Rural Water Supply Network
| Rural Water Supply Network | |
| |
| Location: | St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Type: | NGO |
| Class: | Network NGO |
| Key work: | Self Supply, Cost-effective boreholes, Sustainable handpumps, Handpump Technologies |
| Website: 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 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.
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. Furthermore, 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.
The following four themes are known as the flagships of RWSN: self supply, cost-effective boreholes, sustainable handpumps, handpump technologies.
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.