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Water as a Business

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The Water as a Business Model

Water as a Business (WAAB) is a model that encourages private sector involvement in improving access to water services. It is a market-based strategy that facilitates entrepreneurship and catalyzes water businesses by moving away from the traditional subsidy-driven approach.

There are three main models of implementation: construction of new water schemes, extension, and rehabilitation.

The main focus of this program is the monetization of water flow as the key to sustainability. This encourages entrepreneurship as it creates jobs for water point operators, collectors, and mechanics. By collecting money for water on a pay-as-you-fetch basis, and then remitting part of the revenue to future maintenance costs, this model ensures that repairs and replacements can be addressed and fully covered as they occur. WAAB is currently being piloted in Kamwenge and Luuka districts.

See WAAB In Action

Laban the Water Seller

Laban spends his days overseeing the local water point as community members fetch water. He is the water seller and caretaker of the local hand pump. At water points dotted throughout the rolling hills of Kamwenge District in Uganda, Water For People’s Water As A Business model employs water sellers like Laban. They are responsible for maintenance…

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