Presented at the Triple-S Annual Review and Planning Meeting (ARAP), Fort Portal Uganda, 6th-11th May 2013

1. Service Delivery
Index (SDI)
For better understanding and improving performance
of rural water services

2. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …2
THE PROBLEM
Stagnation in Uganda:
 The Sector Performance Report reports that rural water services
are stagnant around 65% coverage with 80% functionality.
 In reality, however, some estimate that only 35% of the population
can use reliable and improved water services
 Known for more than a decade is that:
– most water committees only exist on paper;
– hardly anybody pays for their water service;
– a district has not the capacity to oversee and support 1000 water
points
The sector lacks in-depth understanding of what is wrong with the way
services are provided and how it can be improved

3. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …3
THE CHALLENGE
 District needs to know how it can make water committees
take responsibility for managing the water points
 The NGO wants to know what capacity gaps to prioritise for
the new training programme in the Northern Ugandan region
 The Ministry needs to understand strengths and
weaknesses in performance of District Water Offices to focus its
support
The sector lacks an affordable methodology that can help
analysing flaws in the service delivery model at all levels

4. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …4
THE INNOVATION
Research and monitoring tool
that is:
• easy to use by the
Ministry, district and NGOs
• affordable
• flexible
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
Water service level Index and Reliability
Water Service Level
Reliability
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
District
Planning
Support and
supervison to
service
provider
Construction
and repair
supervision
Monitoring Coordination
and
harmonisation
Service Authority scores
Not available
Negative
Positive

5. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST …5
THE SDI PROPOSITION:
 The sector can only increase coverage from 65 to 100% in
the coming years if it knows what the weak spots in the service
delivery system are
 Investing in research and performance monitoring is needed
to overcome stagnation in progress with rural water service
delivery
 Tools and methodology can be affordable and easy to use