* for post-graduate students, and implementers and managers of water supply systems * based on more than 20 years practical experience * 22 communities in 6 countries studied Community management has become the leading concept for implementing water supply systems in rural areas in developing countries. In the early days it was seen as the answer to large-scale breakdown of water supply systems and the failure of government either to provide clean water itself or to devise a system whereby other agencies would supply it reliably and consistently. Now, after more than two decades of applying the concept, it is time to look back and consider the opportunities and constraints of community management in bringing water to the millions of people who need it. Is community management the right way to increase both the sustainability of water supply systems and the coverage of safe and reliable water supply in rural areas? This book is based on the experience gained over twenty years of working to strengthen the capacities o...