Financing sanitation for cities and towns

February 2014

This 8-page learning brief introduces the key concept of lifecycle costs, that is the various kinds of expenditures at different stages in a facility’s life. It also introduces the 4Ts of sustainable cost recovery: tariffs, taxes, transfers, and trade. It argues that the mismatch in timing of expenses and availability of funds can be met through repayable finance if a plan for sustainable cost recovery can be demonstrated to lenders. However, support from higher governments and aid organisations to mitigate risks is necessary for small towns to access market-based repayable financing instruments be it bonds, loans, or equity.

Who is this for and why?

The brief will be most useful for sanitation planners and finance personnel within the local governments as well as the consulting firms supporting them. It covers the fundamentals of  expenditures, revenue streams, and risk mitigating measures that need to be considered while preparing a business case for accessing repayable finance. It will encourage them to seek timely support from higher governments or aid organisations and even allow time for negotiations.

This learning brief draws on the Learning paper: Financing sanitation for cities and towns

Additional details

PublisherInstitute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
ThemesClimbing the sanitation ladder, Support mechanisms, Sustainability and safely managed sanitation
ApproachesFinancing approaches, Sanitation approaches
LanguageEnglish

Share this resource

Learn more about SLH Research

We use a range of research approaches, which aim to draw attention to urgent knowledge gaps, blind spots and emerging questions, often at a critical point in time, to support policy-makers, practitioners and partners in navigating and responding swiftly.

SLH Research and Learning