Goal 6.b: Participation of local communities

 «To support and strengthen participation of local communities in improving water management and sanitation» is the last Goal of SDG 6, 6.b.

In the picture we can see the members of the Water Committee of Aguas del Caserío Santa Rosa, municipio de Sololá, en el Departamento de Sololá, in Guatemala. It is the day of the opening of the water and sanitation system built by FCAS which consists in a mechanised well, water tank, distribution network, household connections and basic sanitation using dry pit latrines.

Parallel to building the system, the members of the committee have been trained in water management and technical aspects concerning plumbing and maintenance, chlorination as a means to purify and make water drinkable, protecting access points to the installations, establishing an equal price system which considers ability to pay, and all aspects relating to future sustainability.

The biggest problem which repeatedly arises in implanting this kind of management is the weakness of the local electoral system, often subject to the personal interests of the Mayor, which may affect dealings with technicians and managers of water systems. So, it is most often the case to find that with every change of Mayor, comes the likely risk of a change of plumbers and water system managers.

As a last anecdote to highlight, the same day of the inauguration, the author was surprised by the inclusion in the events of «the cutting of a ribbon» between two new, dry pit latrines. Generally, the inaugurations focus on the water supply systems, the basic sanitation (like latrines) being kept out of eyeshot. It is important that users understand that the water and sanitation systems are integral: if drinking water is supplied to increase personal hygiene, the cycle must be completed with installations which prevent dangerous open defecation and the spread of diseases.