BEST PRACTICES

Water for African Cities UN-HABITAT's Water for African Cities Programme is a collaborative initiative of UN-HABITAT and UNEP within the framework of the UN system-wide Special Initiative on Africa. The programme is collaborating with a variety of international agencies, NGOs and donors, including the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). A direct follow-up to the Cape Town Declaration of 1997, it was adopted by African ministers wishing to address the urgent need for managing water in African cities. The programme started in October 1999 and is the first regional initiative of its kind to support African cities to manage growing water demand and protect their fresh water resources from the increasing pollution loads from cities. During a recent Washington luncheon for Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, and attended by US Senators, Congressmen, policy makers and planners, US Senator Timothy E. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation, praised the programme as one of the most cost-effective projects funded by the Foundation.

Drawing water in Quito Quito, the capital of Ecuador is a city of over 1.5 million located in an Andean Valley at about 2, 800 metres above sea level. The city consumes roughly 7 cubic metres of water per second. Potable water is provided by a municipal public company. About 80 per cent of Quito's potable water comes from two protected areas. Water demand is growing, while financing for increasing supplies is tight. Moreover, even in the protected areas, there are a number of activities threatening the city's water supplies. In 2000, the city established a water fund (Fondo del Agua) to finance the management and conversation of surrounding watersheds. Finance is expected to come primarily from fees levied on domestic, industrial and agricultural users, although some initial seed funds have been provided. Users may form associations to contribute to the fund. The main users include the Metropolitan Enterprise of Water and Sewer systems in Quito which uses 1.5 cubic meters per second for drinking water and has already agreed to pay 1 per cent of sales, worth about $12,000 per month.

Water comes to arid Ananthapur With a safe drinking water supply close to their doorstep, the people of Ananthapur in India are happier today. But until the completion of the Sathya Sai Water Supply project in 1996, getting safe drinking water was a daily drudgery for a million people living in three towns and 730 villages in the district of Ananthapur in Andhra Pradesh, the second most arid district in India. Also, because of heavy reliance by the people on ground water with excessive fluoride, the incidence of fluorosis was common in the past, often with severe bone deformities. After the government failed to find a permanent solution to the water crisis in Ananthapur for more than five decades, a unique public-private partnership was forged in 1995 to provide safe drinking water to Ananthapur at the initiative of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, a charitable trust established by Sri Sathya Sai Baba. With voluntary contributions from all over the world, the trust contributed US$ 69 million and implemented this massive project within 18 months, which included laying of 2,500 kilometres of pipeline, constructing 268 overhead and 145 ground level reservoirs, 40 booster pumping stations, 280 deep boreholes and 13 infiltration wells. After completion, the project was handed over to the state government, which has assumed responsibility for its maintenance, operation and management in partnership with grass roots level democratic institutions (Panchayet Raj). The project has clearly demonstrated that in a developing country, the creation of a public service facility need not wait for a government initiative if people can be inspired to participate and contribute to the common good.

Fishing in troubled waters in Calcutta: a century-old innovation of farmers Farmers around Kolkata (Calcutta), India, developed a technique of using domestic sewage for fish culture almost a century ago. This technique is widely used to meet the growing demand for fish in this densely populated Indian city. The technique is considered to be unique and is the largest operational system in the world to convert waste into consumable products. Early success of fish culture in stabilized sewage ponds, which were used as a source of water for growing vegetables, provided stimulus for the large-scale expansion of sewage fed fish culture system. The area under this unique system of culture peaked at 12,000 hectares, but in recent years there has been a steep decline in the area due to the increasing pressure of urbanization. Today, a considerable amount of fish consumed in Kolkata city is produced from this system. The wastewater-fed ponds provide employment for about 17,000 poor fishermen and produce 20 tonnes of fish daily for urban and periurban markets in Calcutta. Fish is mainly purchased by less well-off consumers.

Nicaragua The local Development Programme (PRODEL) in Nicaragua provides small grants for infrastructure andcommunity works projects, and loans and technical assistance for microenterprises and housing improvements. The programme also helps to develop the capacity of local institutions to implement these measures. Its immediate goal is to improve the physical and socio-economic conditions of families living in poor communities. Between 1994 and 1997, it was active in five municipalities, and from 1998, it became active in three more. By the end of 1998, more than 38,000 families had benefited from the US$ 10.5 million programme _ 48 per cent of the total population of the eight towns. Just over half of this funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) with the rest being mobilized locally mostly from the households taking part and the municipal authorities. Between 1994 and 1998, the infrastructure and community works component supported 260 projects (upto US$ 50,000 per project) in 155 neighborhood with a total investment of US$4.4 million. Among the works funded were piped water supplies, sewers and drains, treatment plants, roads and footpaths, electrification and street lighting, health centers and day care centers, playgrounds, sporting facilities, and sites for the collection, disposal and treatment of wastes. The communities contributed 132,000 days of work (volunteer and paid).