Water management committees

Training WMC
Water management committees Training

– The role and function of water management

committees.
– Safe chains of water handing and prevention of
water contamination.
– Conflict management at water sources points
– Hygiene promotion and cholera prevention.
– Importance of effective and washing at the critical
times.
– Effective water management and treatment.
 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE WATER
USER COMMITTEE (WUC) MEMBERS
The WUC.
The WUC are the key people elected by the
community and entrusted with the affairs of
the water point on behalf of their own
community members.
Here you could illustrate with briefly going
over the roles and responsibilities of each of
the different WUC members in relation to
administration. The individual roles and
responsibilities of the members are;.
 Chairperson and/or Vice Chairperson.

 Overall person to steer the committee members .

 Responsible to chair all meetings and to maintain
discipline during meetings and give guidance.
 Links the committee members and the community.
 Refers all major disputes to the local leaders.
 Acts according to the interests of the community
 2) Secretary
Calling of members to meetings
Recording the meeting proceedings
Keeping records of the community's assets
Acts according to the interests of the
community as directed by the Chairperson.
 Should be a co-signatory to the bank
 3) Treasurer
 Keeps the money and assets of the community Keeps
records of incoming monthly contributions from
water source users
 Keeps records and receipts for
outgoings/expenditures
 Raises funds from within and outside for the
community
 Responsible to give regular financial reports to the
community
 The Treasurer and the Chairman keep control of the
community's funds and are joint signatories to the
bank along with the secretary
 4) Caretaker:
Mobilize the community for borehole cleaning and is
responsible for keeping cleaning tools
Responsible for maintaining discipline at the borehole site and
ensuring systematic drawing of water on a daily basis
Refers major disputes at the borehole to the Chairperson
Reports immediately any fault to the pump mechanic or
Chairperson
Assists in the collection of water fees from the water
beneficiaries
Ensures the borehole is kept and used properly and prevents
children or anybody from misusing or playing with the
borehole Prevents animals from destroying the fence and
concrete at the borehole
 5) Committee members
• Committees members are always there to advice the
rest of the WUC members and also act in place of
any other member if requested by the chairperson
• These should be made known to the community
during sensitization and election so that they elect
somebody who is able to speak and the community
listens to.
 The users/beneficiaries
• The beneficiaries also have to ensure that they contribute
their time to assist the WUC (and caretaker) in cleaning the
water point and to make sure that their monthly
contributions are remitted accordingly. This should ensure the
longer-term sustainability of the water point. Users also have
the responsibility of holding the WUC accountable to them.
• This includes financial accountability, where in the WUC
shares the income and expenditure details of the committee
with the users in a transparent and at regular time intervals.
Secondly, efficiency by ensuring the committee undertakes
repairs and monitors the proper functioning of the water
point.
 The community leaders
• The community leaders – supervise the WUC
from afar - they ensure in general that the
WUC are maintaining the water point in a
satisfactory condition according to the needs
of the community.
 3- Important areas of administration
• Mobilization for communal work at the water point
• Organizing meetings for the water point and
consulting the community on issues related to the
water point
• Implementation of the bye-laws
• Collection of monthly contribution through an
agreed standard
• Keeping good records of the water point
• important for good administration and accountability
Important areas of administration
• Maintain the quality of the water and to ensure
the water point is functional
• Lobby for funds through appropriate means
acceptable to the community
• Always being at the disposal of the community in
regard to the affairs of the water point.
• Regular communication of income and
expenditure details to the users as part of
maintaining transparency.
Important areas of administration
• Community is the central place from which both the
local authorities and the WUC can be elected.
• WUC is only a small group elected by the community
to help maintain the water point.
• Both the WUC and the local authorities should be
accountable to the community.
• Water point is a central place where the community
interacts.
• The WUC and the local authorities should work
together to maintain their water point
Water Management Committee
Water management point Committees.
 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
What is communication
• This is the means of sending and receiving
information.
Why do we communicate.
• To share ideas. - To disseminate information. -
To inquire about something
 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Ways of communication.
• Communication is divided into two ways; The
audible and the inaudible ways.
Audible. –
 Listening to radio. –
 By phone. –
 Television. –
 Person to person.
 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Inaudible –
• Letter writing –
• Using drawn pictures –
• Using signs, mural
 The results of communication
This is divided into good and bad result.
Good results.
Building a good relationship and proper
understanding among people.
Giving clear information.
 Promoting respect among the staff
themselves.
People’s problems are considered
 Bad Results
If you pass wrong information to the community, it
demoralizes their efforts.
• Makes people to loose interest in what is happening.
• Limits understanding among the people.
• Time is wasted because with poor communication what is
to be done is not accomplished fast enough.
• Causes roomers and giving of the information the other
way round.
• Makes the community not to do what should have been
done.
• It is very disappointing to the community.
 Problems and Discussion
• Being a WUC member is a mostly a voluntary
position working for the community though
there can be alternative arrangements Example
of situation:-
• where the WUC wanted to keep the money
from the WUC garden as their compensation for
the work
• this is fine as long as the community agrees to
it
 II- ACCOUNTANCY
• Accountancy – is needed to keep an accurate
check on the accounts (income and
expenditures) of the community water point.
• And then give this Simple example – i.e. let
them do the calculations out loud and you
write them on the white board:
 Income/Savings of the Water point

If the borehole has 50 households.

For the maintenance and repairs - Each pays 1 SDG
per month for unlimited number of jerry cans.
Borehole gets 50 SDG per month.
In 1 year, the community has saved 50 x 12 = 600
SDG
In 2 years, the community has saved 600 x 2 =
1,200 SDG
 Income/Savings of the Water point

• Expenses of the Water point.

• Repairs are required on average every 2 years
> replacement of the Pump head and pipes –
this costs about 1,200 SDG .
• But then borehole is in good working
condition for another 2 years
 Income/Savings of the Water point
• For such a small amount of regular savings –
which is easily affordable by all households who
are using the water point, the whole community
will immediately be able to repair and keep
having safe protected water!!!!!!!
 Income and Sources of Income
Users’ monthly collection.
Income generation activities.
 Well wishers.
 Household Contributions
Month:-
S/N Date Household Amount Signature of Signature
Name paid householder of WUC
Income/Savings of the Water point
• Interest from the bank.
• Allocation from the village/local government
(sub county) if available.
 WUC Accounts
Date Item Amount In Amount out Balance Signature of WUC
1. General maintenance Overview
Keeping boreholes clean and well maintained.
Due respect must be given to the caretaker.
 Indiscriminate human and animal wastes
disposal around the water points are not allowed
Nobody should fight or quarrel at the water point
All water containers should be washed and placed
in line in order
Person should not bang the pump
1. General maintenance Overview
• Persons should not wash themselves at the
borehole
• Any person who fails to follow the guidelines
will be disciplined by the WUC
 2. Strategy of maintenance
• Maintenance of water points have to consider
the followings:-
Availability of funds
Technical person in the maintenance (Pump
Mechanic)
Availability of the Pump spare part store
Consistent reporting of the mechanical
problems.
 3. Important areas to consider in
maintenance
• Environment of the water point (Fence,
diversal channels (drain), soak pits, compound
etc)
• Slab, drainage, slab Protection Bricks
• Pump parts
 4. Discussion
• Maintenance of the water point is the
responsibility of the WUC, local authorities
and the beneficiary. Discuss.
Cleaning and maintenance to ensure
sustainable infrastructure
Cleaning and maintenance to ensure
sustainable infrastructure
Cleaning and maintenance to ensure
sustainable infrastructure