Rural Water Supply Network

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Rural Water Supply Network
Logo RWSN Switzerland.JPG
Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Type: NGO
Class: Network NGO
Key work: research facilitation,
technology development,
commercial technology application,
consultancy
Website: www.rwsn.ch

The Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) functions as a global knowledge network with its secretariat hosted by a Skat Foundation, a resource centre based in Switzerland.

Assisting sector partners initiatives through knowledge sharing and dissemination is at the core of all RWSN activities. The organisation helps in cross-fertilisation of experiences and prevents "reinventing the wheel". RWSN supports the preparation of case studies, technical notes and field monitoring reports. It provides technical back-up on low cost technologies and assists in the introduction of implementation procedures.

As such, RWSN blends a strong engineering capacity with the principles of balanced institutional, financial and social development. The network is able to act as a depository of knowledge and provides support to sector partners.

RWSN concentrates on affordable, groundwater-related technologies that are easy to maintain and acts as a focal point for standardisation of low cost water supply technologies. The following four themes are known as the flagships of RWSN:

  • Self Supply (SS)
  • Cost-effective boreholes (CEB)
  • Sustainable handpumps (SH)
  • Handpump Technologies (HT)


Main activities

  • Increase access to basic water and sanitation services
  • Maximise the impact of investment through successful application of cost-effective technologies
  • Institutionalise technology selection and standardisation in a demand responsive environment
  • Address institutional aspects of co-operation between all stakeholders
  • Reduce well drilling costs
  • Improve sustainability of existing water supply facilities through ensured supply chains for spare parts.
  • Mobilise additional resources, especially at local level.


External links

The Rural Water Supply Network website