Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Policy

NIGER STATE WASH POLICY 1 | P a g e Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 41 | P a g e The aim of internal management reform of institutions is to ensure financial viability Institutions must deliver reliable services and ensure financial viability for economic base improvement. This activity is important in gaining access to market finance. And the proposed institutional arrangement Based on findings from baseline survey and engagement with WASH sector players including Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’)................................................. 6 Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation, Niger State Regulatory Commission, Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency ........... 6 1.0 Country Background ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 2.0 State Background .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Situation Analysis of Water and Sanitation Sector .................................................................................................. 9 2.1.1 Present Institutional Arrangement ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 Water Supply Facility in the State ......................................................................................................................10 2.1.3 Urban Water Supply..............................................................................................................................................10 2.1.4 Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation ......................................................................................................10 2.1.5 Rural Water Supply ...............................................................................................................................................10 2.1.6 Sanitation facilities in Niger State .......................................................................................................................10 2.1.7 Water Supply and Sanitation Coverage ............................................................................................................11 2.1.8 Challenges in Water and Sanitation Sector .....................................................................................................11 3.0 Policy Framework ........................................................................................................................................................12 3.1 Policy Purpose and Impetus .........................................................................................................................................12 3.2 Policy Goals .....................................................................................................................................................................12 3.3 Policy Objectives ............................................................................................................................................................12 3.4 Policy Vision Statement ............................................................................................................................121 | P a g e 3.5 Policy Mission Statement ..............................................................................................................................................13 3.6 Justification for policy Review initiative ....................................................................................................................13 3.7 Policy Strategy .................................................................................................................................................................13 3.7.1 In order to meet the level of socio-economic demand of the State, ........................................................13 it is important to increase service coverage for Water Supply and Sanitation ................................................13 3.7.2 To ensure Good Water Quality Standards are maintained by water supply .........................................14 3.7.3 The Niger State Government will ensure affordability of Water Supply and .........................................14 Sanitation Service for the people of the State by: ....................................................................................................14 3.7.4 Niger State Government will guarantee affordable access for the poor to ............................................14 3.7.5 The Government of Niger State will enhance the capacity of sector operators in the State in the operation and management of water supply and .....................................................................................................15 3.7.6 The Government of Niger State shall corporatize water supply and wastewater ................................15 services with adequate protection for the poor ......................................................................................................15 2 | P a g e 3.7.7 The Government of Niger State shall monitor the performance of the water ..................................15 supply and sanitation sector ..........................................................................................................................................15 3.7.8 The Government of Niger State shall put in place necessary legislations, ..............................................16 regulations, standards and laws for Water Supply and Sanitation .......................................................................16 3.7.9 The Niger State Government shall undertake the reform of the Water Supply ..............................16 and Sanitation Sector .......................................................................................................................................................16 3.8 Policy Target ....................................................................................................................................................................17 3.8.1 Water and Sanitation facilities Standard ...........................................................................................................17 Table 1 Niger State Targets for Water Supply coverage .......................................................................................17 Table 2 Niger State Targets for Water Sanitation coverage .................................................................................17 Table 3 Water Consumption Standard ......................................................................................................................17 3.8.2 Water and Sanitation facilities standards: ........................................................................................................18 3.8.2 Water Supply Coverage Targets ........................................................................................................................18 3.8.3 Sanitation Coverage Targets ...............................................................................................................................18 3.8.4 Sewage/Sludge Management ............................................................................................................................18 3.8.5 Common Principles ...........................................................................................................................................19 3.8.8 Components of the Policy ...................................................................................................................................19 3.8.9 Hygiene Promotion and Education ....................................................................................................................19 3.8.10 Sanitation................................................................................................................................................................20 3.8.11 Urban and Small Towns Water Supply ..........................................................................................................21 3.8.12 Rural Water Supply .............................................................................................................................................22 3.9 Fundamental Principles .................................................................................................................................................23 4.0 Funding of Water Supply and Sanitation ................................................................................................................23 Table 4 Capital Projects ..................................................................................................................................................23 4.1 Operating Costs ........................................................................................................................................................23 4.2 Cost Recovery ................................................................................................................................................................24 4.3 Tariff Structure ...............................................................................................................................................................24 4.4 Conditions of Service ....................................................................................................................................................24 5.0 Critical Issues for Policy Intervention ....................................................................................................................24 5.1 Separation of Functions ................................................................................................................................................24 5.2 Regulation of Water Supply .........................................................................................................................................25 5.3 Sector Coordination......................................................................................................................................................25 5.4 Integration of Water Supply, Hygiene Promotion and Sanitation in LGAs .....................................................25 5.5 Establishment of Department of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation ...............................................................25 5.6 Gender Integration and Social Inclusion (GISI) .......................................................................................................25 5.7 Tariff Policy ......................................................................................................................................................................26 5.8 Corporatization of Urban Water Supply .................................................................................................................26 3 | P a g e 5.9 Ownership of Water Supply Facilities in Small Towns and Rural Areas ..........................................................26 5.10 Integrated Water Resources Management ............................................................................................................26 5.11 Sewage and Excreta Management ............................................................................................................................26 5.12 School Sanitation ..........................................................................................................................................................26 5.13 WASHCOM and Water Consumers’ Association ..............................................................................................26 5.14 Monitoring and Evaluation .........................................................................................................................................26 5.15 Review of Existing Laws on Water and Sanitation ..............................................................................................27 5.16 Water Quality ...............................................................................................................................................................27 5.17 Human Resource Development ...............................................................................................................................27 5.18 Research and Development ......................................................................................................................................27 6.0 Institutional Arrangements ...............................................................................................................................................27 6.1 Current Status ................................................................................................................................................................27 Ministry of Water Resources and Dam development .................................................................................................28 Niger State Water Board (with small town water supply and sanitation as a department) ..............................28 Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency .............................................................................................28 Table 5 Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (MWR&DD) .................................................28 Table 6 Niger State Water Board (NSWB) ..............................................................................................................28 Fig 2. Map of Niger State Showing Bi-water Station ................................................................................................30 Table 7: Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RUWATSAN)) ........................................................30 6.2 Aim for Institutional Reform .......................................................................................................................................31 6.3 Proposed Wash Institutional Arrangement with Roles And Responsibilities .................................................31 6.3.1 Functions Under the Ongoing Reforms of The Sector ................................................................................31 Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’) ..........32 Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation ................................................................................................................32 Niger State Regulatory Commission ...........................................................................................................................32 Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency ...........................................................................32 Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency .........................................................................................32 Table 8: Niger State Proposed Institutional arrangement ......................................................................................32 Table 9 showing allied WASH sub sector arrangement .........................................................................................36 Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) ...........................................................................................37 7.0 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................39 Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’) ..........40 Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation (Inclusion of Asset Management and Sanitation Department to handle Sewege) ......................................................................................................................................................................40 Niger State Regulatory Commission ...........................................................................................................................40 Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency ...........................................................................40 Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency .........................................................................................40 4 | P a g e Executive Summary Following the adoption of the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the Niger