Introduction to the Toolbox

The purpose of this site is to provide a landing page for CRS SWP Framework and Tools used for integrating SWP into WASH programming. The site was designed as a wiki to allow anyone to provide immediate comment on content and to allow content to change over time as it is refined. There are two primary guiding principles to the work presented here:

Be Flexible - SWP can take many different approaches but have the same goal. The framework is meant to provide general guidance, but is certainly not meant to be restrictive.
Be Resourceful - The tools and guidance found on this site have been adapted from existing resources and publications. We did not want to “re-invent the wheel” but pull together the right tools that have been developed and apply them for SWP. Therefore, there are many outside references to the excellent work others have done in SWP.

Navigating the Site

The site’s main content is provided in Components 1 - 6 shown in the SWP framework below. Clicking on a component will take you to a page with information on implementing that component and relevant resources.

<aside> ℹ️ To return to the previous page, click on the page at the top left of your browser or use the back button.

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Source Water Protection Framework

Below is our SWP framework. This framework is not original to CRS and has different variations throughout the literature. We have worked to take this framework and distill it into bite-size steps, each with supporting documentation and work templates with the purpose of providing an entire workflow for those wanting to implement SWP in their programming, community, or region.

Component 1. Program Vision & Stakeholder Involvement

Component 2. Source Water & System(s) Characterization

Component 3. SWP Goals

Component 4. SWP Action Plan

Component 5. Action Plan Implementation

Component 6. Continuous Learning and Improvement

Source Water Protection, SDG 6, and Systems Change

Source Water Protection (SWP): The PROCESS to PROTECT and MANAGE water quality, quantity, timing of flows, and associated benefits at the water’s source – before it reaches the intake of a water system.

To secure safe and abundant water for current and future generations, it is paramount to protect and restore water resources. Source Water Protection "SWP" is the explicit effort of protecting the water sources that supply water for flourishing human populations – both current and future generations. We believe that SWP plays and will continue to play a vital role in meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Unfortunately, the world is not currently on track to meet SDG 6 by 2030 and there is a need to significantly accelerate water resources management (WRM) and holistic planning. SWP is important because degradation of water sources is a severe threat to the world’s most vulnerable people and a significant challenge to achieving SDG 6. Source water quality and quantity continues to decline due to human activity – further compounded by climate change.

https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2021/Overview/

Previous Work and Documentation (2021)

SWP Benchmarking and Roadmap 2021: Funded by the Osprey Foundation and in partnership with the Agenda for Change, this project aimed to develop a source water protection (SWP) programming benchmark; to develop a methodology for SWP at the country program (CP) scale; and to share results and learnings with Agenda for Change members and others. Project findings are for policy makers, conservation organizations, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and anyone else interested in integrating SWP programming into their efforts.

A slide deck detailing a SWP approach/framework for integrating SWP into programming

Summary of findings from interviews regarding SWP with Agenda for Change and Conservation NGOs

A slide deck detailing the SWP benchmark and results of benchmarking country programs

White paper detailing the project process and findings.