Trends in sub-Saharan rural water supply and the essential inclusion of Self-supply to achieve 2030 SDG targets

The number of people in sub-Saharan Africa depending on unimproved water sources has not decreased over the past 25 years. Rates of progress in coverage over this period are far below those required to achieve universal access by 2030. Examination of some of the characteristics of the unserved population show major challenges to funding as well as to necessary rates of construction. Community water supply (CWS) as a sole solution is shown to be unable to solve the problem. The growth of self-financed water supplies (Self-supply) is, or could be, filling the gaps public supplies leave. Enhancing support services in the public and private sectors to improve the safety and performance of Self-supply is shown, with examples, to be a cost-effective additional strategy, which can largely, with government support, be integrated into existing services. Including Self-supply support into rural water strategies can very significantly reduce the cost of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 of basic services for all. Without its inclusion this goal is very unlikely to be reached in sub-Saharan Africa.