State Government received support from UNICEF towards the domestication of the National Policy on Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS. The development of Niger State Policy recognized the need for the process to be participatory and to give ample space for dialogue by stakeholders thus setting the stage for analysis of current situation in the sector and identification of critical issues for policy intervention. A Policy Development Committee comprising of stakeholders from government institutions, private sector, external support agencies and civil society was constituted by the State Government to support the process and to enhance ownership of the outcome. For Niger State Urban Water utility (NSWB) to become financially viable, professionally and commercially oriented and to strengthen the institutional, policy, legal and regulatory framework. E-WASH provided technical support to update the Policy to incorporate some missing gaps identified during baseline findings to promote global best practices. The critical issues in the water and sanitation sector for policy intervention are as follows: Separation of Functions The Niger State Government shall adopt the principle of separation of functions with respect to policy coordination and formulation, service delivery and service regulation. The Ministry of Water Resources will take charge of policy formulation and coordination, The ministry shall be engaged in planning and designing of new water supply and sanitation projects in collaboration with the implementation Agencies, while the implementation of new water supply and sanitation projects, the running of which shall be done by state water Agencies after completion. The agencies of Government that are responsible for service delivery in the sector shall not be involved in service regulation. An independent and autonomous body shall take the responsibility of regulating (Regulator) water supply and sanitation activities in the sector. Regulation of Water Supply Water is a basic human need as it is an economic good. A regulatory intervention with a transparent Tariff Policy is required to ensure that safe water is available at an affordable cost. Other functions will include enforcement of statutory water quality obligations; promotion of private sector participation; protection of customers from poor service delivery and insulation of service providers from political interference. The Government of Niger State shall set up a regulatory body that will be responsible for implementing regulatory intervention in the State. Sector Coordination To enhance the coordination of water supply and sanitation activities in the State, the Government of Niger State shall set up Water Supply and Sanitation Committee comprising of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources as the Chairperson, heads of all Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies, representative of Urban Development Board, representatives of Federal Government Agencies on water and sanitation in the State, representatives of External Support Agencies with mandate on water and sanitation as well as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The Ministry of Water Resources shall serve as the secretariat for the Coordinating Committee. The Committee shall meet on a quarterly basis or as determined by the Ministry and shall be responsible for harmonizing all activities in the sector and over sighting policy implementation. The Committee shall present a quarterly report on progress made in the sector with respect to service delivery targets at Stakeholders’ forum that will be organized by the Ministry once in a quarter. The Committee shall report to the Commissioner of Water Resources. Integration of Water Supply, Hygiene Promotion and Sanitation The Government of Niger State shall adopt, as a matter of policy, the integration of water supply, hygiene promotion and sanitation to derive maximum health benefit for its people from investments in water supply in the State. Consequently, all water supply Agencies in the State shall have hygiene promotion and sanitation components in full operation. In addition, hygiene promotion and sanitation shall be mainstreamed in all water supply projects in the State. Establishment of Department of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation 5 | P a g e To enhance the integration of hygiene promotion, sanitation and water supply as well as the coordination of its activities at the third tier of Government. The Niger State Government shall assist each LGA to set up a Department of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation and provide training and technical support to them. Gender Integration and Social Inclusion (GISI) Policy framework Policy Goal The goal of Niger State Water and Sanitation policy is to provide access to safe water and sanitary means of excreta disposal with hygiene education to all the people in the State at an affordable cost in a sustainable manner by the year 2030 through joint investments by the three tiers of Governments, private sector, communities and external support agencies. Policy Target In line with the policy vision, goals and objectives, Niger State shall strive to achieve the following State wide targets for water supply coverage by the year 2018 (61%), 2022 (70%) , 2014 (80%) and 2030 (90%) and sanitation coverage by the year 2018 (60%), 2022 (70%) , 2014 (80%) and 2030 (90%) respectively. Tariff Policy In recognition of the right of every person in the State to safe water and sanitation services as well as the need to run a sustainable water supply and sanitation system, the Government of Niger State shall ensure that the Tariff Policy provides cross subsidy to accommodate the basic need for the poor. The Tariff Policy shall take into consideration consumers’ interest, investors’ interest, and cost of production and financial integrity of the Water Supply Agency. Corporatization of Urban Water Supply With respect to urban water supply and sanitation, the Niger State Government shall adopt the policy on corporatization to ensure that the concerned agencies run as business entities without having to depend on subvention from the government to replace existing facilities and to do operation and maintenance. The State Water and Sewage Corporation shall recover cost of operation and maintenance by adopting appropriate Tariff Policy that is subject to endorsement by the State Regulatory Commission. Ownership of Water Supply Facilities in Small Towns and Rural Areas. Sewage and Excreta Management Niger State Government shall ensure the implementation of guidelines on sewage and excreta management in conjunction with communities, LGAs and private sector by enacting bye laws and establishing sanctions and enforcement mechanisms. School Sanitation The Government of Niger State shall implement the guidelines on school sanitation in conjunction with LGA and school authorities and enact relevant laws to enforce compliance. WASHCOM and Water Consumers’ Association Formation of Water Consumers’ Association in Small Towns and Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committee/Ward Development Committee in rural areas with necessary capacity building arrangements shall be promoted by the Niger State Government to enhance management and ownership of water supply facilities by communities. Funding of Water and Sanitation services The Federal, State, Local Government and beneficiary communities shall share cost of capital investment in water supply and wastewater projects. The funds shall be raised through budgetary allocation, loans from financial institutions, raising bonds, contribution from communities by rates and levies, as well as internal and external loans from banks. Communities in rural areas and Small Towns shall contribute 5% of the cost of water supply and sanitation facilities as a condition for ownership of the facilities. Water consumers in urban areas shall make no contribution to capital investment in water supply and sanitation. Apart from the two cases mentioned the three tiers of Government shall share the cost of capital investment in water supply and sanitation. Institutional Reform 6 | P a g e The aim of internal management reform of institutions is to ensure financial viability Institutions must deliver reliable services and ensure financial viability for economic base improvement. This activity is important in gaining access to market finance. And the proposed institutional arrangement Based on findings from baseline survey and engagement with WASH sector players including Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’) Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation, Niger State Regulatory Commission, Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency as a way forward for efficiency effective service delivery in the State Monitoring and Evaluation The State Government shall develop framework for monitoring and evaluation that encompasses monitoring of water supply and sanitation coverage and evaluation of service delivery. The M&E division or unit in the Ministry of Water Resources shall be empowered to develop formats for monitoring and data collection system and undertake systematic M&E work. The State shall maintain a monitoring network for urban, Small Towns and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation systems. Community participation in M&E shall be promoted. The State shall maintain a water supply and sanitation database based on the national framework for monitoring and evaluation. Review of Existing Laws on Water and Sanitation. Review of existing laws and edicts is critical for the actualization of the sector reform agenda. In this regard, the Niger State Government through relevant department in the Ministry of Justice shall undertake a review of all existing laws and edicts in the State on water supply and sanitation and ensure that they are in line with policy objectives and focus by making amendments and enacting new laws where necessary. Water Quality. Water quality is important for safeguarding the health of the people of Niger State. In view of this, the Niger State Government shall adopt the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) in Nigeria and ensure that all water supply systems in the State meet or exceeds safe water standards as prescribed by the Water Regulatory Commission. The commission shall liaise with the Ministry of Health with respect to setting and certification of water quality standard. Compliance will be achieved through regular monitoring of supplies and closing of facilities that fail to meet the standards. The Water Regulatory Commission shall determine the frequency of water quality testing and designate the centres where testing will be done. Quality of water shall be monitored on a regular basis in accordance with the procedure developed by the commission. Human Resource Development The Niger State Government shall devote at least 5% of annual personnel and overhead cost for water supply to human resource development at State, Local Government and communities. The Government shall liaise with the National Water Resources Institute and other training institutions in water and sanitation to assess human resource requirement for optimum performance and arrange appropriate capacity building interventions. Research and Development The Niger State Government in conjunction with stakeholders in the sector shall identify critical issues for research and development in the State and work with the National Water Research Institute and other relevant research Organizations to develop appropriate technologies. Issues for research and development may include suitable technologies for groundwater resource evaluation, rainwater catchments, low cost surface water treatment, human excreta disposal and hygiene improvement models. Emphasis shall be given to local innovations in water supply and sanitation management. 1.0 Country Background The Millennium Declaration provided the framework for the global achievement of sustainable development particularly in developing countries including Nigeria. As a party to the Millennium Declaration, Nigeria was committed to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 7 | P a g e The Goals which were expected to be achieved by 2015 have expired and have now been replaced with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are new, universal set of goals, targets, and indicators, the United Nations member states are expected to use the SDGs to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years. The SDGs follow, and expand on, the SDGs, and are expected to be achieved by 2030. They include ending poverty in all its forms everywhere, ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture; ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all people of all ages, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all, achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls, ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation; reduce inequality within and among countries; make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable; ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns; take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development; protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss; promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. SDGs No. 6 on water and sanitation underpins the achievement of most of the other SDGS. There can hardly be substantial human development without availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. The water and sanitation sector need to be the driving force to end poverty by the government One of the contributions of Water and Sanitation to human development is improvement on health. In addition, access to basic sanitation provides greater privacy, convenience, safety and dignity. Consequently, the Federal Government of Nigeria has identified water and sanitation as the most important basic need of man. The rate of delivery of water and sanitation services lags rapid population growth. It is estimated that about 50% of the 120 million people in the country do not have access to safe water while 53% of the population do not have access to basic sanitation. The responsibility for provision of water supply and sanitation services is shared by the Federal, State and Local Governments. However, the 1999 constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria declares that the Federal Government is responsible for the management of national water resources as well as formulation and implementation of policies in the sector. The absence of policy has been recognized as one of the weaknesses of water and sanitation sector. In the year 2000 the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources produced the National Policy on water and sanitation. The policy is aimed at providing sufficient water to all Nigerians in a sustainable and affordable manner through participatory investments by the three tiers of Government, the private sector and the local communities. The policy makes the supply of adequate water supply and sanitation a right of all Nigerians. It recognizes water as a social and economic good and the need for State Water Agencies to operate based on business principles. The policy stresses the need for reform, private sector participation and special requirements of women and the poor. In addition, the need to link improved sanitation to water supply is also identified in the policy. In the small towns water and sanitation sub-sector the policy of Government is decentralization and ownership of management of water supply to attract community participation and support by the private sector. In rural areas the focus of the policy is on increasing the sharing of ownership and management by communities and local governments, with communities taking responsibilities for operations and maintenance. With respect to water resources management, the focus of the Government is the 8 | P a g e management of water resources in an integrated and sustainable manner with the involvement of all stakeholders to ensure integrated management and development of the national water resources. Following the adoption of the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, all State Governments are expected to develop State Water Supply and Sanitation policy. The Niger State Government has received