1. The document summarizes findings from a Triple-S Uganda assessment of adherence to the District Implementation Manual (DIM) guidelines for rural water service delivery in two districts. 2. Key findings include inadequate dissemination and awareness of the DIM, sections that are not commonly used or are outdated, and the potential of the DIM is not fully exploited. 3. Recommendations are to simplify commonly used DIM sections, improve dissemination through existing structures, and consider updating the DIM to reflect recent developments in the sector.

1. DIM ASSESSMENT
PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
Triple-S Uganda
Presentation on
outputs from DIM
Assessment
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2. SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION
1. Objectives of the assessment
2. Methodology and scope
3. Key findings
4. Conclusions
5. Recommendations
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3. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSESSMENT
• Assess the extent to which district local governments and other
sector stakeholders adhere to the DIM
• Assess the extent to which DIM guidelines have been applied.
• Identify critical factors that constrain or promote the effective use of
DIM
• Make recommendations on how the DIM could be used to improve
rural water service delivery
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4. METHODOLOGY & SCOPE
 Two districts covered (Lira and Kabalore) within TSU 6 & 2
 The assessment was qualitative and relied on four broad categories
of data collection.
 A review of WASH sector documents and the DIM
 Interviews with district and Sub County local government officials,
Technical Support Unit officers, Umbrella organization staff, and
NGOs.
 Meeting with key persons from the MWE
 Visits to water sources
 Validation of preliminary findings with district level stakeholder
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5. KEY FINDINGS
DIM provides a comprehensive overview of the workings of the
WASH sector for stakeholders operating at various local government
levels
Dissemination, Accessibility and Knowledge
 In adequate dissemination of the DIM to district stakeholders
 Low level of awareness on DIM among NGO actors
 Mechanism for orientation of new bearers in District water
office??
 Copy of the DIM was only found in one office during field work
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6. FINDINGS
Usability
 Most NGOs visited were not aware of DIM often using their own
guidelines
 The DIM is bulky & includes sections that are hardly referred to &
Outdated e.g. the OP 5, O&M framework yet to be updated
 New developments such as Umbrella Orgs & WSDFs not captured
 No requirement to comply – Adherence seen as optional
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7. FINDINGS
Commonly used sections of the DIM
 The Rural Water and Sanitation Operation Plan 2002-2007 (OP5)
which sets out the critical requirements to be met by communities
 A National Framework for Operation and Maintenance
 The Software Steps
 The Hygiene and Sanitation Steps.
 The Extension Workers Handbook (Volume 1 Community
Management)
 The Technology Development Handbook
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8. FINDINGS
Sections put to limited use
 Legal, policy and institutional framework
 Cross-cutting sections of the DIM, especially; Water Sector
Gender strategy
 The Water and Sanitation Sector HIV/AIDS Strategy; and the
Environmental Mainstreaming Template perceived to be
complicated and difficult to apply in the field.
 Procurement and contract management sections. Guidelines are
provided, reviewed and updated by PPDA)
 The Planning, M&E and data collection tool is also not used- a
new tool.
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9. FINDINGS
Relevance
DIM is relevant though its potential has not been adequately explored
and some sections are outdated.
“Described as a bible for the sector in Uganda”
Effectiveness
Though comprehensive in content, the DIM does not pass as a quick
reference tool & yet houses major sector strategies
Access to internet in districts limits use of a number of sections in the
DIM
There is need to simply the document for easier reference
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10. CONCLUSION
 The DIM is an important sector document that provides a good
overview of WASH sector guidelines under one package. The
dynamism within the sector and the on-going sector review
processes (CBMS, O&M frame work) will warrant review of the DIM
for it to keep-up with developments in the sector.
 The potential of the DIM in its current state has not been exploited.
Improving its dissemination and enforcement can still contribute to
improvement in WASH service delivery
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11. RECOMENDATIONS
Short term recommendations
• Simplify the most commonly used sections of the DIM; Software
steps, O&M frame work into Illustrative and easy to use products.
• Disseminate simplified products using the UWASNET structures
TSUs, & District Water Offices
• Use the DWSCCs to monitor how stakeholders adhere to important
sections such as; software steps, O&M framework
Long term recommendation
• Consider updating the DIM with recent developments in the rural
water sector (WSDFs, Umbrella Organizations, revised O&M
framework)
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12. NEXT STEP
• Triple-s proposes to work with the MWE & UWASNET to develop
simplified products from the DIM (easy to use booklet & Illustrative
posters)
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13. Thank you
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