This innovative and interdisciplinary research focuses on water and sanitation management in small
towns of Sub-Saharan Africa. In these towns, that form the intersection between urban and rural,
existing coverage of basic public services is lagging behind, hindering the achievement of SDG6 if
concrete actions are not taken urgently. The research aims to assess existing models of water and
sanitation provision by studying to what extent current infrastructural and management models reflect
the specificities of small towns or rather mimic models implemented in large urban centres. This
research will put users at the forefront by integrating public health protection into the management
models, leading to a positive impact on health of users in the long run. The way technological solutions
are being selected, and how financial, operational and commercial risks are allocated and distributed
will be studied to transform the provision of water and sanitation services in an informed, inclusive and
sustainable process. Moreover, this research will explore the implications of existing and proposed
management models and interventions for the users and how it affects the dynamics and
interdependencies between urban and rural realities.
This research will ensure that the realities and possibilities of small towns are taken into account in
national policies by producing specific knowledge on water supply and sanitation (WSS) in small urban
settlements and providing concrete recommendations to improve current practices. This research will
document the specific needs of small towns when it comes to water and sanitation management, both
for productive use and human consumption taking into account the particular development processes
within small towns as well as the urban/rural dynamics. In this way, this project will contribute, in
coordination with local partners, to the development of new models for water management and
provision of water and sanitation services, which will potentially result in more sustainable outcomes
for service providers and users.