support from UNICEF towards the domestication of the National Policy on Water Supply and Sanitation. The development of Niger State policy recognized the need for the process to be participatory and to give ample space for dialogue by stakeholders thus setting the stage for analysis of current situation in the sector and identification of critical issues for policy intervention. A policy development committee comprising of stakeholders from government institutions, private sector, External Support Agencies and Civil Society was constituted by the State government to support the process and to enhance ownership of the outcome 2.0 State Background Niger State was created from the then North Western State on 3rd February 1976 by the then regime of General Murtala Mohammed. It has its capital in Minna. Other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, Suleja and New Bussa. It is located in the Middle Belt of Nigeria; Niger State covers 76,363 square kilometers (NigeriaGalleria, 2017). The State lies on latitude 8o to 11o30’ North and Longitude 03o 30’ to 07o 40’ East. The State is bordered to the North by Zamfara State, West by Kebbi State, South by Kogi State, South West by Kwara State, North-East by Kaduna State and South East by FCT. The State also has an International Boundary with the Republic of Benin along Agwara and Borgu LGAs to the North West. See Figure 1 Location map of Niger state Nigeria. Niger state has 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) See Figure 2 Location Map of 25 LGAs in Niger state. The major rivers in the State include Niger, Kaduna, Gbako, Eko, Gurara, Ebba, Ega, Mariga and their tributaries (Niger State Water Board, 2017). The 1991 population census indicates Niger State with a population of 1,194,508. The 2006 population and Housing census put the State Population at 3.950,249. The State projected population as at 2016 is 5,556,200 while Minna the State Capital is estimated at 299,373 in 2018 (Niger State Bureau of Statistics, 2012) For new construction works the State Water Board depends on State Government funds and funds from external support agencies which are channeled through the Federal and State Governments. Currently the Board is not able to satisfy the existing demand for safe water in its jurisdiction. This is putting more pressure on women and children particularly the girl child who are largely responsible for fetching water in many households. The failure of the NSWB to meet the demand of the people for safe water has created a niche for water vendors whose charges are many times more than what is obtainable with the public utility. NSWB has a good number of professional staff including engineers, geologists, chemists, accountants and administrators. The department of Small Towns Water Supply is under the NWSB and is responsible for water supply to small towns in the State. The Coordinator of the Small Towns Water Supply reports to the General Manager of the NSWB. 9 | P a g e Fig 1. Map of Niger State showing LGAs 2.1 Situation Analysis of Water and Sanitation Sector 2.1.1 Present Institutional Arrangement The Federal, State and Local Governments share responsibility for the provision of safe water in Niger State. The Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) is the focal agency of the Federal Government for water supply. It is the national agency for water resources development and policy formulation. It also undertakes direct implementation of water projects at the State level of Niger State through the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs), Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority and Federal constituency Projects water supply. In most cases the projects implemented by the Federal agencies were done without consultation with the State agencies thus making coordination of activities in the sector very difficult. The National Water Resources Institute (NWRI) was established in 1985 and is responsible to the FMWR for research and training in water resources. The absence of an independent regulator is considered a major weakness of the sector. The Niger State Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) is the focal agency of Government for water supply to the people. It is the overall policy making organ and is also responsible for coordinating all activities for water supply. In practice there is weak coordination of water supply activities in the State. The two major implementation agencies under the MWR are Niger State Water Board and Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency. The State Water Board has a Department that is responsible for water supply in small towns. The Niger State Water Board (NSWB) was established by an edict in 1976 to provide safe water to the populace in Niger State. It has a Board of Directors that is responsible for general oversight of its activities and a General Manager is the Chief Executive Officer. The Board has partial autonomy with respect to appointment of staff, staff salaries, staff discipline and promotion, budget for operations and maintenance and revenue generation for water tariff. Although the edict establishing the NWSB provides that it operates as an autonomous entity, in practice it is operating more like a government agency that is closely 10 | P a g e integrated in the civil service. NSWB depends largely on subvention from the State Government to carry out its operations. Total revenue can be as low as 4% of its operating cost. NSWB cannot charge appropriate tariff to cover costs due to political restrictions and ineffective service delivery. 2.1.2 Water Supply Facility in the State There are 4,852 water supply facilities in the State comprising of 105 motorized boreholes, 4732 hand- pump boreholes and 15 surface water schemes. About 35% of the motorized boreholes and hand-pump boreholes are not functional while 30 % of the surface schemes are not functional. The motorized and hand-pump boreholes are handed over by RUWATSAN to the local communities for operation and maintenance. Of the 4,732 hand operated boreholes in the State. 2412 or 51% were provided by the State Government. The Federal Government provided 898 or 19% while the Local Government supplied 709 or 15% of the total number. About 523 or 11% of the facilities were provided by donors and philanthropists. Only 4% or 189 of the water facilities came from the communities 2.1.3 Urban Water Supply Urban towns are those towns with a population of more than 20,000 people in a single settlement. The people in the urban areas constitute 19% of the population in the State. Urban water supply is derived from surface water schemes, and sometimes motorized boreholes. The Niger State Water State Water Board operates and manages surface water supply with full treatment within the Urban area, the municipal water supply schemes consist of water treatment plants, dams, transmission pipelines, distribution pipelines, service reservoir / tanks, buster station and other pumping stations The Agency responsible for urban water supply in the State is the Niger State Water Board (established by Edict 1976 No 6). Out of the 62 water schemes 5 are urban located in Minna, Suleja, Bida, Kontagora and New Bussa, All the water schemes have varying degrees of constraints that includes poor maintenance, unreliable power supply and dilapidated equipment among many others. This agency is mostly funded through the State Government Budgetary allocation and a low internally generated fund. The revenue generated by the agency is presently low and does not rarely cover its operations and maintenance expenses, collection mechanisms. 2.1.4 Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation A small town is a town with a population ranging between 5,000 and 20,000 in a single settlement. About 12% of the people in the State reside in small towns. Water supply for small towns is obtained from boreholes and surface water. In the case of boreholes, with overhead tanks and adjoining standpipes partial treatment and limited reticulation are employed while for the surface water full treatment is employed and managed by the NSWB. The motorized boreholes are managed by RUWATSAN while the ownership and management of hand-pump boreholes has been transferred to the local communities. 2.1.5 Rural Water Supply A rural settlement has less than 5,000 people. The people in rural areas make up about 69% of the population of the State. Rural water supply is obtained from hand pump operated boreholes and motorized boreholes. These boreholes are provided largely by the Federal, State and Local Government agencies as well as external support agencies and philanthropists. Poor power supply, low availability of spares and equipment, poor of funding and lack of revenue base are major challenges of the schemes. Power, poor funding and lack of revenue base are major challenges of the schemes. 2.1.6 Sanitation facilities in Niger State The State and Local Governments are mainly responsible for provision of public sanitation facilities in the State. The State Government operates through the Ministry of Environment while the Local Government 11 | P a g e operates through its Health and Works Departments. Individual households are responsible for household sanitation facilities. Donor agencies, philanthropists and the private sector also support public sanitation. Donor agencies are the major provider of public sanitation facilities followed by the Local Government and the Federal Government. Public sanitation facilities are commonly found in motor parks, markets and other public places. A survey on public sanitation shows that there are 52 public sanitation facilities in the State of which only 49 are functional. The most prominent public sanitation facility in the State is Simple Pit Latrine followed by Improved Pit Latrine and VIP Latrine. The facilities are managed by motor park associations, traders’ associations Lack of water supply inadequate facilities and vandalization are major issues contending against the use of public sanitation facilities. With respect to urban and small towns sanitation there is clear cut separation of responsibility for solid waste management and excreta and wastewater management. The edict establishing Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) and RUWATSAN affirms that the former is responsible for solid waste management in the State while the latter takes responsibility for excreta and wastewater disposal in rural households. Currently water supply and sanitation are poorly integrated especially in urban and small towns settlements. The Niger State Water Supply and Sewage Corporation shall manage liquid waste within the Urban areas while the Small Towns Agency shall consider human waste disposal and its effect on safe water supply in their operations. The national policy on water supply and sanitation links sanitation development to water supply under the Ministry of Water Resources. 2.1.7 Water Supply and Sanitation Coverage With a population of 4.5 million the water supply coverage in Niger State is estimated at 61% while the sanitation coverage is about 60%1 meaning that 1.5 million people are yet to have access to safe water and sanitary means of excreta disposal. Women and female children are more involved in fetching water for household use. Consequently, the effects of lack of water are more pronounced on the female population. The State Government is intensifying efforts at expanding access to safe water in the next four (4) years by the State Water Supply and Sewage Corporation through construction of new water treatment plants and rehabilitation of old water works in several urban centres, drilling of 4,000 hand pump boreholes and 195 motorized boreholes, In the sanitation sub-sector the State Government will plan to provide Fecal Sludge treatment plants to handle liquid wastes in Urban Centers and will also plan to provide 50 public sanitation facilities that will be managed by the private sector2. 2.1.8 Challenges in Water and Sanitation Sector Water availability is considered as one of the serious problems by communities in the State. Unprotected hand dug well is the most important source of drinking water for majority of households. The State and the Local Governments are the major providers of water sources. Though the State Government is making efforts to expand access to safe water and sanitary means of excreta disposal the situation analysis of the sector shows that the challenges are not limited to infrastructure alone. Currently there is a weak coordination of water supply and sanitation activities in the State coupled with policy formulation and implementation disengagement. In some cases, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders are not clear. Absence of state-wide investment plan has made it difficult for an informed and appropriate budgetary provision to be made for the sector. Monitoring and evaluation arrangement are irregular and unsystematic leading to lack of baseline data for planning. Management Information System is almost non- existent in the sector. It is very difficult to get consolidated data on water supply and sanitation activities 1 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2007, National Bureau of Statistics 2 Development Action Plan for Niger State 12 | P a g e in the State. Sanitation promotion is low as there is still an appreciable level of ignorance on health hazards induced by poor sanitation. The absence of water and sanitation departments in LGAs impacts negatively on service delivery in rural areas. There is inadequate manpower development in the sector. The development of water and sanitation policy for the State provides a strategic platform for the challenges in the sector to be addressed holistically for improved and sustainable performance. 3.0 Policy Framework 3.1 Policy Purpose and Impetus The Niger State Water and Sanitation Policy is directed towards achieving sustainable growth and development of the water and sanitation sector in the State. The policy takes into cognizance the over-hierarchal role of water to the economy of any place and therefore provide opportunities for stakeholders to seek, explore and pursue the desired reform processes for improved Water and Sanitation service delivery in Niger State within the context of the National Water and Sanitation Policy. The framework and path provided by this policy will without doubt ensure sustainable development, operation and management of Water and Sanitation service delivery in Niger State. 3.2 Policy Goals The goal of Niger State Water and Sanitation policy is to provide access to safe water and sanitary means of excreta disposal with hygiene education to all the people in the State at an affordable cost in a sustainable manner by the year 2030 through joint investments by the three tiers of Governments, private sector, communities and external support agencies. 3.3 Policy Objectives The Government of Niger State is committed to the achievement of the following objectives with a view to making the goal of the water and sanitation policy a reality. a) Increase service coverage for water supply and sanitation in the State to meet the level of socio- economic demand of the people; b) Ensure good water quality standards are maintained by water supply undertakings; c) To provide guide and direction in institutional, economic and legal reforms that will lead to d) improved water governance at all levels throughout the State. e) Ensure affordability of water supply and sanitation services for the people; f) Guarantee affordable access for the poor to the basic human need level of water supply and sanitation services; g) Enhance capacity of sector agencies in the operation and management of water supply and sanitation undertakings; h) Corporatize water supply and wastewater services with adequate protection for the poor; i) Monitor the performance of the sector for sound policy adjustment and development for water supply and sanitation; j) Legislations, regulations and standards for water supply and sanitation; and k) Reform of the water supply and sanitation sector to attain and maintain internationally acceptable standards. 