Rev Environ Health 2016; aop
Melissa J. Montgomery*
What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA DOI 10.1515/reveh-2015-0043 Received October 13, 2015; accepted October 14, 2015
Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports some progress on the global problem of a lack of improved water and sanitation. Between 1990 and 2012, the number of people that gained improved access to improved drinking water reached 2.3 billion people, while the number of children that have died from diarrheal diseases has fallen from 1.5 million deaths to just above 600,000 deaths (1, 2). However, it is estimated that there are still 1.8 billion people using a fecally contaminated source of drinking water (3). In addition, 748 million people continue to lack clean water, 1 billion continue to practice open defecation, and 2.5 billion people still lack adequate sanitation (3). In response to this global issue, Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) began with a mission to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip l eaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Their 15,000+ members work with communities to find appropriate solutions to improve water supply, sanitation, energy, agriculture, civil works and structures. Their development approach is based on standard engineering methodology, including problem identification, assessment, alternatives analysis, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. EWB-USA began in 2002 and currently has members working in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of their work is focused in Latin America and Africa, but their programs are expanding to Asia and the Pacific Basin. Currently, EWB-USA members are working in 17 programs in six countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, and Fiji. Success in these programs is defined by measuring overall impact and learning from failure. Impact is measured through Standard Monitoring Indicators and learning is accomplished by documenting failures and lessons learned. Through this work, the organization has impacted 2.5 million lives through primarily water supply and sanitation projects by focusing
*Corresponding author: Melissa J. Montgomery, Engineers Without Borders USA, 1031 33rd Street, Suite 210, Denver, CO 80205, USA, E-mail: [email protected]
on sustainable engineering solutions, community-education, capacity building, and appropriate technologies and local resources. Keywords: developing countries; lessons learned; sanitation; WASH; water.
Practicing community-driven development The EWB-USA mission supports community-driven development programs worldwide through partnerships that design and implement sustainable engineering projects, while creating transformative experiences that enrich global perspectives and create responsible leaders. EWB-USA’s vision is a world in which the communities they serve have the capacity to sustainably meet their basic human needs. Communities are the most effective agents for lasting, positive change, and the work that the organization does supports this mission and vision of the community taking ownership and driving the project forward. The overall goal is to address engineering problems with solutions to create opportunities for communities to thrive, which will contribute to long-term sustainability. Leadership and education is fostered through multidisciplinary, cross-cultural and hands-on interactions. The EWB-USA model of development work is based on real relationships by forming longer-termed 5-year partnerships with communities. The goal is to not only provide engineering solutions, but also equip communities to operate and maintain the projects themselves. At the same time, the volunteers and community members learn valuable leadership skills by charting pathways through complex challenges and achieving shared goals.
Capacity building through education EWB-USA equips their volunteers with the training and educational resources to thrive in their individual and
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2 Montgomery: What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA collective roles. Education is also critical to the success of our projects. In the field, education is a two-way street. Both volunteers and community members must share their knowledge and best practices to ensure that the final project is sustainable. “The process of design has been inclusive and respectful of local culture and values. This is not just good design. This is empowerment. This is positive social, economic and environmental change”. – Scott Moore y Medina, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Community Leader
EWB-USA programs The hands-on engineering work occurs at the project level. The scope of these projects is diverse, ranging from the construction of a road in El Salvador to the implementation of water-efficient latrines in Cameroon. These six project types (Table 1) aim to holistically address the breadth of a community’s needs: The majority of the projects within EWB-USA are water supply projects, which may include a drilled well, a gravity-fed water system, a slow sand filter, a water storage tank, a rainwater catchment system, or a water quality treatment system. Here are a few example programs in this area: 1. In the Philippines, an EWB-USA chapter started working in Apatut, La Union, in 2010 to implement a well, water treatment system, storage, and distribution system to provide potable water to the 750 residents and 300 school children in the village. 2. In Cambodia, an EWB-USA professional chapter, began working in the Preaek village in 2009 to address their identified water supply and quality needs. Preaek has a total population of 1215 residents (164 households). The residents are traditionally rice farmers with no other significant sources of income. Two-thirds of the population is female and one-third
of the population is under 18 years of age. The team implemented a rain water catchment system along with a slow sand filter to address the community’s needs for improved access to water. This program was completed and closed in the summer of 2015. 3. In 2009, an EWB-USA professional chapter began working in the three neighboring villages of Buca, Loa, and Vunikura, in the Buca Bay region of the Fiji Islands. The Buca Bay region is relatively remote, is hilly and receives heavy rain during the Fijian summer, between November and April. The goal of the program is to provide a safe and reliable source of drinking water for the three villages, totaling approximately 790 residents (157 households). To achieve this goal, various water supply and water quality projects have been undertaken, such as replacement of the in-village distribution system, upsizing pipe, and construction of 11 biosand filters (BSFs). This chapter continues to work in these communities to help them address their needs.
