy Documents
title_sort qualitative analysis of rural water sector policy documents
topic Rural water
sustainability
policy
qualitative document analysis
url http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol6/v6issue3/227-a6-3-7/file
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