In order to increase the sustainability of the water schemes and the community ownership of the schemes, the Project involves the community during all stages of planning and execution.

 

The planning starts with the establishment of a Water Use Master Plan (WUMP) in which the whole community is involved. The community knows best the locations of water sources and utilization of the sources and location of the taps is planned collectively. As women are traditionally the ones fetching the water, their presence at the WUMP planning sessions is crucial. 

 

The community contributes towards the schemes in cash and in kind. The cash contribution depends on the economic status of the household. The community also contributes in digging the ditches for the pipelines and carrying of the construction materials in the hilly terrain. Overall, the input of the community is significant and crucial to the success of the schemes. Maintaining the water system is also carried out on a communal basis; local User Committees monitor the condition of the water system and collect the water tariffs, which are then used for necessary maintenance.