Measuring impact The work is not over when the well is drilled or the bridge is built. The EWB-USA Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PMEL) Program ensures each project is carefully monitored throughout the chapter’s involvement with the community as well as evaluated after their role in the program is complete. Chapters establish an understanding of the baseline situation in their partner communities and plan for longterm sustainability. They use impact analysis tools provided by EWB-USA headquarters throughout the project process to monitor the project’s progress. As part of this program, EWB-USA has developed a set of standard monitoring indicators for each project (Table 2). The most common project type is a water supply project; below is the standard monitoring indicators table for a water supply project.
Table 1: EWB-USA project types. Project type
Number of EWB-USA projects around the world (approximate)
Water supply Civil works Sanitation Agriculture Energy Structures
390 25 60 30 45 70
Lessons learned There are many factors that feed into a successful and sustainable EWB-USA program, and the organization aims to learn and improve their work through documenting lessons learned throughout a program. Below are a few summarized lessons from the examples shared.
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Montgomery: What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA 3 Table 2: EWB-USA standard monitoring indicators. Indicates percentage of functionality (outputs)
Demonstrates periodic maintenance (outcomes)
Demonstrates knowledge transfer (outcomes)
Rate of flow at water point
Quality of the water at water point
Existence of broken components, i.e. valves, pump lever Quantity of water available to each household during dry and wet seasons Number of days per month that the system is not operational
Duplication of any element of the system without EWB-USA Existence of broken components, i.e. valves, pump lever Balance available in maintenance fund
Distance to water collection point (usually measured as round trip from house back to water point and back to house) Quantity of water available to each household during dry and wet seasons Number (or percentage) of community members satisfied with the project Time to collect water (usually measured as round trip from house back to water point and back to house) Number of days per month that the system is not operational Percentage of houses with connection (or within certain distance of access point)
Level of cleanliness of gutters feeding a rainwater catchment system Level of cleanliness of water storage tanks Observed evidence of routine maintenance on the system done accurately without EWB-USA
1. It is important to communicate directly with community members and leaders to ensure that the community has community ownership and buy in of the project. 2. The community must be able to provide the required 5% cash contribution, in-kind donations, and 100% of the operation and maintenance of the system. 3. Education should be incorporated as early as possible and consistently thought the project to ensure that the community has the capacity to take over the system. 4. Local changes in government and leadership over a 5-year commitment can change and impact support for the program. 5. It is important to assess the local skills of the community (financial, organization, and learning). 6. Expect delays in progress due to unforeseen circumstances.
Chapter observed community members training others Community completed major repairs to the system accurately without EWB-USA Observed method of community members handling and transportation of water Observed method of community members storage of water Observed evidence of routine maintenance on the system done accurately without EWB-USA Cost of water to user
Through these lessons learned, EWB-USA hopes to continue to improve the way that their members help the communities they serve to sustainably meet their basic human needs.
References 1. World Health Organization (WHO). Water Sanitation Health: Water supply, sanitation and hygiene development. 2015. Available at: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/en/. 2. World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Progress on sanitation and drinking water: 2015 update and MDG assessment. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO), 2015. 3. World Health Organization (WHO). Global Health Observatory (GHO) Data: Water and Sanitation. 2015. Available at: http:// www.who.int/gho/mdg/environmental_sustainability/en/.
