Sustainability Assessment of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Projects in Yesagyo Township, Magway Region, Myanmar

Abstract

Determining the sustainability of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects is essential for developing countries that have struggled to maintain access to clean water and sanitation. Assessing the alignment with the National Strategy is also integral as it can monitor, control and guide WASH service providers not to deviate from the national objectives. This study aimed to assess the sustainability status of WASH projects in Yesagyo Township, Magway Region, Myanmar. The WASH projects were implemented by UN-HABITAT by using Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) approach. It was also intended to analyze the alignment with Myanmar National WASH Strategy.  The sustainability status was measured by water, sanitation and hygiene indicators which were indicated as accessibility, functionality, reliability (continuity, reliability (seasonality), intra-village equity, water quality, catchment protection, maintenance of open defecation free status, use of sanitation facilities, handwashing facilities and handwashing practices. The sustainability status of water supply and sanitation and hygiene has not deteriorated since the end of project 2018. The number of households that used water from improved water sources increased from 92% to 95.4%. Latrine usage has increased from 90% to 97.1%. Handwashing practices have also increased and already met the national targets. Latrine usage status is exceeded the national target in 2025. As there were only six open defecation free villages in the surveyed villages, it can be concluded that the open defecation free target was still needed to meet the national target as of 92% in 2020. To sum up, the impacts of WASH projects in Yesagyo Township were sustainable and likely to meet the national targets by 2030 by combining the continuous community collective actions and sufficient government supports after the project implementation. However, much work still needs to be done to achieve the sustainability status of open defecation free communities.