Roof-Top Rainwater Harvesting Best Practices Guide - International ...

dissemination can sensitize the community
on the potential benefits of the project’s
technology.
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As part of advocacy, present a cost-benefit
analysis with linkages to local institutions.
This will, for example, make clear the cost of
treating sicknesses due to drinking water from
an unprotected water source, as opposed to
the benefits of investing in clean water supply
technologies.
Establishing these factors in selecting a
technology enables project managers to create
realistic budgets, strategies for cost recovery and/
or levels of subsidies. 6
4.2. User Contributions
Involving the communities at all stages, including
financial and labour contributions is an important
practice to be incorporated into project plans.
Beneficiary contributions can be in the form of
funds, labor, and materials, and they should be
maximized, sustained, and quantified during
the planning and design stages. This is an
exercise to be carried out at all relevant levels:
household, institutional, or wider community.
Funds: A community may contribute only a
fraction of the cost by way of funds, but much
more in-kind, for example, by giving sand,
water or bricks.
Labor: Some roof-top RWH techniques involve
substantial amount of unskilled labor such as
earth moving and fetching of local materials. The
willingness of a community to contribute labor
in such a case is a substantial contribution which
affects the cost of the project. It also has a positive
impact on building community ownership of rooftop
RWH systems.
Benefits of assessing the affordability of roof-top
RWH systems for the target beneficiaries, and
their willingness to pay for them:
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Ability to create correct cost calculations
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The assessment will demonstrate the market
opportunity for local business, and allow
project to develop any private sector financing
options. There is need for financial mechanisms
to support the demand and income levels
of interested households. The project can
proceed to build local private sector capacity in
roof-top RWH system manufacturing- making
the systems available on the local market, at
affordable prices to the local community.
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Ability to plan for building willingness of
communities to cost share through, for
example, advocacy and social marketing.
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Enhances a sense of (and practical) project
ownership by the beneficiaries.
4.3. Collaboration with
Government, Local
Authorities and Partners
Project success will be greatly enhanced by
collaborating with all relevant stakeholders
in the target areas. Projects are often
implemented in areas where there are preexisting
or on-going projects by government,
other organisations, or the community itself.
Emphasis should be placed on building upon
existing plans or strategies of the Government
and partners to use resources more efficiently
and maximize the collective impact.
4.3.1. Compliance
Governments will have national strategies
for improving water supply and sanitation.
Projects should work within these, to gain
support of their project and more simply
because they share the same overall goal.
Key guidelines are:
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Particularly in rural areas, seek permission and
involvement of authorities from the highest
level down, including NGOs and all other local
stakeholders, and agree on standards from the
earliest stages.
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Get permission to make use of available toolkits
and curriculums. Establishing a working
partnership means parties will collaborate to
adapt them and to incorporate missing content
where it is identified.
ɇ ɇ As appropriate, ensure that relevant
stakeholders are informed and invited to
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