Delivering sustainable water supply in fragile and conflict affected states: experiences from Syria

GOAL has been carrying out Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programming in Syria since 2013. This project is delivering clean water to over 450,000 people by utilising pre-existing water networks that had fallen into disrepair and lacked regular electricity supply for operation. This is delivered by pre-existing Water Unit structures that operate in a similar fashion to a typical water utility. The programme has completed necessary rehabilitation works and now focuses on how cost recovery mechanisms can be established to ensure the longer term sustainability and enable funding to move from O&M to further rehabilitation works. This paper shares a background on rehabilitation works to date, but focuses predominantly on recent cost recovery consultancy work from IMC Worldwide. Key lessons revolve around the ability to complete such complex work under remote work arrangements, developing suitable tariffs with uncertain information and how to best develop customer complaints mechanisms.