3.4 Policy Vision Statement To the best State Water and Sanitation Sector in Nigeria in terms of supply of portable water for domestic, industrial, Agricultural and recreational purposes and provision of sanitation facilities 13 | P a g e 3.5 Policy Mission Statement To plan, develop, construct and maintain all water and sanitation facilities in Niger State to provide equitable distribution of acceptable, available, accessible and affordable best drinking water and adequate sanitation in Niger 3.6 Justification for policy Review initiative Prior to this Policy review initiative, Niger State have an approved Water and Sanitation Policy which does not comprehensively address and provided solutions to the challenges that had confronted the Water and Sanitation sector in the State in past years. Consequently, the need was identified for a comprehensive Water and Sanitation Policy for the State that will guide the process of reforms to improve the water and sanitation services in a sustainable way in the State. Similarly, it is necessary to domesticate the National Water and Sanitation Policy. Consequently, a Niger State Water and Sanitation Policy is put forward to address common issues and problems confronting the sector, which include lack of direction defining the strategic aims of the sector, weak institutional and regulatory framework for administration and service delivery, limited mandate for Local Government WASH Units or Departments. There is also poor maintenance culture for existing facilities, absence of a deliberate policy toward addressing the peculiarities of water and sanitation challenges in the riverine and coastal communities, high operating and maintenance costs, inadequate human resource and capacity, weak sector coordination, inadequate funding, Niger State Water and Sanitation Policy Poor revenue collection, inadequate and low investment in water infrastructure, limited private sector participation in the sector in the State. 3.7 Policy Strategy 3.7.1 In order to meet the level of socio-economic demand of the State, it is important to increase service coverage for Water Supply and Sanitation statewide. In this regards the Niger State Government shall: a) Undertake water supply and sanitation feasibility survey for all the Local Government Areas to acquire baseline data for proper investment planning. b) Rehabilitation and modernization of existing water supply works to restore them to their optimum operational capacity. c) Expansion of existing urban water supply works to enhance capacities to meet overgrown demand. d) Distribution network repair and renewal for all urban and Small Towns water supply schemes. e) Comprehensive metering of all water supply schemes from abstraction through distribution to consumer connections. f) Maintenance of strict plumbing standards and codes for all consumer property and premises. g) Ensure dedicated connections to the electricity utility facilities for water supply works and pump station. h) Solar driven pumps to be given highest priority where applicable in the rehabilitation and construction of borehole-based water supply systems particularly in the rural settings. i) Construction of new water supply schemes to serve the segments of the population that is not served. j) Promote improvement of traditional sources of community water supply (protected spring orifices, protected hand dug wells, rainwater harvest, etc.). k) Promote improvement of sanitation (domestic and human waste disposal) facilities especially in the urban and semi-urban areas. l) Promote construction of sewage system in urban areas. m) Provision of standard and modern equipment’s for the rural water sector to meet up present demands and population growth increase 14 | P a g e n) Rehabilitation and maintenance of existing equipment and facilities to avoid deuteriation of the sector o) Ensure that the State adopt a National demand to address present WASH crisis such as PEWASH and ODF strategic programs to ensure 100% Sanitation coverage by 2030 p) Capacity building and trainings q) Promote rehabilitation of all the boreholes across the State and trainings on Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) 3.7.2 To ensure Good Water Quality Standards are maintained by water supply undertakings the Niger State Government will: a) Adopt the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) as the baseline for the water quality in the State. b) Equip all the water works serving 5,000 citizens and above with a functional water quality laboratory of appropriate capacity. c) Establish and equip water quality laboratory as well as liaising with national water quality reference laboratories. d) Monitor and protect the quality of raw water sources for drinking. e) Monitor the output of water supply undertaking for conformity with drinking water quality standards. f) Protect traditional water supply source and promote traditional water quality practices. g) Monitor water quality in of boreholes in the State and Standardize the existing Laboratory in RUWATSAN 3.7.3 The Niger State Government will ensure affordability of Water Supply and Sanitation Service for the people of the State by: a) Pursuing water supply service cost reduction measures without compromising the quality of service. b) Institutionalizing improved management practice (financial management. Operation and maintenance abstraction and treatment techniques and control of water sources pollution) to keep the cost to the minimum. c) Institutionalizing efficiency improvement techniques among water supply and Sanitation undertakings to reduce cost. d) Subjecting all water supply undertakings to performance monitoring and evaluation program. e) Protecting the consumer from bearing the additional cost of the inefficiency of the water supply undertaking through appropriate tariff policy. f) Metering all consumers starting with industrial and commercial consumers to communal outlets down to domestic consumers. g) Providing cross subsidy through tariff policy to accommodate free supply of basic human needs level for the poor. h) Making sure that the time for the return on investment provides adequate comfort for the consumer. i) Promoting research and development of appropriate affordable and low-cost technologies for the disposal and recycling of all waste. j) Provide micro revolving credit to poor of poor for Sanitation facilities in the rural communities 3.7.4 Niger State Government will guarantee affordable access for the poor to basic human need Level of water supply and sanitation services by: a) Sponsoring capital investment for rural water supply with token community contribution to foster a sense of ownership thus ensuring sustainability. 15 | P a g e b) Transferring full ownership of water supply facilities provided by the government to the communities. c) Implementing cross subsidy to accommodate the needs of the urban poor. d) Subsidizing for the poor where cross subsidy is not applicable. 3.7.5 The Government of Niger State will enhance the capacity of sector operators in the State in the operation and management of water supply and sanitation undertakings by taking the following actions: a) Foreign water supply operators shall be encouraged to form joint ventures with Niger state. b) Local manufacturers of water supply equipment and treatment chemicals shall be promoted and patronized c) Government shall support Technology transfer arrangements for the local manufacturers of major water supply machinery and equipment (pumps, trunk main and distribution pipes, valves and meters). d) Provide technical support for capacity building at State and Local Government levels for the construction of excreta waste disposal facilities for Sanitation facilities. e) Encourage rapid human power development through adequate sponsorship of staff of water supply and sanitation agencies for training at relevant institutions such as NWRI, Universities, Polytechnic and Technical and Vocational Colleges. f) Establish water supply agencies to operate on commercial basis. Encourage and fund research, development and studies in water supply and sanitation. g) Government shall support Local Government Technologist to improve in Latrine construction and local producer Sanitary latrines shall be promoted to patronize for households in the rural communities. 3.7.6 The Government of Niger State shall corporatize water supply and wastewater services with adequate protection for the poor a) Creating the enabling environment for private operators to participate in water supply and wastewater services. b) Establishing a body that will be responsible for regulating the activities of water supply and wastewater undertakings in both public and private sectors. c) Promoting private sector participation in the water supply and sanitation industry to attract resources for lasting development of the sector. d) Formulating laws to regulate the activities of the private operators in the water supply and wastewater service to guarantee adequate protection of consumers as well as fairness to the service provider. 3.7.7 The Government of Niger State shall monitor the performance of the water supply and sanitation sector for sound policy adjustment and development a) Maintaining a state monitoring network for water and sanitation at State, Local Governments, and Communities b) Institutionalizing monitoring at state and local Governments; c) Promoting community participation in monitoring and evaluation; d) Maintaining a state water supply and sanitation database; and e) Ensuring feedback of information to promote proper planning and policy adjustment. 16 | P a g e 3.7.8 The Government of Niger State shall put in place necessary legislations, regulations, standards and laws for Water Supply and Sanitation the following actions: a) Develop standards on design procedure and material quality for water supply and sanitation services; b) Regular review of all legislations and laws relevant to water supply and sanitation to ensure that they meet modern day requirements for adequate water and sanitation delivery; and c) Implementation of the provisions of the policy. 3.7.9 The Niger State Government shall undertake the reform of the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector to attain and maintain internationally acceptable standards based on the following guiding principles: a) Water is an Economic Good: Universal and sustainable provision of water supply and sanitation services is possible only if water is recognized as an economic good, subject to the relation of supply and demand. Thus, people’s demand for water is a function of the price of water. Their willingness to pay for water is influenced by the level of service they desire and the quality of the service they receive (people will pay if services are good). As the price of water depends on the cost of systems, appropriate technologies that conform to consumers’ demands and willingness to pay should be adopted. Treating water as an economic good enhances financial viability, by ensuring that tariffs cover the costs of investments and operation and maintenance. b) Equity and Poverty Alleviation: The poor suffer the most from lack of access to services and often pay the most for water. Government subsidies to the sector have in the past benefited the rich disproportionately. In addition, Women bear an unfair burden, not only in performing household water tasks, but also in coping with water-borne disease in their families. Thus, reforms in the sector should aim to provide access to water and sanitation in an equitable manner, while balancing economic and social considerations. c) Autonomy of Water and Sanitation Services Providers: This principle recognizes that water supply and sanitation can be most efficiently and effectively delivered if service providers operate as businesses. As such, utilities, whether public or private, should be autonomous and free from political interference. While subject to appropriate economic and service quality regulation, utilities should have autonomy in their managerial, financial, technical and personnel functions. This principle promotes enterprises that operate along commercial lines and have the incentives to provide adequate services that respond to customer demands and expectations. Additional sources of finance are also possible when water enterprises are perceived to be viable commercial enterprises. d) Management at Lowest Appropriate Level: Water should be managed at the lowest appropriate level (appropriate being key and a function of the specific conditions in the concerned areas and communities). This principle promotes consumer appreciation for the value of water and sanitation investments. If local conditions and demand are considered in the planning, financing, implementing and operation of water supply and sanitation systems, the sense of ownership and willingness of communities to share in the cost and operations and maintenance will be greatly enhanced, thereby increasing the sustainability of the systems. Participation: Increasing the coverage and quality of services to ever growing populations will require the involvement of important segments of society that have been traditionally excluded. The private sector (operators, commercial banks, consultants), communities, as well as NGOs have a critical role to play in the planning, design, financing, implementation and 17 | P a g e operation of water supply and sanitation systems. Their potential for additional finance and technical expertise should be tapped. Other benefits inherent in participation are greater transparency, efficiency, accountability to the consumer, and self-sufficiency. e) Private partner collaboration cooperatives shall be engaged in an organize manner such that they duly registered and license by the regulatory bodies to adhere to standard and specification and abide by code of practice f) Policy Making and Regulatory Role of Government: This principle reaffirms the fundamental role of the State as a facilitator, setting macroeconomic and sector policies that create an enabling environment, ensuring coordination among stakeholders and overseeing the performance of utilities, to accomplish its social and economic development objectives. At the same time, it precludes its intervention in the actual delivery of services, which are more efficiently accomplished by autonomous entities, operating along commercial practices and enjoying incentives to perform efficiently and to increase coverage. This principle requires that the roles and responsibilities of government, utilities and other stakeholders be clearly spelt out 3.8 Policy Target 3.8.1 Water and Sanitation facilities Standard In line with the policy vision, goals and objectives, Niger State shall strive to achieve the following targets for water supply and sanitation coverage by the year 2018, 2022, 2014 and 2030 respectively. Table 1 Niger State Targets for Water Supply coverage Type of Settlement Access to safe water (%) 2018 2022 2024 2030 Urban 61% 80%% 90% 100% Small Towns 59% 62% 75% 88% Rural 52% 67% 87% 95% Statewide 61% 70% 80% 90% Table 2 Niger State Targets for Water Sanitation coverage Type of Settlement Access to improved sanitary disposal (%) 2018 2022 2024 2030 Urban 65 72 82 90 Small Towns 59 67 80 90 Rural 56 70 80 90 Statewide 60 70 80 90 The following consumption and WSS facility standards shall be assumed for planning purposes in Niger State. Table 3 Water Consumption Standard Type of Settlement Population size Consumption Standard Urban > 20,000 At least 100 litres per capita per day 18 | P a g e Small Town 5,000 - 20,000 At least 50 litres per capita per day Rural less than 5,000 At least 30 litres per capita per day Water Service points shall preferably be within 100 meters from the household and no more than 200 meters away; each water service point should accommodate a maximum of 250 people. The Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality shall be the minimum standard for monitoring and measuring water quality in the State. However, this Policy specifies that where necessary and applicable, Niger State shall develop any other state-specific standards in collaboration with Standards Organization of Nigeria when the need arises 3.8.2 Water and Sanitation facilities standards: This policy seeks to meet minimum standards as set below: · The minimum Standard for Sanitation facility for rural communities and small towns shall be improved latrine, with special focus on CLTS (Community Lead Total Sanitation) while that of an urban area shall be pour flush/ VIP Latrines 3.8.2 Water Supply Coverage Targets  All the people in urban areas have access to at least 100 litres per capita per day by the year 2030 with full reticulation and consumer premises connection.  