Permit systems used for water authorisation were introduced in many African countries during the colonial era to protect water entitlements of settlers, with disregard for customary water tenue and local needs. These permit systems require users of water above a defined threshold to apply for permits offering formal legal water rights, therefore granting those who use water below this threshold weaker legal status. This REACH Story of Change explores a science-practitioner partnership which assesses water permit systems in Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The findings have been presented at key international forums and gained significan media attention, influencing policy discussions on water governance reform to better support inclusive rural development and farmer-led irrigation.
Uganda
Intra-seasonal rainfall and piped water revenue variability in rural Africa
Rainfall patterns influence water usage and revenue from user payments in rural Africa. The authors explore these dynamics by examining monthly rainfall against 4,888 records of rural piped water revenue in Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda and quantifying revenue changes over 635 transitions between dry and wet seasons.
Incentivizing clean water collection during rainfall to reduce disease in rural sub-Saharan Africa with weather dependent pricing
This article proposes a new pricing mechanism for ‘water ATMs’, made possible with pre-payment and remote sensing, where prices adjust during rainy seasons to incentivise the continued use of clean water sources. The authors estimate cost per capita and cost per disability-adjusted life year averted, resulting in values which compare favourably with other water quality interventions.
Piped water revenue and investment strategies in rural Africa
This article examines how water service delivery approaches impact revenue generated by user payments, and how infrastructure investment strategies can promote revenue and equity goals for rural piped water services.
Global prospects to deliver safe drinking water services for 100 million rural people by 2030
This report documents a global diagnostic survey to evaluate the status and prospects of rural water service providers from 68 countries.
Monitoring socio-climatic interactions to prioritise drinking water interventions in rural Africa
This study examines the year-onyear and seasonal relationship between rainfall and remotely monitored water usage from rural piped schemes in four sub-Saharan countries to identify patterns that warn of a threat to operational sustainability.
From data to decisions: understanding information flows within regulatory water quality monitoring programs
This study evaluates the methods used to organize, analyze, and transmit drinking water quality data among 26 water supplier or surveillance institutions and two regulatory agencies in six countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
From data to decisions: Water quality monitoring programs in sub-Saharan Africa
This study describes and assesses the formal and informal systems used by institutions with regulatory requirements for testing drinking water quality in six sub-Saharan African countries to organize, analyze, and transmit information about drinking water quality.
Enhancing livelihoods of the urban poor through productive uses of utility-supplied water services – Evidence from Kampala, Uganda
This paper reports on a study conducted in Kampala, Uganda, which adapted the existing rural-based Multiple Use water Services (MUS) framework into a slum-specific framework. MUS is a livelihood-centred approach that is implemented in rural areas of over twenty countries, where water supply primarily designed for domestic or irrigation purposes is also used for productive uses to improve householders’ livelihoods.
Rethinking the economics of rural water in Africa
Rural Africa lags behind global progress to provide safe drinking water to everyone. This paper explores why rural water is different for communities, schools, and healthcare facilities across characteristics of scale, institutions, demand, and finance.
