The ASUREP: a promising water management model in the DRC

As the first SWIFT programme comes to an end in the DRC, the ASUREP model proves to be very promising.

What is an ASUREP?

Already mentioned in a previous post, an ASUREP is a water network users’ association for the management of water supply systems in semi-urban areas, where there is currently no established approach. This is a hybrid model (blending community and private management) which focuses on formalising and professionalising existing community-management organisations, and stipulates that water users’ associations must include both legal and community representation.

Where are the SWIFT ASUREPs located?

In coordination with the population and local authorities, 2 ASUREPs have been implemented successfully by the 1st SWIFT program in North Kivu, in Sake (Masisi territory) and Lubirhia (Beni territory), to remedy the lack of professional organisation for water management. SWIFT teams provided administrative support (supplying equipment, offering training in office management) as well as technical support (offering water structure management training).

These 2 territories now have associations capable of managing a water supply system and coping with the difficulties that may emerge once the SWIFT program is completed. This is SWIFT’s goal: to ensure the sustainability of the project, once the implementation phase is complete, to meet the needs of the population in the long run.

How is an ASUREPs different from a water user committee?

Awareness raising: key to implementing a successful ASUREP

In DRC, the Water Law (Loi°15/026) specifies that even if the public water service is to be accessible to all, it cannot be free. The ASUREP model takes this constraint into account as it requires a paid contribution from the members of the community. It cannot rely on the state alone to obtain funding. But in semi-urban and rural areas, most people are not used to paying for this service. In a water-rich country, where people prefer to fetch free water from the many rivers and lakes, a big challenge for the ASUREP is to convince people to pay to access safe drinking water.

This can be achieved through awareness-raising campaigns: messages broadcasted on local radio stations enabled the SWIFT teams to raise awareness on the importance of paying for quality water and prevent diseases. People are also convinced when the team points out that if they are willing to pay a fee, the services can be repaired much faster in case of a breakdown. SWIFT is also working with other local actors, such as the church, which is raising-awareness after mass services.

In Lubhiria, the population is now very much willing to pay for quality water, allowing the proper implementation of an ASUREP. It has been so successful that it has raised enough funds to extend its water system.

In Sake, the population was initially rather reluctant to pay for water, having access to a nearby lake. But the SWIFT team were able to demonstrate to the community the dangers associated with the consumption of unsafe water, which can ultimately cost a lot in terms of health expenses.

The challenge of the ASUREP model: sharing experiences

In a difficult context, where ownership by local populations and authorities is crucial to ensure the project sustainability, the SWIFT teams are finding that experience sharing enables smoother implementation of the ASUREP model.

There is no official data regarding the number of ASUREPS in the country, some organisations can choose to set up this model but without getting officially recognised for lack of resources. But thanks to their network and contacts the SWIFT teams were able to visit other ASUREPs already in place at the start of the program. The model implemented as part of the SWIFT program is therefore based on the experience gained from field visits and shared experiences.

At the end SWIFT 1, while the team responsible for the extension of the program in the DRC was having difficulties to convince the new localities to set up an ASUREP, Sake community members offered their helped to demonstrate the benefits of the model and allow project acceptance.