Water & Wastewater in the Sustainable City Presentation to World Water Week Stockholm August 2006 Dr. Graham Alabaster, Programme Manager, Water, Sanitation & Infrastructure Branch, UN-HABITAT

Structure of the presentation n Urbanisation: the changing patterns in cities and towns n Key WATSAN issues in large cities and small towns and their influence on project design n Examples from UN-HABITAT, 2 case studies: Lake Victoria (small towns) Kibera (large cities) n Conclusions

Urbanisation: the changing patterns n Currently % of the population in most low and middle income nations live in small towns and large villages n Increasing urbanization means over the next twenty years the major population growth will be in smaller towns n Three types of settlements: Rural areas; large urban centres; small towns/large villages need different approaches

Proportion (%) of Total Population in Urban Areas (derived from UNDESA statistics, 2004) Nations and regions Rural areas Urban areas < 500,000 Urban areas 500,000 – million Urban areas 5 million – million Mega-cities > 10 million Africa Asia Europe Latin America & Caribbean North America Oceana World

What are the key issues for Water and sanitation in towns and cities? Policy Approaches n Lack of integrated approaches (water sanitation, solid waste, drainage, housing & other infrastructure, urban planning) n National policies (sector reforms) don’t cater for urban centres of all sizes n The target population: do we know where the poor are and how they are best served? n How do we integrate WATSAN planning with urban planning and Environmental concerns? Financing Mechanisms n Larger cities get more ODA, smaller towns have to rely on market-based approaches n Low income (MDG target group) populations: how do we ensure livelihood opportunities are realised ?

What are the key issues for Water and sanitation in towns and cities? Technical Options n How do we manage so called “modern mixes” of technology n Opportunities for “ecological approaches” to water and sanitation are different Capacity to Implement & Sustain Investments n Available capacity varies: usually available in large cities, not so much on smaller urban centres n Conflicts between WATSAN utilities and local authorities Project/Programme Design n Time-frame too long, does not fit in the “political window” n New delivery approaches needed (rehabilitate and extend) n Avoid duplication and focus on local structures (Paris Declaration)

The UN-HABITAT Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative (LVWATSAN) Supporting Secondary Urban Centres in the Lake Victoria Region to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals

Project Objectives Support pro-poor water and sanitation investments in the secondary urban centres in the Lake Victoria Region. Build institutional and human resource capacities at local and regional levels for the sustainability of improved water and sanitation services Facilitate the benefits of upstream water sector reforms to reach the local level in the participating urban centres Reduce the environmental impact of urbanisation in the Lake Victoria Basin

Lake Victoria Region Water and Sanitation Initiative

Challenges addressed in programme design n Designing country level implementation arrangements that dovetail into regional/national structures (EAC) n Promoting national procurement systems, delegated to the local level, while maintaining oversight n Ensuring a focus is maintained on serving the poorest and fully engaging them n Ensuring sustainability, particularly at the local level n Designing a capacity-building programme that is responsive and demand driven n Maximising the benefits from a true regional programme n Rapid delivery mechanisms to meet the MDGs

Response n Customized MOU’s with sustainability clauses n “Modern mixes” approach to sustainable technology n Poverty mapping & stakeholder engagement n Multi-faceted region-wide capacity-building interventions Local economic developmentLocal economic development Pro-poor governance approachesPro-poor governance approaches Gender and marginalised groups (HIV/AIDS)Gender and marginalised groups (HIV/AIDS) Utility managementUtility management Urban catchment managementUrban catchment management Advocacy and communicationAdvocacy and communication

LVWATSAN Programme of Implementation (15 towns) n Assessment & Project design: baseline survey undertaken and MDG monitoring framework developed n Immediate interventions (rehabilitate existing infrastructure and extend coverage to the poor) n Capacity-building interventions (region-wide) n Long-term interventions n Implementation programme in 3-4 years

Water for African Cities/KENSUP: Intergrated Slum Upgrading n KENSUP is a collaborative initiative between the Government of Kenya and UN-HABITAT whose main objective is to improve the livelihoods of people living and working in slums and informal settlements within the urban areas of Kenya n Project activities being implemented in on “village” in Kibera, Nairobi (population 700,000 cf Nairobi 3 million) n Soweto East population 70,000 n Water & Sanitation used as a entry point for slum upgrading

Guiding principles of Project Design n Reducing the cost of housing by providing infrastructure (infrastructure represents 40% of the cost of establishing/rehabilitating settlements) n Integrated physical infrastructure n Focus on labour intensive activities n Improved opportunities for livelihood generation n Partners –Government of Kenya (KENSUP) with the Ministry of Housing taking the lead –UN-HABITAT –World Bank WSP –Athi River Water Services Board –Kibera- Soweto Community under SEC

Project Components n Support the community to improve accessibility to water and sanitation in Soweto East; n Establish and strengthen governance frameworks to regulate distribution and accessibility to water and for the upgrading of demonstrations; n Support community organization through the formation of Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) management committees as a vehicle for promoting small scale waste management enterprises, increased access to water and sanitation services and access for credit to facilitate improvement of housing sector; n Support the community to improve the drainage system in Soweto East; and n Initiate small-scale door-to-door waste collection and recycling initiatives based on the cooperative approach.

Conclusions n Urban areas need different approaches depending on size n Accurate mapping of target population essential (Use of GIS, remote sensing to establish baselines, monitoring progress and ultimately utility mapping, link to urban planning systems) n First consider rehabilitation (physical infrastructure, WDM) and service extension n Use modern mixes of technology, consider the reduced cost of condominial systems n Follow ecological principles maximising reuse where possible, particularly linking to livelihood generation (excreta reuse, fish production), Co-disposal of waste (excreta & organic fraction of MSW) n Develop capacity for sustainability (small utilities, environmental management, clustrering for small towns, marginalised populations)