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Melissa J. Montgomery*
What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA DOI 10.1515/reveh-2015-0043 Received October 13, 2015; accepted October 14, 2015
Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports some progress on the global problem of a lack of improved water and sanitation. Between 1990 and 2012, the number of people that gained improved access to improved drinking water reached 2.3 billion people, while the number of children that have died from diarrheal diseases has fallen from 1.5 million deaths to just above 600,000 deaths (1, 2). However, it is estimated that there are still 1.8 billion people using a fecally contaminated source of drinking water (3). In addition, 748 million people continue to lack clean water, 1 billion continue to practice open defecation, and 2.5 billion people still lack adequate sanitation (3). In response to this global issue, Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) began with a mission to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip l eaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Their 15,000+ members work with communities to find appropriate solutions to improve water supply, sanitation, energy, agriculture, civil works and structures. Their development approach is based on standard engineering methodology, including problem identification, assessment, alternatives analysis, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. EWB-USA began in 2002 and currently has members working in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of their work is focused in Latin America and Africa, but their programs are expanding to Asia and the Pacific Basin. Currently, EWB-USA members are working in 17 programs in six countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, and Fiji. Success in these programs is defined by measuring overall impact and learning from failure. Impact is measured through Standard Monitoring Indicators and learning is accomplished by documenting failures and lessons learned. Through this work, the organization has impacted 2.5 million lives through primarily water supply and sanitation projects by focusing
*Corresponding author: Melissa J. Montgomery, Engineers Without Borders USA, 1031 33rd Street, Suite 210, Denver, CO 80205, USA, E-mail: [email protected]
on sustainable engineering solutions, community-education, capacity building, and appropriate technologies and local resources. Keywords: developing countries; lessons learned; sanitation; WASH; water.
Practicing community-driven development The EWB-USA mission supports community-driven development programs worldwide through partnerships that design and implement sustainable engineering projects, while creating transformative experiences that enrich global perspectives and create responsible leaders. EWB-USA’s vision is a world in which the communities they serve have the capacity to sustainably meet their basic human needs. Communities are the most effective agents for lasting, positive change, and the work that the organization does supports this mission and vision of the community taking ownership and driving the project forward. The overall goal is to address engineering problems with solutions to create opportunities for communities to thrive, which will contribute to long-term sustainability. Leadership and education is fostered through multidisciplinary, cross-cultural and hands-on interactions. The EWB-USA model of development work is based on real relationships by forming longer-termed 5-year partnerships with communities. The goal is to not only provide engineering solutions, but also equip communities to operate and maintain the projects themselves. At the same time, the volunteers and community members learn valuable leadership skills by charting pathways through complex challenges and achieving shared goals.
Capacity building through education EWB-USA equips their volunteers with the training and educational resources to thrive in their individual and
Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 1/27/16 6:55 PM
2 Montgomery: What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA collective roles. Education is also critical to the success of our projects. In the field, education is a two-way street. Both volunteers and community members must share their knowledge and best practices to ensure that the final project is sustainable. “The process of design has been inclusive and respectful of local culture and values. This is not just good design. This is empowerment. This is positive social, economic and environmental change”. – Scott Moore y Medina, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Community Leader
EWB-USA programs The hands-on engineering work occurs at the project level. The scope of these projects is diverse, ranging from the construction of a road in El Salvador to the implementation of water-efficient latrines in Cameroon. These six project types (Table 1) aim to holistically address the breadth of a community’s needs: The majority of the projects within EWB-USA are water supply projects, which may include a drilled well, a gravity-fed water system, a slow sand filter, a water storage tank, a rainwater catchment system, or a water quality treatment system. Here are a few example programs in this area: 1. In the Philippines, an EWB-USA chapter started working in Apatut, La Union, in 2010 to implement a well, water treatment system, storage, and distribution system to provide potable water to the 750 residents and 300 school children in the village. 2. In Cambodia, an EWB-USA professional chapter, began working in the Preaek village in 2009 to address their identified water supply and quality needs. Preaek has a total population of 1215 residents (164 households). The residents are traditionally rice farmers with no other significant sources of income. Two-thirds of the population is female and one-third
of the population is under 18 years of age. The team implemented a rain water catchment system along with a slow sand filter to address the community’s needs for improved access to water. This program was completed and closed in the summer of 2015. 3. In 2009, an EWB-USA professional chapter began working in the three neighboring villages of Buca, Loa, and Vunikura, in the Buca Bay region of the Fiji Islands. The Buca Bay region is relatively remote, is hilly and receives heavy rain during the Fijian summer, between November and April. The goal of the program is to provide a safe and reliable source of drinking water for the three villages, totaling approximately 790 residents (157 households). To achieve this goal, various water supply and water quality projects have been undertaken, such as replacement of the in-village distribution system, upsizing pipe, and construction of 11 biosand filters (BSFs). This chapter continues to work in these communities to help them address their needs.
