This review summarises emerging realities for water insecurity in an era of disruption, and new developments that the authors call modular, adaptive, and decentralised (MAD) water infrastructure. These decentralised models require a justice-oriented framework to unlock the promise of sustainable access to safe, reliable, affordable water supply for a more mobile, just, and resilient world.
Year
Addressing socio-economic inequalities in Lodwar and broader Turkana
This report details outcomes from a workshop in Turkana, Kenya, on ‘Socio-economic aspects of flash floods, water and climate’, held in February 2022. The workshop discussed how water and flood risks relate to socio-economic inequalities, as well as critical gender and intersectionality considerations.
Negotiating spaces of marginality and independence: On women entrepreneurs within Ethiopian urbanization and water precarity
This research article analyses how women strive for and negotiate their independence through spatiality, and how services, specifically water, affect their ability to develop their business spaces. Using evidence from five studies conducted in the small town of Wukro, Ethiopia, the paper suggests water struggles should be analysed not only through the evaluation of water shortages and unequal geographical sectorization but also through the perspective of ‘water precarity’ (Sultana, 2020).
Sustainable management of sedimentation risks in coastal rivers in Southwest Bangladesh: Findings from REACH Khulna Observatory
This REACH policy brief presents recommendations for sustainable sedimentation management in the coastal rivers of Southwest Bangladesh. Working with the Bangladesh Water Development Board and using data from a comprehensive measurement campaign in the Hari-Ghengrail-Sibsa river system, we argue systems-wide management approaches will lead to more effective and sustainable solutions.
July–September rainfall in the Greater Horn of Africa: the combined influence of the Mascarene and South Atlantic highs
This climate dynamics research article investigates the relative influences of the Mascarene and South Atlantic highs on July-September rainfall, a key component of Ethiopia’s annual rainfall and source of variability. A covarying region in the Greater Horn of Africa is analysed using CHIRPS observed rainfall and the ERA5 reanalysis.
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.
Soil moisture spatio‑temporal variability under treated and untreated catchment conditions in a fragile tropical highland environment: implication for water security
This research article presents soil moisture variability as influenced by catchment management in the Blue Nile Highlands, Ethiopia. The authors show that improved catchment management can play a critical role in improving agricultural water security in rainfed systems by improving soil moisture availability and storage.
Improving water and hand-washing services in rural health care facilities in Kitui County, Kenya
This brief presents policy recommendations for improving water and hand-washing services in rural health care facilities through a professional service delivery model. Annualised costs to provide safe and reliable water and soap services are estimated from actual cost data, providing a basis for County-level budgets and investment planning.
Identifying the Sources of Intestinal Colonization With Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Healthy Infants in the Community
This study aimed to identify the sources of ESBL-Ec colonization in children < 1 year old through comparative analysis of E. coli isolates from child stool, child’s mother stool, and point-of-use drinking water from 46 rural households in Bangladesh. Interventions such as improved hygiene practices and a safe drinking water supply may help reduce the transmission of ESBL-Ec at the household level.
Investing in professionalized maintenance to increase social and economic returns from drinking water infrastructure in rural Kenya
This policy brief is based on 10 years of research in Kitui County, Kenya, supported by the REACH programme, the USAID Sustainable WASH Systems Learning Partnership, UNICEF, ESRC and UKAID. It finds the investment case for professionalized maintenance of drinking water infrastructure becomes compelling when factoring in wider social and economic returns.
