Evaluation of the Operational and Financial Sustainability of Water Purification Plants in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico Pubblico
Hartman, Janelle (2011)
Published
Abstract
Background: Access to clean water may reduce up to 25% of the 1.8 million deaths each year from diarrheal diseases. An estimated 300,000 people in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico do not have access to clean water in their homes. Living Waters for the World (LWW), a faith-based organization, partners with churches in the Yucatán to install water purification systems to increase distribution of clean water. In order to promote sustainability, LWW encourages their partners to sell the clean water to their communities at an accessible rate. LWW has not yet evaluated their model to ensure its sustainability or to find areas of potential improvement.
Objective: LWW wants to evaluate whether the people
managing the water purification plants will continue to distribute
clean water in their communities without long-term support from
LWW. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the operational
and financial sustainability of the plants in the Yucatán and
LWW's model.
Methods: The researcher developed a tool to systematically
evaluate the sustainability of each site. Financial records and a
survey were used at 15 sites in the Yucatán to assess the
sustainability of the plants in three areas: management,
operations, and maintenance; cost recovery and financing; and
understanding of demand. In-depth interviews were conducted at ten
of those sites to understand the motivations of water plant lead
operators, and analyzed for themes related to sustainability.
Results: Thirteen sites achieved a score categorized as sustainable or sustainable with reservations. Management, operations, and maintenance can improve the most, followed by understanding of demand. Motivators for operators include helping their community, improving plant performance, financial support, and positive feedback.
Discussion: Overall, LWW's plants demonstrate potential for sustainability. To improve their sustainability, LWW should: 1.) Develop and implement a consistent monitoring process for operation, maintenance, and financial activities at each site, 2.) Develop a clear maintenance schedule to post in each plant, 3.) Encourage plants to perform marketing activities, 4.) Encourage plants to create a fund for plant improvements, and 5.) Continue to promote the ministry aspect of providing water and the importance of increasing access to clean water.
Table of Contents
Part I: Evaluation of the Operational and Financial Sustainability of Water Purification Plants in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
1 Introduction - 1
2 Background and Literature Review - 6
3 Methods - 43
4 Results - 74
5 Discussion - 102
6 Recommendations - 122
7 Conclusions - 128
Part II: Evaluating the Operational and Financial Sustainability of Independent, Small-Scale Water Supply Projects: Development of a Systematic Tool (Manuscript for Submission)
1 Introduction - 135
2 Methods - 139
3 Results - 145
4 Discussion - 154
5 Conclusions - 159
References - 160
Appendix 1: Sustainability Tool - 164
Appendix 2: Recommendations for LWW - 174
Appendix 3: IRB Letter of No Review Needed - 178
About this Master's Thesis
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