Access to adequate water, sanitation, drainage and solid waste disposal are four inter-related basic needs which impact significantly on socio-economic development and quality of life. The number of people around the world who still do not have access to these basic facilities, despite enormous global effort over more than two decades,
provides sufficient evidence that conventional approaches and solutions alone are unable to make a sufficient dent in the service backlog which still exists. Numerous initiatives are ongoing at different levels to improve strategies, technologies, institutional arrangements, socio-cultural anchorage, and cost effectiveness, all to enhance efficiency and, eventually, to have an impact on the sector's goals. In addition, the ever-increasing scarcity of water brings policymakers together to find solutions to the challenge of water resource management. This series of manuals is intended as a contribution to these efforts.

As can be seen from the table below, this series of manuals is primarily aimed at project mangers, engineers and technicians. However, given the wide range of subjects covered, it is also an important working tool for all actors in the sector, ranging from those involved with policy development to those constructing systems at village level. The series has a clear focus on water supply in rural settings. It proposes technologies with due consideration for socio-cultural, economic, institutional and regulatory requirements. This approach is in keeping with the SDC water and sanitation policy, emphasising the balanced development approach leading to sustainable programmes and projects.

It should be noted that the present series deals almost exclusively with water supply. The importance of sanitation is however clearly established in Volume 1, which deals predominantly with the software aspects necessary to achieve an impact. It includes some proposals for optional tools, approaches and institutional arrangements
and is intended as an overall introduction to the other, more technical, volumes of the series.

Bibliographic information

Collins, S (200). Hand-Dug Shallow Wells Vol. 5 of the Series of Manuals on Drinking Water Supply SKAT/SDC

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Politicians and local decision makersPractitionersGuidelines and manualsEnglish

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