The document discusses decentralization of rural water services in various countries. It finds mixed progress, with many local governments still struggling due to limited skills, resources, and ability to support full life-cycle service delivery. Success seems linked to broader public sector reforms. While countries have decentralized policies, implementation is often incomplete with unclear roles and limited local capacity. Fiscal decentralization especially lags, leaving local governments without sufficient funds to do their jobs.

1. DECENTRALISATION OF RURAL WATER Harold Lockwood Aguaconsult Brisbane, Australia Session A3. A Moving towards a solution or out-sourcing the problem?

3. COUNTRY STUDIES Range of sector maturity, aid dependency, business markets and reforms

6. PROGRESS IN RURAL WATER - TRIPLE-S STUDY Extent of decentralisation in rural water Ethiopia Mozambique Ghana Burkina Faso Uganda Sri Lanka Honduras Thailand USA India Benín GDP US$/CAP 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 16,000 32,000 64,000 Limited Mixed High            Colombia  South Africa  India (Gujarat) 

15. WATER SERVICES THAT LAST www.waterservicesthatlast.org