All the people in Small Towns have access to at least 50 litres per capita per day by the year 2030.  All the people in rural areas have access to at least 30 litres per capita per day by the year 2030. 3.8.3 Sanitation Coverage Targets  Each household of 10 persons in urban area is expected to have access to safe sanitary facility of at least pour-flush toilet by the year 2030.- packaged with hand washing facilities  Each household of 10 persons in Small Towns is expected to have access to safe sanitary facility of at least Sanplat Latrine by the year 2030.- hand washing facilities  Each household of 10 persons in rural areas is expected to have access to safe sanitary facility of at least Simple Pit Latrine by the year 2030.- hand washing facilities  All institutions and public places shall have at least VIP latrines or pour-flush with hand washing and urinal facilities by the year 2030.  Each school with 40-50 persons is expected to have 1 sanitary latrine of at least pour flush or multi- compartment alternating VIP. Hand washing facilities  Each institution should provide for adequate handicap-laterines 3.8.4 Sewage/Sludge Management  Urban Area- Connection to central sewage system (where applicable), Water Closet with septic tank and soak away pit, Pour flush and decentralized sewage system  Small Towns- Water Closet with septic tank and soak away pit, Pour flush and decentralized sewage system  Rural areas -Ventilated Improved Pit Latrine 19 | P a g e 3.8.5 Common Principles Niger State water and sanitation policy is based on many of the principles that form part of international conventions. These include: a) Water is a finite and vulnerable resource, thus requiring an integrated approach to its management. b) Delivery of water services should be bottom-up and demand-driven as opposed to the present top-down and supply driven arrangement. c) Water development and management should be based on participatory approach involving users, planners, and policy makers at all levels. d) Women play a central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water, which should be reflected in effective participation at all levels. e) Attention must be paid to effective operation and maintenance to ensure sustainability. f) Emphasis should be placed on policy development, institutional reform, capacity building, and creation of an enabling legal environment. g) Water and land resources must be managed at the lowest appropriate levels. 3.8.8 Components of the Policy The Government of Niger State recognized that:  Isolated water supply interventions are not effective in the prevention of diseases.  Sanitation alone has a larger impact on health than does water alone.  Hygiene education, together with sanitation has more of an impact on the reduction of diarrhea than does water (because many of the causes of diarrhea are not water borne).  Improvements in the quality and quantity of water in communities continue to be important for public health, if implemented together with effective sanitation and hygiene education programme3 In view of the above the Niger State Government will pursue an integrated approach for the delivery of safe water and improved sanitation and hygiene services, targeting communities, health centres, schools and other public/private institutions in the State. The main components of water and sanitation policy therefore are hygiene promotion and education; sanitation; and water supply. 3.8.9 Hygiene Promotion and Education Hygiene Education can be regarded as all activities aimed at encouraging behaviour practices that help to prevent water and sanitation related diseases. Hygiene Promotion creates awareness such that people recognize and understand diseases as well as their causes and prevention. Hygiene promotion and education promotes the optimum use of safe water and sanitation facilities, in order to have the desired reduction in diseases. The advantage of safe water will easily be lost if water is not collected and handled in such a way as to prevent contamination before it is used. Moreover, latrines meant to help sanitation can become a continuous source of diseases when they are not used and cleaned properly. The potential benefits of water supply and sanitation projects can only be maximized when they go hand in hand with an effective hygiene promotion and education. Water supply even when combined with sanitation was found not to be effective for health improvement unless accompanied by hygiene promotion and education. In view of these the Government of Niger State shall take the following steps towards achieving sustainable hygiene promotion and education in the State: 3 National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program: A Strategic Framework 20 | P a g e a) Promoting health awareness and understanding which, in turn, will lead to environmental and behaviour improvements. b) Providing support that will enable people to overcome constraints to change. c) Involving all members of the communities – young and old, female and male, higher and lower status – using participatory processes. d) Assessing community knowledge base; investigating their own environmental situation, visualizing a future scenario with them, analyzing constraints to change, planning for change and finally implementing change. e) Work with other sector agencies such as Ministries of Education and Health and NGOs in the design and delivery of hygiene and health education services. f) Promoting the use of child-child approaches to hygiene and health education. g) Building the capacity of community institutions, particularly women groups, to lead the process of change at community level. h) Planning Monitoring and Evaluation i) Documentation of approaches used, and dissemination of experiences gained, and lessons learnt as part of the effort to evolving a more sustainable approach to behaviour change. j) Integrating Water Sanitation and Hygiene in the activities of each Local Government Area as a way of raising awareness and sensitizing communities on appropriate attitude towards sanitation and hygiene issues. k) Training of government and NGO personnel on effective communication skills, and participatory and social marketing methods/techniques for mobilizing community action and promoting behaviour change with respect to improved hygiene practices. l) Development, testing and provision of guidelines and materials on participatory hygiene promotion and education. m) Establishment of Environmental Health Clubs in schools or/ SBMB (School Based Management Board) and WASHCOM in communities 3.8.10 Sanitation The sanitation component will be limited to the disposal of human and management of human excreta. In this case access to sanitation here means the availability of a hygienic facility for human excreta disposal within a convenient distance from the user’s dwelling i.e. not too far away to discourage its use. The technology selected should give the community the highest service level that it is willing and able to pay and at the same time has capacity to use. Selection of technology should be guided by the communities, since they will be the ones responsible for use for much of the systems and for maintaining them. However, communities will need technical assistance, so that they can make informed decisions based on the costs, service level and operation and maintenance. It is important that a range of different cost designs for improved sanitation (from simple traditional latrine to improved traditional latrine to various types of other latrines) be developed and promoted for both household and public use. Also, the use of low cost, locally available materials should be promoted for latrine construction to further reduce the cost and increase acceptability. At the same time special consideration shall be given to the peculiar needs of the physically challenged with respect to technology options. Technology options that could be promoted in rural areas for household sanitation include Sanplat (Sanitary Platform) latrine; Single deep pit V.I.P and Traditional latrines. For communal use in schools, health centres, markets and other public places, pour flush toilets and Multi-compartment alternating V.I.P could be promoted. For sanitation, the basic level of service is at least one sanitary latrine to serve 10 persons in the community and 40-50 persons in the school environment. Responsibility for facilitating the implementation and management of sanitation services lies with the local authority. The private sector and NGOs may provide services in support of the local government 21 | P a g e initiatives. The participation of such agencies will be aimed at ensuring that the local capacity to provide adequate services is always available. To ensure that each household maintains basic sanitation, strategies will focus on use of participatory approaches for social mobilization, promotion through schools and children and social marketing approaches, so that households and individuals appreciate the need for improved sanitation and to construct VIP latrines. Most vulnerable communities and groups and the underserved would be identified through vulnerability assessments and prioritized for delivery of sanitation services as part of the effort to increase coverage. The assessment will also help to create an understanding of preferences for different options, designs and affordability of the preferred options by communities. Participatory techniques will be employed in the assessment. The main activities required for the delivery of sanitation services in the rural areas are:  Construction of new latrines and improvement of traditional latrines  Training and equipping of community latrine artisans and linking them to Sani-centers  Training of State, LGA and Community on sanitation development  Establishment of Community Sani centers 3.8.11 Urban and Small Towns Water Supply The technology for the provision of urban and small towns’ water supply scheme shall be the use of surface and underground water sources, depending on the size/population of the community and the appropriateness of the technology. Water supply shall be based on a piped system and distributed to the users either directly in their premises or through public standpipes. Water Consumers Association (WCAs) shall be formed in the small towns by the Department of Small Towns in the Niger State Water Board and NGOs to lead the process of managing the systems. The water users will be actively engaged in decision making, particularly regarding tariff setting and collection of charges. In line with the national policy framework, existing and new assets constructed in small towns will be transferred to the community and the people will become legal owners of the schemes, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding that transfers the assets to the community, with the appropriate Government Ministry or Agency. To enhance the capacity of the Water Consumers Association in the management of the schemes, Private Service Contractors shall be contracted to assist the communities in the areas of production, distribution and sale of water, billing and collection of charges, routine preventive maintenance and timely supply of spare parts. In view of these, the Niger State Government shall undertake the following actions in support of Urban and Small Towns water supply: a) Increased budgetary allocation for upgrading and rehabilitation of urban and small towns water supply schemes. b) Conduct a survey of existing urban and small towns water schemes to assess their present state with a view to identifying causes for their failure and to develop a strategy for their rehabilitation and/or upgrading as well as designing mechanisms that will ensure their sustainability. c) Assess the needs of Urban and small towns that need new facilities and putting in place that will ensure effective participation of the community members in the choice of technology, design, implementation and management of the new schemes. 22 | P a g e d) Undertake a willingness and ability to pay survey for the installation and maintenance of the facilities in each of the beneficiary communities. e) Design a pilot programme for pre-testing the new approaches in service delivery. This will involve working with communities where rehabilitation work has been completed and communities where new schemes are to be provided. The experience gained and lessons learnt will provide the guide needed for statewide replication. f) Institution of measures that will guarantee strict control over activities which endanger water sources such as dumping of wastes and sewage. g) Installation of meters in phases for all domestic and commercial users to facilitate easy billing and tariff collection processes. h) Corporatization of urban water supply and outsourcing meter reading and billing (where necessary) through award of contracts to reduce the burden of the NSWC and the Small Towns water supply agency. i) Adoption of appropriate tariff regime that allows for a gradual increase in water rates so that the schemes can be self-supporting. j) Design of guidelines for the provision of water that ensures minimum approved water supply standards are strictly followed by both the Government and other service providers. k) Assess the institutional capacity of the agencies responsible and develop a plan for improving their responsiveness in the delivery of urban and small-town water supply schemes. l) Design a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system and plan that will improve institutional learning and help in the assessment of sector performance as well as effectiveness with which services are delivered. m) Introduce the necessary legislation for periodic amendment of water rates and tariff structures which will enable the full recovery of O&M expenditures, based as far as possible, on volumetric metering of supplies, while motivating users to economize in the use of water, and catering for the poor and the vulnerable in the society 3.8.12 Rural Water Supply Rural water supply refers to the delivery of 30 liters per capita per day of safe water within 250 metres of the community and serving about 250 – 500 persons per water point. For the water to be safe it has to meet the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) for Nigeria. Water supply to rural communities requires the use of technologies that can be operated and maintained by the communities themselves with the private sector providing services for repairs and spare parts retail. Groundwater is the main source of water supply in the rural areas, but in some areas where groundwater resources are limited, of poor quality or access to drilling sites are difficult, rain water catchment and low cost treatment of surface water (using slow sand filtration processes) may be the only options. For water supply from groundwater sources, the supply options involve the means of accessing and abstracting the resource into the supply system. In most communities, hydrogeological surveys using both geological appraisals and geophysical methods and techniques will be required to evaluate groundwater resources prior to borehole drilling or well construction. Springs, which are groundwater brought to the surface, may sometimes only require some clearing and protection and supply through an overflow pipe, pumping into storage or be gravity-fed into the community. The following technology options are available for the delivery of safe water to rural communities depending on the source. The options for groundwater include protected hand-dug wells; hand-dug wells equipped with hand-pumps, boreholes equipped with hand-pumps, mechanized boreholes schemes using solar and electric power, and spring development. Rainwater harvesting is the major option for surface and atmospheric water. To achieve the delivery of safe water using the above options, the Niger State Government shall undertake the following activities: a) Formation and initial training of the village water and sanitation committee (WASHCOM) and WASH Department. b) Inventory of existing safe water facilities and sources and development of community plan. c) Hydro-geological surveys (including use of electrical resistivity and electromagnetic equipment). d) Rehabilitation of broken down and construction of new and safe water facilities. 