Determinants of citizen engagement in rural water supply and sanitation services in Indonesia

Community-based development approach has been successful in accelerating access to rural water supply and sanitation in Indonesia. However, it suffers with criticism on its effectiveness to sustain services and to protect environment. A transformation of approach to citizen engagement is promoted to achieve better development outcomes. Through case study in four villages, this study diagnosed what define and determine citizen engagement in Indonesian rural water supply and sanitation. Determinants of citizen engagement is synthesized by using narrative thematic analysis for the qualitative data and principal component analysis for 708 household survey data. It found that citizen engagement is an interrelation of structure, culture and process elements of social life. Sustainable service of rural water supply and sanitation should be seen as enriched and restructured management cycle with citizen engagement concept. The study offers an improved service delivery cycle of rural water supply developed by Lockwood and Smith in 2011. Method of analysis and the findings of this study demonstrate the integration of sociological and environmental science perspectives. It also provides input to strengthen rural water supply and sanitation programs, especially Pamsimas and STBM, the two biggest government development programs for rural water and sanitation in Indonesia.