Measuring impact The work is not over when the well is drilled or the bridge is built. The EWB-USA Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PMEL) Program ensures each project is carefully monitored throughout the chapter’s involvement with the community as well as evaluated after their role in the program is complete. Chapters establish an understanding of the baseline situation in their partner communities and plan for longterm sustainability. They use impact analysis tools provided by EWB-USA headquarters throughout the project process to monitor the project’s progress. As part of this program, EWB-USA has developed a set of standard monitoring indicators for each project (Table 2). The most common project type is a water supply project; below is the standard monitoring indicators table for a water supply project.
Table 1: EWB-USA project types. Project type
Number of EWB-USA projects around the world (approximate)
Water supply Civil works Sanitation Agriculture Energy Structures
390 25 60 30 45 70
Lessons learned There are many factors that feed into a successful and sustainable EWB-USA program, and the organization aims to learn and improve their work through documenting lessons learned throughout a program. Below are a few summarized lessons from the examples shared.
Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 1/27/16 6:55 PM
Montgomery: What works in water supply and sanitation projects in developing countries with EWB-USA 3 Table 2: EWB-USA standard monitoring indicators. Indicates percentage of functionality (outputs)
Demonstrates periodic maintenance (outcomes)
Demonstrates knowledge transfer (outcomes)
Rate of flow at water point
Quality of the water at water point
Existence of broken components, i.e. valves, pump lever Quantity of water available to each household during dry and wet seasons Number of days per month that the system is not operational
Duplication of any element of the system without EWB-USA Existence of broken components, i.e. valves, pump lever Balance available in maintenance fund
Distance to water collection point (usually measured as round trip from house back to water point and back to house) Quantity of water available to each household during dry and wet seasons Number (or percentage) of community members satisfied with the project Time to collect water (usually measured as round trip from house back to water point and back to house) Number of days per month that the system is not operational Percentage of houses with connection (or within certain distance of access point)
Level of cleanliness of gutters feeding a rainwater catchment system Level of cleanliness of water storage tanks Observed evidence of routine maintenance on the system done accurately without EWB-USA
1. It is important to communicate directly with community members and leaders to ensure that the community has community ownership and buy in of the project. 2. The community must be able to provide the required 5% cash contribution, in-kind donations, and 100% of the operation and maintenance of the system. 3. Education should be incorporated as early as possible and consistently thought the project to ensure that the community has the capacity to take over the system. 4. Local changes in government and leadership over a 5-year commitment can change and impact support for the program. 5. It is important to assess the local skills of the community (financial, organization, and learning). 6. Expect delays in progress due to unforeseen circumstances.
Chapter observed community members training others Community completed major repairs to the system accurately without EWB-USA Observed method of community members handling and transportation of water Observed method of community members storage of water Observed evidence of routine maintenance on the system done accurately without EWB-USA Cost of water to user
Through these lessons learned, EWB-USA hopes to continue to improve the way that their members help the communities they serve to sustainably meet their basic human needs.
References 1. World Health Organization (WHO). Water Sanitation Health: Water supply, sanitation and hygiene development. 2015. Available at: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/en/. 2. World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Progress on sanitation and drinking water: 2015 update and MDG assessment. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO), 2015. 3. World Health Organization (WHO). Global Health Observatory (GHO) Data: Water and Sanitation. 2015. Available at: http:// www.who.int/gho/mdg/environmental_sustainability/en/.
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