Scaling-Up Results-Based Funding For Rural Water Services
University of Oxford
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Abstract: This report analyzes the Water Services Maintenance Trust Fund (WSMTF), a results-based financing innovation for rural water reliability in semi-arid counties like Kitui and Kwale. Developed in 2016 through a public-private partnership, the model incentivizes repair speed, volume-based performance, and cost-effectiveness via FundiFix operators. The report documents service metrics from over 150 sites, showing 98% of repairs completed in 3 days and growing cost recovery rates. It assesses enabling environments?including donor transition strategies, regulatory engagement, community buy-in, and government co-financing models. The WSMTF directly influenced Kenya?s Water Act amendments, the Kitui Water Bill 2019, and the scaling strategy of Uptime Catalyst Facility. The report includes dashboards on water reliability, funding flows, and institutional performance. It proposes pathways for replicating sustainable water service finance in ASAL regions under climate stress.