Collecting and using data to ensure their quality and sustainability of WASH services. Getting actionable information into the hands of those responsible for planning and decision making.
Above all, monitoring should allow clear identification of how WASH services are working and of user satisfaction with them. To do this, and to allow improvement, it should also collect information on how well the building blocks are working. Collecting timely and up-to-date information is as essential for managing day-to-day service delivery, as it is for longer term policy or investment decision-making.
A strong framework for WASH service monitoring is more than just a set of indicators and a database. It makes sure there's a reliable and systematic way of collecting and analysing data and that this informs decision making at different levels. At the local level, there's a need for constant live information so repairs can be made quickly, while at national level, high-quality data on service trends needs to inform strategic policy-making and planning.
Relations with other building blocks: Monitoring underpins all other blocks: without decent quality data on who is receiving what, and about which part of the service delivery chain are working - effective action to improve services is impossible.
