Substantial sums of money have been poured into developing countries by donors, aid agencies and NGOs to improve people's access to water. However, many of the constructed water sources have broken down or are dysfunctional. At the same time, donors, governments and NGOs rush to achieve coverage targets, ambitiously set and inaccurately measured. This paper proposes a new way of measuring the impact of investments. Assessing investments in ‘water-person-years’ over a defined period of time, allows for a more efficient allocation of resources, and calls for a rethinking of the current development approach. Measuring in water-person-years is necessary in order to shift focus from new infrastructure development to operation and maintenance of existing water systems, something that is crucial for sustainability.

Bond, M., Biscoe, P.T. and Whalen, M. (2009) Human Resource Capacity in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in East Timor (Draft), DFID, London.

Brundtland, G. (ed.) (1987) Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Carter, R. (2002) ‘Beyond the community’, contribution to Beyond the Community E-conference on Scaling up Community Management of Water Supply [online], available from: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html [accessed 4 November 2009]. http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html

DNH (Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique) (2008) Rapport d’Activités de la Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique au Titre de l’Annee 2008, Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique, Mali.

Harvey, P. and Reed, B. (2004) Rural Water Supply in Africa: Building Blocks for Handpump Sustainability, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Kanyesigye, J., Anguria, J., Niwagaba, E. and Williamson, T. (2004) Are National Water and Sanitation Objectives Reached on the Ground? A Review of Service Delivery, Planning Monitoring and Evaluation in Tororo and Wakiso Districts, Discussion Paper, WaterAid Uganda.

Koestler, A.G., Koestler, M.A. and Koestler, L. (2009) ‘Coverage as a misleading development goal: The concept of water-person-years’, Water, sanitation and hygiene: Sustainable development and multisectoral approaches, 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Koestler, L. (2008) Private Sector Involvement in Rural Water Supply: Case Studies from Uganda, Msc Project, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) (2000) Rural Water and Sanitation Implementation Strategy and Investment Plan, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

MWE (2008) Water and Sanitation Sector Performance Report 2008, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

Ndingambaye, P. (2008) Enquiry Report on the Operating Costs of the Vergnet Hydraulic Pumps in Chad, Ministry of the Environment, Water and Halieutical Resources, Chad.

NORAD (2007) Fiction, Facts and Future: Executive Summary of Report on Norad's Assistance to Water Supply and Sanitation Development in Tanzania and Kenya during the 70's, 80's and 90’s, prepared by Tranor Int. Ltd for NORAD, Oslo, Norway.

Oyo, A. (2002) Creating Successful Private Sector Supply Chains: A Resource Guide for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Practitioners, Water and Sanitation Program, Washington, DC.

RWSN (2007) Handpump Data: Selected Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa [online], Rural Water Supply Network, St Gallen, Switzerland, available from: www.rwsn.ch [accessed 5 November 2009]. www.rwsn.ch

Sinclair, P. (2004) Scaling-up Rural Water Supply Coverage in Uganda: Can The Ambitious Targets Be Achieved? IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Netherlands.

Sugden, S. (2003) Indicators for the Water Sector: Examples from Malawi, Fieldwork Report, WaterAid, London.

Bond, M., Biscoe, P.T. and Whalen, M. (2009) Human Resource Capacity in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in East Timor (Draft), DFID, London.

Brundtland, G. (ed.) (1987) Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Carter, R. (2002) ‘Beyond the community’, contribution to Beyond the Community E-conference on Scaling up Community Management of Water Supply [online], available from: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html [accessed 4 November 2009]. http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html

DNH (Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique) (2008) Rapport d’Activités de la Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique au Titre de l’Annee 2008, Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique, Mali.

Harvey, P. and Reed, B. (2004) Rural Water Supply in Africa: Building Blocks for Handpump Sustainability, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Kanyesigye, J., Anguria, J., Niwagaba, E. and Williamson, T. (2004) Are National Water and Sanitation Objectives Reached on the Ground? A Review of Service Delivery, Planning Monitoring and Evaluation in Tororo and Wakiso Districts, Discussion Paper, WaterAid Uganda.