23 | P a g e e) Sampling and analysis of water from sources based on standardized protocols. f) Training of government personnel and the private sector on various aspects of water supply. g) Training community members and the WASHCOM on the management of operation and maintenance of the safe water source and facilities. 3.9 Fundamental Principles The policy sets out principles that shall be applied in the management of water and sanitation in the State. The principles: Emphasize the crucial importance of water supply and sanitation for human health and economic development  Confirm that fundamental rights of all citizens to have access to water supply and improved sanitation  Confirm the responsibilities of the State in organizing and overseeing the provision of services to all, including the need for the State to provide financial support to improve service delivery and to assist in ensuring the sustainability of services  Recognize the need to deliver services reliably, efficiently and at an affordable cost  Highlight the need to gradually introduce the Cost Recovery Principle  Specify the requirements for Good Governance that must be applied in the operation and management of the sector 4.0 Funding of Water Supply and Sanitation The Federal, State, Local Government and beneficiary communities shall share cost of capital investment in water supply and wastewater projects. The funds shall be raised through budgetary allocation, loans from financial institutions, raising bonds, contribution from communities by rates and levies, as well as internal and external loans from banks. Communities in rural areas and Small Towns shall contribute 5% of the cost of water supply and sanitation facilities as a condition for ownership of the facilities. Water consumers in urban areas shall make no contribution to capital investment in water supply and sanitation. Apart from the two cases mentioned the three tiers of Government shall share the cost of capital investment in water supply and sanitation. Table 4 Capital Projects Agency Cost sharing for capital investment Cost sharing for operation and maintenance Rural Small Towns Urban Rural Small Towns Urban Federal 50% 50% 30% Nil Nil Nil State Govt. 25% 30% 60% 10% Nil 100% Local Govt. 20% 15% 10% 20% Nil Nil Community 5% 5% Nil 70% 100% Nil 4.1 Operating Costs Water supply and sanitation agencies receive subvention from government to do operation and maintenance. This is contrary to the principle of sustainability. Cost recovery is a vital component of the sector reform agenda. Beneficiary community, State and Local government share responsibility for operation and maintenance of rural water supply and sanitation. State and Local Government intervention 24 | P a g e will be in the form of technical assistance in the training of local private artisans for Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) and community mobilization. For rural water supply, operational maintenance is to be funded through tariff paid to private operator where the community retains ownership of the facility. For urban water supply appropriate tariff structure should cover the cost of production, operation and maintenance as well as replacement. In this regard the three tiers of government shall make no contribution to the cost of operation and maintenance. The same situation applies to Small Towns water supply and sanitation except that in this case the community is responsible for the total cost of operation and maintenance through collection of water rates. The State Government provides basic water supply facilities while the benefiting communities provide the service network in collaboration with External Support Agencies and NGOs. 4.2 Cost Recovery Cost recovery includes cost of operation and maintenance and cost of replacing existing water supply and sanitation facilities. The Niger State Government shall adopt the policy of cost recovery for the management and sustenance of public water supply and sanitation facilities particularly for urban water supply. Consumers, depending on level of income and consumption, shall pay appropriate rates for recurrent cost and in some cases, capital cost recovery. For urban water schemes, industrial and commercial consumers shall be metered and charged economic rates, which shall cover recurrent costs and full capital recovery components. Domestic consumers and non-profit making institutions shall be charged to cover recurrent and 50% of capital cost. For Small Towns Systems, industrial and commercial consumer shall be charged rates which will make up for recurrent and 50% capital recovery while domestic consumers and non-profit making public institutions will pay rates to cover the recurrent costs only. In the case of rural water supply schemes rates shall be charged by the communities to cover operation and maintenance costs only. 4.3 Tariff Structure In view of the need to ensure efficient operation and maintenance of the water supply and sanitation system training on Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) shall include construction of laterine, the water supply agencies shall review tariff structures as the need arises to ensure recovery of operation and replacement costs. For rural water supply, tariff shall be paid to WASHCOM However, this shall be subject to approval by the Niger State Regulatory Commission. Private operators must register and pay taxes to Government, and regulated by Regulatory unit at Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development (MWR&DD)/ independent Regulatory Commission 4.4 Conditions of Service The State Government shall recognize the commercial orientation and essential service nature of water supply industry and approve staff remuneration that reflects the demands of the industry. 5.0 Critical Issues for Policy Intervention 5.1 Separation of Functions The Niger State Government shall adopt the principle of separation of functions with respect to policy coordination and formulation, and service regulation. The Ministry of Water Resources shall continue to take charge of policy formulation and coordination. The ministry shall be engaged in planning and designing of new water supply and sanitation projects in collaboration with the implementation Agencies the implementation of new water supply and sanitation projects, the running of which shall be done by state water Agencies after completion. The Ministry will continue to exercise oversight functions over the service agencies with respect to coordination of all activities in the sector. The agencies of Government 25 | P a g e that are responsible for service delivery in the sector shall not be involved in service regulation. An independent and autonomous body shall take the responsibility of regulating water supply and sanitation activities in the sector. 5.2 Regulation of Water Supply Water is a basic human need even though it is an economic good. A regulatory intervention with a transparent tariff policy is essential to ensure that safe water is available at an affordable cost. Other functions will include enforcement of statutory water quality obligations; promotion of private sector participation; protection of customers from poor service delivery and insulation of service providers from political interference. The Government of Niger State shall set up a regulatory body that will be responsible for implementing regulatory intervention in the State. 5.3 Sector Coordination To enhance the coordination of water supply and sanitation activities in the State the Government of Niger State shall set up Water Supply and Sanitation Committee comprising of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources as the Chairperson, heads of all water supply and sanitation agencies, representative of urban development board representative of Ministry of environment , representatives of Federal Government agencies on water and sanitation in the State, representatives of External Support Agencies with mandate on water and sanitation as well as civil society organizations. The Ministry of Water Resources shall serve as the secretariat for the coordinating committee. The committee shall meet on a quarterly basis or as determined by the Ministry and shall be responsible for harmonizing all activities in the sector and ensuring policy implementation. The committee shall present a quarterly report on progress made in the sector with respect to service delivery targets in stakeholders’ forum that will be organized by the Ministry once in a quarter. The committee shall report to the Commissioner of Water Resources. 5.4 Integration of Water Supply, Hygiene Promotion and Sanitation in LGAs The Government of Niger State shall adopt as a matter of policy the integration of water supply, hygiene promotion and sanitation for the people to derive maximum health benefit from investments in water supply in the State. Consequently, all water supply agencies in the State shall have hygiene promotion and sanitation components in full operation. In addition, hygiene promotion and sanitation shall be mainstreamed in all water supply projects in the State. 5.5 Establishment of Department of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation To enhance the integration of hygiene promotion, sanitation and water supply and coordination of rural water supply and sanitation activities at the third tier of Government the Niger State Government shall assist each LGA to set up a department of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation and provide training and technical support to them. 5.6 Gender Integration and Social Inclusion (GISI) In Niger State majority of people fetching water for domestic use are adult women and female children. Consequently, the Niger State Government shall adopt the policy of gender integration and social inclusion (GISI) with respect to policy making, planning and implementation of water supply and sanitation interventions in the State. Specific steps to be taken will include: Selection of committees on water supply and sanitation in the State and LGAs shall be gender sensitive; Training of top management staff in the sector on gender equity and social inclusion in water and sanitation projects; Membership and leadership positions of WASHCOM shall be equitably distributed among men and women; Women should be trained in such areas as sani-centre operations and other technical areas to enable them besnefit from available opportunities. 26 | P a g e 5.7 Tariff Policy In recognition of the right of every person in the State to safe water and sanitation services as well as the need to run a sustainable water supply and sanitation system, the Government of Niger State shall ensure that the tariff policy provides cross subsidy to accommodate the basic need for the poor. The tariff policy shall take into consideration consumers’ interest, investors’ interest, cost of production and financial integrity of the water supply agency. 5.8 Corporatization of Urban Water Supply With respect to urban water supply and sanitation the Niger State Government shall corporatize the concerned agencies and ensure they run as business entities without having to depend on subvention from the government to replace existing facilities and to do operation and maintenance. The State Water Board shall recover cost of operation and maintenance by adopting appropriate tariff policy that is subject to endorsement by the State Regulatory body. 5.9 Ownership of Water Supply Facilities in Small Towns and Rural Areas In rural areas the Government of Niger State shall adopt the policy on increasing the sharing of ownership and management of water supply facilities by communities and local governments, with communities taking responsibilities for operations and maintenance. In Small Towns the policy on decentralization of management of water and sanitation facilities with communities taking ownership and private sector providing technical services shall be adopted by the State Government 5.10 Integrated Water Resources Management With respect to water resources management, the Niger State Government shall focus on the management of water resources in an integrated and sustainable manner with the involvement of all stakeholders to ensure equal distribution of water resources among users without compromising environmental requirements. In addition, the State Government shall cooperate with other States for the development, optimum use and protection of boundary waters. 5.11 Sewage and Excreta Management Niger State Government shall ensure the implementation of guidelines on sewage and excreta management in conjunction with communities, LGA and private sector by enacting bye laws and establishing sanctions and enforcement mechanisms. 5.12 School Sanitation The Government of Niger State shall implement the guidelines on school sanitation in conjunction with LGA and school authorities and enact relevant laws to enforce compliance. 5.13 WASHCOM and Water Consumers’ Association State Government to enhance management and ownership of water supply facilities by communities. Formation of Water Consumers’ Association in Small Towns and Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committee/Ward Development Committee in rural areas with necessary capacity building arrangements shall be promoted by the Niger State 5.14 Monitoring and Evaluation The State Government shall develop framework for monitoring and evaluation that encompasses monitoring of water supply and sanitation coverage and evaluation of service delivery. The M&E division or unit in the Ministry of Water Resources shall be empowered to develop formats for monitoring and data collection system and undertake systematic M&E work. The State shall maintain a monitoring 27 | P a g e network for urban, Small Towns and rural water supply and sanitation systems. Community participation in M&E shall be promoted. The State shall maintain a water supply and sanitation database based on the national framework for monitoring and evaluation. 5.15 Review of Existing Laws on Water and Sanitation Review of existing laws and edicts is critical for the actualization of the sector reform agenda. In this regard the Niger State Government, through relevant department in the Ministry of Justice shall undertake a review of all existing laws and edicts in the State on water supply and sanitation and ensure that they are in line with policy objectives and focus by making amendments and enacting new laws where necessary. 5.16 Water Quality Water quality is important for safeguarding the health of the people of Niger State. In view of this, the Niger State Government shall adopt the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality in Nigeria and ensure that all water supply systems in the State meet or exceeds safe water standards as prescribed by the Water Regulatory Commission. The commission shall liaise with the Ministry of Health with respect to setting and certification of water quality standard. Compliance will be achieved through regular monitoring of supplies and closing down of facilities that fail to meet the standards. The Water Regulatory body shall determine the frequency of water quality testing and designate the centres where testing will be done. Quality of water shall be monitored on a regular basis in accordance with the procedure developed by the commission. 5.17 Human Resource Development The Niger State Government shall devote at least 5% of annual personnel and overhead cost for water supply to human resource development at State, Local Government and communities. The Government shall liaise with the National Water Resources Institute and other training institutions in water and sanitation to assess human resource requirement for optimum performance and arrange appropriate capacity building interventions. 5.18 Research and Development The Niger State Government in conjunction with stakeholders in the sector shall identify critical issues for research and development in the State and work with the National Water Research Institute and relevant international institutions to develop appropriate technologies. Issues for research and development may include suitable technologies for groundwater resource evaluation, rainwater catchments low cost surface water treatment, human excreta disposal and hygiene improvement models. Emphasis shall be given to local innovations in water supply and sanitation management. 