Nixdorff, H.

Identifying sustainability factors of a gravity-based water system in rural Haiti
Nixdorff, H., Ashbolt, N., Storey, K., Evens, R., Aurel, M., Cole, G.

The country of Haiti has faced myriad challenges associated with adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure for decades. Haiti Health Initiative (HHI) is a grassroots organization that has been present in the community of Timo, Haiti for 10 years. HHI has established a gravity-based water system serving approximately 200 residents in the region; there are growing concerns regarding the sustainability of the water system, expressed by both community members and the organization. The purpose of this research is to understand factors that may influence the sustainability of a gravity-based water system in Timo, Haiti, by way of assessing the experience and perceptions of the residents.

Qualitative description methods were used while following a community-based participatory research (CPBR) framework. Using purposeful sampling, 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult residents of the community who had experience with the water system. Interviews were recorded in Creole by a Haitian research assistant and transcribed to English.

Three main themes emerged from the interviews; perceived importance of the system, initiative to maintain the system, and lack of community cohesion were factors that impacted the overall sustainability of the system. Perceived importance and community initiative are not impacted by one another, but both influence initiative to maintain, which ultimately impacts sustainability.

A report for the organization and community has been created with recommendations to improve the functionality and sustainability of the system, based on the three themes. This research will also inform those working on creating more context-specific WASH systems in rural/remote regions globally.