Koestler, A.G., Koestler, M.A. and Koestler, L. (2009) ‘Coverage as a misleading development goal: The concept of water-person-years’, Water, sanitation and hygiene: Sustainable development and multisectoral approaches, 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Koestler, L. (2008) Private Sector Involvement in Rural Water Supply: Case Studies from Uganda, Msc Project, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) (2000) Rural Water and Sanitation Implementation Strategy and Investment Plan, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

MWE (2008) Water and Sanitation Sector Performance Report 2008, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

Ndingambaye, P. (2008) Enquiry Report on the Operating Costs of the Vergnet Hydraulic Pumps in Chad, Ministry of the Environment, Water and Halieutical Resources, Chad.

NORAD (2007) Fiction, Facts and Future: Executive Summary of Report on Norad's Assistance to Water Supply and Sanitation Development in Tanzania and Kenya during the 70's, 80's and 90’s, prepared by Tranor Int. Ltd for NORAD, Oslo, Norway.

Oyo, A. (2002) Creating Successful Private Sector Supply Chains: A Resource Guide for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Practitioners, Water and Sanitation Program, Washington, DC.

RWSN (2007) Handpump Data: Selected Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa [online], Rural Water Supply Network, St Gallen, Switzerland, available from: www.rwsn.ch [accessed 5 November 2009]. www.rwsn.ch

Sinclair, P. (2004) Scaling-up Rural Water Supply Coverage in Uganda: Can The Ambitious Targets Be Achieved? IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Netherlands.

Sugden, S. (2003) Indicators for the Water Sector: Examples from Malawi, Fieldwork Report, WaterAid, London.

Bond, M., Biscoe, P.T. and Whalen, M. (2009) Human Resource Capacity in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in East Timor (Draft), DFID, London.

Brundtland, G. (ed.) (1987) Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Carter, R. (2002) ‘Beyond the community’, contribution to Beyond the Community E-conference on Scaling up Community Management of Water Supply [online], available from: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html [accessed 4 November 2009]. http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/WSSCMANP.html

DNH (Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique) (2008) Rapport d’Activités de la Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique au Titre de l’Annee 2008, Direction Nationale de l’Hydraulique, Mali.

Harvey, P. and Reed, B. (2004) Rural Water Supply in Africa: Building Blocks for Handpump Sustainability, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Kanyesigye, J., Anguria, J., Niwagaba, E. and Williamson, T. (2004) Are National Water and Sanitation Objectives Reached on the Ground? A Review of Service Delivery, Planning Monitoring and Evaluation in Tororo and Wakiso Districts, Discussion Paper, WaterAid Uganda.

Koestler, A.G., Koestler, M.A. and Koestler, L. (2009) ‘Coverage as a misleading development goal: The concept of water-person-years’, Water, sanitation and hygiene: Sustainable development and multisectoral approaches, 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Koestler, L. (2008) Private Sector Involvement in Rural Water Supply: Case Studies from Uganda, Msc Project, WEDC, Loughborough University, UK.

Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) (2000) Rural Water and Sanitation Implementation Strategy and Investment Plan, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

MWE (2008) Water and Sanitation Sector Performance Report 2008, Ministry of Water and Environment, Government of Uganda, Uganda.

Ndingambaye, P. (2008) Enquiry Report on the Operating Costs of the Vergnet Hydraulic Pumps in Chad, Ministry of the Environment, Water and Halieutical Resources, Chad.

NORAD (2007) Fiction, Facts and Future: Executive Summary of Report on Norad's Assistance to Water Supply and Sanitation Development in Tanzania and Kenya during the 70's, 80's and 90’s, prepared by Tranor Int. Ltd for NORAD, Oslo, Norway.

Oyo, A. (2002) Creating Successful Private Sector Supply Chains: A Resource Guide for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Practitioners, Water and Sanitation Program, Washington, DC.

RWSN (2007) Handpump Data: Selected Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa [online], Rural Water Supply Network, St Gallen, Switzerland, available from: www.rwsn.ch [accessed 5 November 2009]. www.rwsn.ch

Sinclair, P. (2004) Scaling-up Rural Water Supply Coverage in Uganda: Can The Ambitious Targets Be Achieved? IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Netherlands.

Sugden, S. (2003) Indicators for the Water Sector: Examples from Malawi, Fieldwork Report, WaterAid, London.