6.0 Institutional Arrangements 6.1 Current Status The identified WASH institutional arrangement from baseline findings conducted by E-WASH in January 2019, revealed Niger State WASH sector institutions are structured into departments/ units. Each department and unit have defined roles and functions as contained in the mandates establishing these institutions. Tables 5 – 7 below show the current status of WASH sector institutions arrangement with roles and responsibilities. 28 | P a g e Ministry of Water Resources and Dam development Niger State Water Board (with small town water supply and sanitation as a department) Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency Table 5 Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (MWR&DD) S/No Department Responsibilities 1 Planning Research and Statistics (PRS)  Water Schemes/water infrastructure planning, designing and construction  Maintenance of data base on water supply and sanitation facilities performance.  Monitoring and evaluation of water project 2 Dam and Reservoir  Rehabilitation and maintenance of existing dams and construction of new ones 3 Administration and Finance  Carry out day to day administration of the Ministry concerning staff discipline, promotion and trainings  Resource mobilization and technical support for the Water sector 4 Water Supply and Quality Control  Ensure that water quality standard conform to the National Drinking Water quality policy 5 Hydrology and Hydrogeology  Hydrological investigations, precipitation measuring/recording  Reconnaissance study for ground and surface water development.  Hydrological/ Geophysical and land surveys for water development and usage Source: Niger State Ministry of Water Resources and Dam Development Table 6 Niger State Water Board (NSWB) S/No Department Responsibilities 1 Planning Research and Statistics (PPR&S)  Project planning/design and implementation  Annual budget preparation  Planning research and statistics  Hydrology and dam maintenance  Managing Information System and customer enumeration  Building maintenance and construction  Monitoring and Evaluation 2 Commercial  The major responsibility is that of generating revenue for the Board  Defining and control of appropriate procedures (Bill production and distribution 3 Water Quality Control (Water Treatment unit, Laboratory Services Unit  Monitoring of water treatment processes to produce portable water, routine surveillance monitoring, sampling and analysis of water samples at raw water source, reservoir, end point. 29 | P a g e and Pollution Control unit  Monitoring of farming, fishing, settlement, discharge of domestics, industrial wastewater/effluents into raw water sources mining activities at raw water sources, 4 Engineering services  Responsible for the maintenance of water works plants, leaks and equipment, distribution and reticulation of new pipelines upgrade and extension 5 Administration  Assist in formulating executive and review of polices to ensure compliance with State or Federal regulations.  Advising the General Manager and other heads of departments on the legal aspect of their day-to-day activities.  Participate in the preparation and review of strategic plans, monitoring of result, board strategic planning and the NSWB budget.  Direct and assist personnel training and administrative officer in meeting service goals.  All local purchase other (L.P.O) request fuel request payment after-being certified by the head of department/section should finally pass through him/her for approval.  Plans and supervises the definition of equipment and personnel requirement for his department.  Establish and maintain working relationship with State Government officials. 6 Finance and Supply  Is saddled with the responsibilities of taking charge of all the financial activities and accounting duties 7 Operation and Maintenance  Is responsible for meeting NSWB quantitative and qualitative goals at least cost.  Supervises all phases of NSWB operations, making sure that Boards quantitative and qualitative goals are met at least cost.  Plans and supervises the definition of equipment and personnel requirements, for his department.  Routinely reviews and analysis water production and consumption statistics.  Establishes and maintains working relationships with State Government Officials and Community Leaders to conduct NSWB affairs as well as possible. 8 Small Towns and Biwater Station Department  The Department oversees 50 Biwater Schemes and Small Towns Water Supply Schemes in Niger State. The Schemes are spread across Twenty Four of the Twenty Local Government Areas in Niger State.  Many Biwater Schemes consist of boreholes and only three (3) Schemes operate using surface water and these include: Nassarawa, Kontagora and Wushishi. However, all Biwater Schemes are constructed with provision to use surface water as source in the event the boreholes fail. 30 | P a g e  The Department is to ensure availability of potable and safe water in all the Biwater Schemes across the State. The Department is also charged with responsibility of ensuring sustainability of water supply in the selected Small towns. These are; Doko, Izom, Bangi ,Kuta, Rijau Wawa, and Gulu  Fig 2. Map of Niger State Showing Bi-water Station Source: Niger State Water Board: Small towns and Bi-water Station Table 7: Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RUWATSAN)) S/No Department Responsibilities 1 Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PME has two units’ statistics unit and water quality control unit.  In charge of planning/budgeting, monitoring programs and e valuation  Water quality unit oversees water quality surveillance along with trainings on water quality management data gatherings as pre intervention and post interventions to make way for evaluation 2 Sanitation  In charge of all community environmental sanitation along with trainings of community masons to construct and upgrading latrines 3 Community health mobilization  In charge of community mobilization and sensitization on health sanitation for behavioural change.  In charge of all advocacy and establishment and training of community workers as WASHCOMs and at LGA WASHUNITS 4 Maintenance/stores  Has two sectors the stores and maintenance In charge of installations/rehabilitation of all types of boreholes (hands pumps 31 | P a g e motorize and solar). Repairs and maintenance of all project vehicles.  Maintenance Dept also establish and train on rehabilitation identification and purchase of genuine spare parts known as the village level operation and management (VLOM ( 5 Water supply. Has two sectors the survey and drilling units.  Geophysical survey for location of feasible site for the construction of productive boreholes in the rural communities of Niger State. 6 Finance and Supply  Is saddled with the responsibilities of taking charge of all the financial activities and accounting duties 7 Administration  Administration and account sector Source Niger State RUWATSAN 6.2 Aim for Institutional Reform The aim of internal management reform of institutions is to ensure financial viability Institutions must deliver reliable services and ensure financial viability for economic base improvement. This activity is important in gaining access to market finance. (1) Strong internal management capacity of the institutions is the prerequisite for gaining access to market finance. The conditions for acquiring strong internal management capacity are as follows: (a) The institutions must have an array of skilled human resources. (b) The institutions must have an effective business planning cycle linking policy with financial reality. (c) The institutions must have well-functioning and transparent Management Information Systems (MISs) as means of creating effective management. (d) The institutions must have strong revenue management for handling the issue of unaccounted- for-water (UFW). (e) The institutions must adopt an efficient and responsive customer service for improving an overall public perception. (f) The institutions must adopt the provision of timely audited accounts, a demonstrated compliance with environmental regulators and a positive attitude towards change. (g) The institutions must always adopt a consistent and sustainable state-of-the-art agency structure and function that will justify the continuation of the existing partnerships between Nigeria and her external sponsors. (h) The institutions must maintain the status in (g) above to attract more international and local sponsors 6.3 Proposed Wash Institutional Arrangement with Roles And Responsibilities 6.3.1 Functions Under the Ongoing Reforms of The Sector Based on findings from baseline survey and engagement with WASH sector players including Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development MWR&DD), Niger State Water Board (NSWB) and Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSAN) the following sector institutions were proposed as a way forward for efficiency and effective service delivery in the State: 32 | P a g e Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’) Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation Niger State Regulatory Commission Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency Table 8: Niger State Proposed Institutional arrangement S/No Institution Roles and Responsibilities 1 Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (MWR&DD)  Ministry of Water Resources through the relevant departments will monitor all activities on water supply across the state and maintain inventory of all schemes.  It shall be responsible for the development of water sector master plans and management of state-wide information base.  In addition, the SMWR shall work with federal, local government, external support agencies and NGOs on matter relating to water and sanitation in the State.  It shall support the activities of the Coordinating Committee on water and sanitation.  The ministry shall be engaged in planning and designing of new water supply and sanitation projects in collaboration with the implementation Agencies the implementation of new water supply and sanitation projects, the running of which shall be done by state water Agencies after completion. 2 Coordinating Committee on Water and Sanitation  The Coordinating Committee provides an instrument for the coordination of water and sanitation activities across state line ministries, federal agencies, state water agencies, external support agencies, private sector, civil society and local government.  It shall be responsible for monitoring and evaluation, guidance on policy implementation and harmonization of activities in the sector.  3 State Water Regulatory Body  This body shall take responsibility for the enforcement of water supply and sanitation laws, approval of tariff charges in small towns and urban sub-sectors and settle disputes that may arise among water service providers and consumers in connection with tariff determination. 4 Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation and Regulatory Commission In line with the corporatization principles, the Niger State Water Board shall become Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation (NSWSC) with necessary legislative backup.  The functions of the state water corporation include supply of water in urban areas and maintenance of facilities, rehabilitation of existing facilities and construction of new ones in line with coverage targets, Preparation of urban water supply action plan, monitoring and evaluation of water services delivery with a view to achieving policy targets and quality control and keeping inventory of urban water facilities; 33 | P a g e Autonomy The Corporation shall become and operate as an autonomous entity both financially and management autonomy, where internally generated revenue will be re-invested in operation and maintenance, set Staff salary structure on performance-based contract. For feedback there shall be Establishment of Performance Contract Monitoring and Review Committee constituted under the Ministry of Water Resources with the following roles and responsibilities; The PCRC shall comprise the following members: a. A retired Judicial Officer not below the rank of a High Court Judge as Chairperson b. A retired Head of Civil Service or Establishment of the State c. The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water Resources – serve as the secretary of the committee d. A representative of the private sector e. A representative of the civil society f. A representative of the Board of the Corporation The committee shall meet at least once in six months and at any other time as may be requested by either party to the Performance contract (4) The PCRC may engage the Services of person(s) to assist them in the discharge of their duties for more balanced opinions (5) It shall be the responsibility of the PCRC to monitor compliance of the parties with the contract and to make recommendations to the Governor as deemed necessary. Sanitation Department There shall be in existence a Sanitation department in the Niger State Water and Sewage corporation to handle the fecal waste management (liquid waste) in the urban towns. a)  Asset Management The Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation shall monitor a systematic and routine collection of information from the project. The purposes of this exercise must include- (a) gathering experiences that must improve practices and activities in the future; (b) generating internal and external accountability of the resources in the project and the accompanying results; (c) taking stock of informed decisions on the project’s future and its various activities; and (d) promoting empowerment of beneficiaries of the project and its various activities. (1) The starting point for monitoring is the policy document in the project. The ‘Objectives’ sections in the policy document provide a direction on the key actors for the various project activities and interventions. 34 | P a g e (2) Monitoring must have a periodic and recurring characteristic; and monitoring must begin in the planning stage of the project. (3) Monitoring is an activity that checks project’s progress against the project’s plans. (4) The data acquired from monitoring are stored for an eventual evaluation process. Evaluation (1) Evaluation must assess, systematically and objectively, a completed project or a phase of an ongoing project that is completed. (2) Evaluation must appraise data and information that inform strategic decisions that will improve the project in the future. (3) Evaluation must provide conclusions on five important aspects of the intervention, comprising- (a) relevance; (b) effectiveness 5 Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSAN) The responsibilities of the agency include;  keeping of inventory of all boreholes and drilling activities in the rural areas, preparation of rural water action plan and coordination of its implementation  Community training, mobilization and sensitization of communities for participation in WASH program. Other functions include  Regular M&E on WASH program,  Development of database on WASH,  Capacity building of LGAs WASH units and communities, implementation of WASH programmes sponsored by external support agencies, facilitation of provision of services to LGAs and communities.  Upgrading of WASH unit at the LGAs to full fledge Department  Rural Water and Sanitation mapping 6 Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency  The Agency is responsible for providing water and sanitation services in small towns across the State.  It is also responsible for supervision, monitoring and coordination of all activities on water and sanitation in small towns. Other responsibilities include keeping of inventory of all water facilities, preparation of small towns water supply action plan development of database on water supply in small towns, monitoring and evaluation and capacity building of Water Consumers’ Association 7 Local Government Areas (LGAs)  The LGA will provide technical support to the WASHCOM through the WASH department in the areas of selection of service provider and supervision of services provided. In addition  it will monitor water supply and sanitation projects within its area of coverage. The LGA will be responsible for providing WASHCOM with information and advice on all aspects of water supply and sanitation.  