Post-construction support and the sustainability of rural water projects in Ghana

Many rural community-managed water supply programs in developing countries have been characterized by poor performance. In response, governments and non-governmental organizations have organized two types of “post-construction support” for village water and sanitation committees. The first, “demand-driven” approach leaves it largely up to communities themselves to seek out repair and other support services and to pay for them when needed. The second is a more “supply-driven” approach – to provide unsolicited technical assistance, training, trouble-shooting, and even financial assistance to communities. We evaluate the effect of these types of post construction support on the technical sustainability of community water supplies in rural Ghana using data collected from 200 villages in Volta and Brong Ahafo.