Hi Brian,

Thank you for your comment.

Since the first conceptual development, the team consisted of BORDA, BALIFOKUS, BEST, LPTP & LPKP tried to proof the challenge, that the program should be able to dig out the poor's hidden potential demand and willingness to contribute for improved sanitation.

In most cases, the urban poor communities actually work almost 24 hours for their living. Quite busy with their small businesses. Sometimes it is not easy to make appointment and their committment for the meetings because of their tight schedule.

From our experience, it is the human nature also, that all they (the poor or the rich) need is affordable and reliable services. In my case here is specificly addressing the sanitation services: toilet, bathing, washing. We gave them options in form of different choices which should be discussed among themselves, so they can have what they agreed and accepted as affodable and reliable services.

Through SANIMAS program, they have advantages: the capital investment costs are provided by the national agency (Min.of Public Works) and from their local government budget. They only have to contribute 2-4% of the total capital costs, in form of cash and in-kind contribution. They must formulate themselves how much and mechanism of their contribution will fit into the program scheme.

But before we ask their willingness, it is ivery mportant to sit and work with them conducting evaluation or assessment of the existing services. From that participatory evaluation and focus group discussion then we can expected their contribution and ideas for the improved services. Build the sense of ownership is one of the key success of sustainable sevices.

regards,
yuyun

Greetings from Bali...

Thanks for your comment Mr. Rivera. I'll visit your entry and will contact Peter Bleecke soon for the Ceramic Water Filter information.

Our organization also promote BioSand Filter (BSF) as Household Water Treatment options. We are contributing inputs to the Ministry of Health project in developing Household Water Treatment options in form of Informed Choices Catalogue. So far I know that Ceramic Water Filters already also considered as part of the catalogue options.

regards,
yuyun

Greetings from Bali...

Thanks for your comment Mr. Rivera. I'll visit your entry and will contact Peter Bleecke soon for the Ceramic Water Filter information.

Our organization also promote BioSand Filter (BSF) as Household Water Treatment options. We are contributing inputs to the Ministry of Health project in developing Household Water Treatment options in form of Informed Choices Catalogue. So far I know that Ceramic Water Filters already also considered as part of the catalogue options.

regards,
yuyun

Dear Dana,

Thank you for your comment. My colleagues and I believed that the innovation behind SANIMAS is the principles of program itselves: the approach, the financing system, the local government and community self-selection system, the technical informed choices and the sustainable community-managed facility.

SANIMAS require a multi-source of financing: from national agencies, provincial govt, local govt, community/beneficiaries and NGOs. If only come from one cource, it is not SANIMAS.

The local government (LG) and community who implement SANIMAS were selected through a self-selection process, not chosen or appointed by the project team. It is a kind of competition/selection approach using specific tools which allows LG and community to do the selection process in transparent and fair way.

The technical informed choices are made and used as catalogues for beneficiaries to choose the components they prefered most in transparent way. This approach retain the sense of ownerships among the community and ensure the sustainability of the services.

Regarding the impact, we belived that through SANIMAS the government budget, both at national level as well as provincial and at the local level, have been increased and allocated in the fiscal budget year. Since 2003, the number of participating LGs have been increased significantly. Since 2005, at least about 100 LGs implementing this program in cooperation with the national agencies and our NGO networks.

Through SANIMAS the access to sanitation for populations in urban poor settlement areas, which previously practiced open defecation of using the river as their sanitation facility, now increased by minimum of 50,000 population equivalent per year.

Regarding the impact related to the ground water improvement, since 2003, through SANIMAS at least about 3,000 cubic meter of wastewater now is being treated and discharged properly. In some areas where the biodigesters unit applied, at least about 400 cubic meter biogas was captured and utilised for cooking or water heating.

Hope these explanations suits you.

yuyun

Dear Mr. Ingersud, thank you for your comment. Apologize for not responding your comment immediately. I'm traveling in Zambia and a bit difficult to get the internet access here.

Your question regarding the correlation of Kampung Improvement Program (KIP) with SANIMAS. They are not the same. KIP is a more holistic improvement, mostly concentrate onthe pathway, lighting & drainage. SANIMAS rather pragmatic, emphasize on Sanitation issue in the first place.

1). The O&M, especially for the monthly costs, mainly covered by the users' fee managed by the community-based organization(s). Major repairs and capital investment return are still the responsible of the local government agency.

2). Of course the sites must be provided or appointed by the community. Most of them give away the sites for communal purposes for free or they use the space under the street for the wastewater treatment plant.

3). The wastewater effluent mostly discharge to the river and in some areas they utilize it for garden irrigation. The effluent comply with the domestic effluent standard issued by the MOE decree.

4). Users are charged for the services. The amount of levies were decided based on the total expenses needed to cover the monthly cost of O&M then divided by the number of users. Most of them agreed to pay monthly, some others such as the users of community sanitation center, agreed to pay per use.

Regards,
yuyun