Delivering water supply capacity to communities

Water Supply Repair Agents have the mechanical and ‘hands-on’ experience needed to keep rural water systems going. They are permanently based in the community, and are motivated to support the water supply in their own villages. However, they must be empowered with the right knowledge and skills.

SNV Cambodia is therefore developing an Operation and Maintenance Handbook to support efforts by Provincial Department of Rural Development (PDRD) officials to bring capacities to the community level. The training and Operation and Maintenance Handbook package will allow local authorities and Water User Groups (who oversee public supplies) to engage agents for technical advice and hire them for repair services as needed.

The first step involved a stakeholder meeting to design the process and to ensure support that will make the Operations and Maintenance Handbook a nationally endorsed tool. Technical staff from the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and PDRD from Kampot Province then worked with a local capacity builder to define common repair needs. Diagnosis and repair procedures that can be feasibly conducted by communities using local skills and access to the marketplace were carefully documented step-by-step. The capacity builder has since been assigned the task of drafting the drawings and instructions for maintenance and repairs to be included in the Handbook.

To support such efforts, PDRD and SNV have consulted local authorities and selected authorized Water Supply Repair Agents at each village. Once finalised, PDRD officials will utilize the Handbook in ‘learning-by-doing’ training events with all 38 Water Supply Repair Agents in Chum Kiri district. The Handbook will also serve as a reminder and instruction reference for the most common water supply problems for all villages.  It will contain a service delivery contact sheet so that communities can connect with local spare parts suppliers or well drillers who can conduct major repairs and rehabilitation.

Look for our next blog posting once the Handbook has been completed and training of the Water Supply Repair Agents has commenced!