The nine assessment tools included in this document are available in English, Spanish, and Arabic. The intended audience includes advanced level public health professionals, environmental health specialists, policy-makers (including staff of international development agencies) who need to optimize the investments in water and sanitation by developing improved management strategies which give a higher profile to operation and maintenance, professional staff employed in utilities, local government (both urban and rural), and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) who are involved in the development of programs to improve the actual operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation facilities. Problems with the operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation have long been recognized as key constraints to the sustainability of these services. In order to address these problems in both urban and rural areas of developing countries, this document proposes a framework for management and tools for assessing the status of operation and maintenance (O&M) through measurement and evaluation of performance.
