Costing water services in a refugee context - methodological report

UNHCR aims at improving the budgeting of post-construction expenditure for the provision of water in camps, in particular those in post-emergency situations.  This report presents a methodology to cost water services that has been adapted from the life-cycle costs approach (LCCA) initially developed and tested in regular settlements and which has currently been adopted by more than 80 organisations across the world.

In a refugee context, this methodology is particularly adapted to post-emergency situations, when more permanent water systems are built and financial resources must be budgeted for to cover the operation and (minor and capital) maintenance of systems, but also the support for administration, management, monitoring and reporting functions endorsed by international agencies. However, the methodology could fit first emergency situations as well, as all the expenditure made on the provision of water is documented since the creation of the camp. The costs of providing water during the first emergency phase are thus identified, and could be compared across camps, time and countries to refine budgeting processes and budgeted expenditure also for a specific and usually short period of time.