Community Participation

Community participation within the Emergency Operations Plan involves several aspects, including:

· Community cooperation in response activities and rehabilitation of the water supply and sewerage services, given their own interest in these services, particularly in the case of rural water supply and sewerage systems;

· The role of the community through its representatives in municipal governments and civil society organizations;

· The organization of the community for the distribution of drinking water during the emergency.

The community, as the primary users of water supply and sewerage systems, must also be involved in training efforts and be adequately informed of what to do when emergencies and disasters disrupt normal services.

A private company cooperated in the distribution of drinking water following devastating landslides in Venezuela in 1999.

C. Osorio, 1999

During an emergency, it is frequently necessary to rely on the help of members of the community, whether individually or as part of an organization. For instance, they can help locate new water sources, manage some of the water distribution points, or distribute chlorine for disinfection of drinking water.

Each region has its own characteristics. It is therefore wise to analyze the local culture and incorporate, in the development of the emergency plans, the most active community groups. Just as agreements can be reached in advance with the private sector, agreements should be made with community groups. The community should be trained so that its organizations can contribute to prevention and response efforts.