This is in line with the principle of decentralization and management at the lowest appropriate level in the national policy on water and sanitation.  The LGA is also responsible for financing water supply and sanitation initiatives in rural areas, small towns and urban areas. 35 | P a g e  In terms of capital investment LGA will contribute 20% in rural areas, 15% in small towns and 10% in urban areas.  The contribution of LGA to operation and maintenance cost is 20% in rural areas.  The LGA will liaise with the State Government concerning counterpart funding of water supply projects. 8 Water Supply and Sanitation Service Providers  Water supply service providers will include companies and local artisans that are involved in drilling boreholes, construction of sanitary facilities and maintenance and repairs of facilities as approved by the State Coordinating Committee on Water and Sanitation.  These will be contracted by the WASHCOM to carry out specific activities in the communities under the supervision of relevant LGAs personnel. 9 Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs)  NGOs shall support the capacity building of WASHCOM in organization development and advocacy.  The NOGs should spearhead the Gender Integration and Social Inclusion (GISI) and human right issues  Other functions include mobilization of enlightenment campaign on the effective use of water and hygiene education, facilitating the implementation of schemes in rural areas and small towns, advocacy campaigns in support of increased government commitment to water and sanitation, facilitating access of community people to relevant information on water and sanitation activities, monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation activities, and facilitation of regular meetings between State Water Agencies and communities. 10 WASHCOM (WASH Department) The committee is constituted by the communities in rural areas to implement decisions made at the community level on water supply and sanitation. Members of the committee shall include women, youth members and men. The responsibilities of the committee will include the following:  Linking up with the local government personnel with respect to finance of water supply and sanitation schemes in rural areas.  Planning of water supply and sanitation interventions.  Selection of service provider.  Supervision of water supply and sanitation schemes.  Management of water supply and sanitation interventions.  The constitution of these committee should devoid of political interference  Facilitation of financing arrangement in the community for operation and maintenance costs.  Setting and collection of tariffs.  Community basic hygiene education and sensitization activities.  Feedback to community on a regular basis 11 Water Consumers’ Association (WCA)  Water Consumer Associations are Small Town organizations set up by communities to run and maintain water supply and sanitation in small towns. 36 | P a g e  They shall be involved in setting and collection of tariffs, own the scheme and assets, prepare annual budgets for small town water and sanitation, and make recommendations for policy review. Membership should consist of;  Six male and four females from the Community  Youth  Women and children  people living with disability  Traditional leaders  Religious bodies 12 Community  Community members are the end users of water and sanitation services. They shall be provided with relevant information required for them to make informed decisions about the kind of services they need.  Community participation is an important aspect of sustainability of water supply and sanitation interventions in both rural areas and small towns.  In this respect community shall contribute 5% to the cost of capital investment in either rural water supply and sanitation or small towns water supply and sanitation.  As regards operation and maintenance, the contribution of community shall be 70% for rural water supply and sanitation and 100% for small town water supply and sanitation.  The decisions made by the community on water supply and sanitation will be implemented through a committee appointed by the people.  The committee shall be called Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committee (WASHCOM) for rural water supply system and Water Consumers Association (WCA) for Small Towns water supply system.  This is an important strategy to integrate water supply and sanitation at the community level.  The Community shall synergize with the LGA to ensure regular capital investment contribution of 20% for rural ,15% for small towns and 10% for Urban Areas 13 External Support Agencies  The external support agencies will provide guidance on planning, policy implementation and review of policy targets. Other roles include research and development, capacity building, resource mobilization, advocacy and monitoring and evaluation.  Capacity building, resource mobilization, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation: and appropriate feedback to relevant authorities to ensure gaps are addressed. Niger State Reviewed policy 2019 Allied institutional arrangement shall include but not limited to the following: Table 9 showing allied WASH sub sector arrangement S/No Institution Roles and Responsibilities 1 Niger State Ministry of Environment State Ministry of Environment shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development on matters of environmental monitoring, control, regulation and enforcement in the State. 37 | P a g e  Collaborate with MWR&DD and other relevant MDAs especially Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation on undertaking extension services to control the disposal of liquid waste from farm and farm settlements. 2 Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA)  The agency is concerned with the protection of water resources from effluent discharge and contamination that may arise through pesticide abuse.  The agency is also responsible for solid waste and wastewater management in the State. 3 Niger State Ministry of Health (SMH) State Ministry of Health (SMH) shall:  Generate and disseminate data on Water and Sanitation related diseases;  Collaborate with the State Water and Sanitation Sector Coordination Committee, State Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development and State Ministry of Environment on control of all Water related diseases;  Collaborate with State Ministries of Water Resources and Dams Development and Environment in the promotion of Water sanitation and hygiene;  Collaborate with all relevant MDAs on capacity building programme in sound water, sanitation and hygiene practices. 4 Niger State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development to harness available water sources for agricultural development in the State.  Collaborate with relevant MDAs to develop and implement strategies to control water pollution from inappropriate use of Agrochemicals and fertilizers.  Collaborate with relevant MDAs to create awareness on the danger of drinking from polluted water bodies in and around farmlands, farm settlements, agricultural processing facilities and abattoirs 5 Niger State Ministry of Education State Ministry of Education shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development and other relevant MDAs on matters of school sanitation and hygiene education;  Review primary and secondary school curricula to include Water and Sanitation issues. 6 Niger State Ministry of Works State Ministry of Works shall:  Ensure that highways and major roads are regularly maintained and well drained, with the storm water well-disposed and do not pollute any water source.  Ensure Collaboration with State Ministry of Water Resources Development and related agencies to monitor and secure water infrastructures during road constructions in the State. 7 Niger Urban Development Board Niger Urban Development Board shall:  Collaborate with Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation using pipeline network maps during construction to avoid pipes damage 8 Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs, State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development shall:  Sensitize and motivate women participation in Water and Sanitation activities; 38 | P a g e Community and Social Development  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development in information dissemination, awareness creation and positive behavioral changes on Water, sanitation and hygiene among women.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources Development on women empowerment through training and retraining on the delivery of Water and Sanitation services in rural, small towns and urban centres. 9 Niger State Ministry of Economic Planning State Ministry of Economic Planning shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development to develop sustainable development plans for the water and sanitation sector in the state.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development to provide and advance technical planning advice for effective implementation of water and sanitation activities in the state.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development to ensure regular processing of the release of funds for budgetary allocations for water and sanitation projects and programmes in the state.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development to maintain a databank for water and sanitation activities in the State. 10 Niger State Ministry of Information State Ministry of Information shall:  Collaborate with MWR&DD and other relevant MDAs to develop and implement communication strategy for the implementation of this policy.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development on sharing and dissemination of information on Water and Sanitation;  Collaborate with relevant MDAs to pursue vigorous campaigns for re- orientation of the citizenry towards sound Water and Sanitation consciousness; control of water menace, associated risks due to water pollution and water hazards within the State.  Collaborate with relevant MDAs to actively participate in the annual National Water and Sanitation Day as well as other international dedicated days on related Water and Sanitation activities. 11 Niger State Ministry of Justice State Ministry of Justice shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development and other stakeholders in reviewing relevant laws and drafting water law for the State.  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development in providing legal advice on relevant legal issues in the sector in the State.  Collaborate with relevant MDAs in the water and sanitation sector to prosecute offenders, defaulters and contraveners of provisions of the proposed water law. 12 Niger State Ministry of Finance State Ministry of Finance shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development and other relevant agencies in accessing bilateral and multilateral funds;  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development and other relevant agencies in monitoring and implementing externally funded Water and Sanitation projects within the State. 39 | P a g e  Ensure regular release of budgetary allocations for water and sanitation activities in the State. 13 Niger State Ministry of Commerce and Investment State Ministry of Commerce and Investment shall:  Encourage Manufacturers to invest in Water and Sanitation equipment and machinery;  Encourage Investors and Entrepreneurs to invest in Water and Sanitation ventures and to locally manufacture equipment with appropriate Water and Sanitation technologies for the residents of the State. 14 Niger State Bauru for Statistics 15 Niger State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Niger State Tourism Corporation State Tourism Corporation shall:  Collaborate with the Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development in establishing Water and Sanitation standards for the tourism sector;  Collaborate with relevant MDAs to ensure compliance with Water and Sanitation standards in hotels, game reserves and other tourist centres;  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development in identifying and promoting sound traditional Water and Sanitation practices in the State. 16 Niger State Electricity Board State Electricity Board shall:  Collaborate with Ministry of Water Resources and Dams Development in accessing funds and aids to undertake research and development on alternative energy technologies for Water and Sanitation facilities and infrastructures. 7.0 Conclusion To enhance successful implementation of the USAID E-WASH program goals and objectives, 1. Create professionally managed and commercially oriented SWBs 2. Improve the financial and operational viability of SWBs; 3. Strengthen policy, institutional, and regulatory frameworks for improved WASH services; and 4. Build national and state WASH advocacy, coordination, and communications for reform. It is desirable that we first address one of the cardinal gaps upon which most of our intervention relies on. That is, weak WASH policy and legislation for urban WASH services. Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation and Regulatory Commission can effectively initiate and institutionalize autonomous practices mainly if they have clear policy direction and legislative framework and guidelines. Reviewing of water, sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector policy 2018 was necessitated in order to address current reforms within the sector is only a step in the process of achieving water and sanitation services delivery targets. The policy will be supported with necessary legislation to facilitate 40 | P a g e implementation and subsequent achievement of policy targets. This may be done through enactment of necessary amendments and additions to existing laws and regulations. Prior to policy implementation there is a critical need for baseline survey to determine or validate the present water and sanitation coverage in the State. The survey will cover an audit of water and sanitation infrastructure including the condition of each infrastructure in terms of its functionality. This will provide the basis for determining the infrastructure required for achieving water and sanitation coverage targets on an annual basis. An assessment of the capacity of the institutions responsible for sector activities is necessary to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each institution and to develop a comprehensive organization development plan that keeps in focus the policy thrust. The policy will benefit from a State-wide enlightenment campaigns to empower the public to demand water and sanitation services delivery in line with coverage targets each year. The way ahead for implementing the policy involves several steps some of which can be carried out at the same time. These steps include: a) Establishment of wide political support for the policy that eventually leads to ratification. b) Wider consultation amongst stakeholders at all levels with the aim of removing gaps and weaknesses. c) The operation of a carefully targeted awareness with the aim of obtaining popular support for the new policy. d) Preparation of investment plan for the sector. e) Preparation of implementation guidelines for the policy. f) Use of the policy to leverage funds from Federal Government and donor agencies. g) Pilot-test the concepts and mechanisms proposed in the policy as part of a learning process for the institutions to be involved in policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation. h) Development of detailed capacity building and change management plans including staff motivation. i) Periodic review of the policy to keep the sector abreast of relevant national and international developments. In order to avoid institutional overlap/conflict of roles and responsibilities, the following institutional arrangement shall be adapted in the policy for key WASH sector institutions as a way forward for efficiency effective service delivery in the State: Ministry for Water Resources and Dam Development (inclusion of evaluation and ‘regulatory unit’) Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation (Inclusion of Asset Management and Sanitation Department to handle Sewege) Niger State Regulatory Commission Niger State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency Niger State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency