A comprehensive index to assess the sustainability of water and sanitation management systems

Abstract

A comprehensive sustainability index for the assessment of water and sanitation management systems (WSMS) is presented. The index was based on a conceptual framework that perceives sustainability as a combination of territorial, temporal, and personal aspects. A set of sustainability indicators was selected in agreement within this framework, and the ‘Water and Sanitation Sustainability Index’ (WASSI) was built. The WASSI was used to assess the sustainability of the WSMS of the city of Salta, Argentina. Indicators were calculated from information gathered by several means including literature reviews, questionnaires, visits, and participatory workshops. The index was sensitive to detect variations between different aspects of the local WSMS. It was also relatively independent to the quantity and quality of the information available. The WASSI could be a useful tool to assess and improve sustainability of water and sanitation throughout the management systems.

From Indicators to Policies: Open Sustainability Assessment in the Water and Sanitation Sector

“…The city of Salta (SAL) obtained a slightly lower value (36) than in a previous assessment (41) (see [23]), due to adjustments in some variables (relative water costs, excess consumption, and untreated sewage).…”

“…The values of other indicators, like coverage, were very low in all cities (Table 3, line 8, columns C through F). This indicator was based on the provision of sewage services in critical areas of each city [23]. Indicators included in descriptor access (costs, information, and rights) ( Table 3, lines 9, 10, and 11) are relatively independent of the location, since they are related to national and provincial policies (such as the minimum wage, water cost per cubic meter, information shared through the company's web site, and the minimum water allowance provided for free per household).…”

“…The water and sanitation sustainability index (WASSI) was developed as a tool to support governance processes for more sustainable water management [23,40]. The WASSI was built on the five-dimensional sustainability concept proposed by Seghezzo [11].…”

“…Due to space limitations, a detailed description of all calculations is not feasible in this paper. More details about the calculation of indicators and variables can be found in Iribarnegaray et al [23] and Iribarnegaray and Seghezzo [40] Information needed to estimate indicators and variables was updated to December 2014.…”

“…Sustainability indicators have been proposed to evaluate the performance and quality of Water and Sanitation Management Systems (WSMS) [20][21][22][23][24][25]. Such assessments are greatly needed to ensure the provision and sustainable management of water and sanitation, as per Goal Six of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations [26].…”