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The lack of maintenance and operational failure of water and sanitation systems is becoming an urgent problem in developing countries.

TitleProceedings of the advisory committee meeting of the Operation and Maintenance Working Group : Geneva, 26 February - 1 March 1991
Publication TypeConference Report
Year of Publication1991
AuthorsMcPherson, HJ
Pagination31 p.
Date Published1991-01-01
PublisherWorld Health Organization, Community Water Supply & Sanitation Unit
Place PublishedGeneva, Switzerland
Keywordsmaintenance, operation, policies, projects, recommendations, sanitation, water supply
Abstract

The lack of maintenance and operational failure of water and sanitation systems is becoming an urgent problem in developing countries. The expenditure to rehabilitate systems which, through lack of maintenance, become non-functional is a drain on limited economic resources. The February 1990 meeting of the World Health Organization in Geneva to discuss these concerns, identified several key issues causing constraints to proper system maintenance. Inadequate data, political interference, inappropriate design and insufficient funds were among those issues; thereby proving that the contribution toward constraint was not only technical, but also political, economic and social. Priority project proposals were developed for assessment, increased training and human resources development, and a need for new guidelines for the improvement of operation and maintenance. Criteria for these guidelines in both rural and urban water supply and sanitation projects are given in Appendix 1.

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