The Build-Neglect-Repair cycle
Partners for Water facilitates and promotes sustainable solutions to global water challenges. The Partners for Water 2022-2027 Programme seeks to understand the root causes of the dominant Build-Neglect-Repair (BNR) cycle in the global water sector and to collectively explore ways to break this cycle. This article outlines our approach to the BNR cycle. Discover our strategy and current activities, access various resources on the BNR cycle and find out how to get involved.
Water management and infrastructure are the foundations for livelihoods, sustainable development and economic growth. While large-scale water and irrigation projects are frequently constructed, there is often a lack of consideration for proper operation and long-term maintenance of the construction.This oversight is critical as water infrastructure faces constant threats from a variety of factors such as sedimentation, river erosion, gradual deterioration and other issues that make careful operation and maintenance crucial. Climate change has even further increased the importance of these factors. This lack of sustainable management typically leads to the Build-Neglect-Repair (BNR) cycle.
According to the World Bank, continuing to build low-resilience infrastructure is costly and much more expensive in the long term. However, by investing in resilient infrastructure instead, every dollar invested generates four times the return. This underscores the urgent need to shift towards more sustainable design, finance, planning and practices in water infrastructure management. In light of this, Partners for Water is dedicated to exploring the root causes of the BNR cycle and to cooperate with partners in the process of transitioning to more sustainable practices.
“Resilient infrastructure is not about roads or bridges or powerplants alone. It is about the people, the households and the communities for whom this quality infrastructure is a lifeline to better health, better education and better livelihoods. Investing in resilient infrastructure is about unlocking economic opportunities for people.”
Partners for Water and BNR
As both a funder of innovative water solutions and a co-creator of sustainable, integrated water management approaches in our partner countries, we frequently encounter the effects of the BNR cycle. Without a detailed assessment of the root causes of BNR and a robust management design and plan, our financial support risks becoming a short-term fix rather than a catalyst for long-term solutions.
Given the many structural challenges, addressing these root causes can only be done by working in collaboration with multiple partners. Our strategy involves fostering a deep understanding and consensus on the root causes of the BNR cycle as well as developing a joint agenda for change using our extensive international network. This includes collaborating with international financial institutions, partner countries, Dutch and local private partners and grant recipients to ensure a comprehensive approach as we explore ways to break this cycle.
What we do to adress BNR
Exploring the root causes of BNR
Partners for Water recognises that the BNR cycle is a complex, multidimensional problem that requires a systems approach and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. We are now focused on gaining a deeper understanding of BNR’s root causes and identifying steps we can take together to initiate change, build on ongoing best practices and learn from past failures. Our efforts, among other initiatives, include exploring the BNR cycle through research in Bangladesh, one of our partner countries, and conducting deep dive sessions with the water sector.
BNR in Bangladesh reportCollaborating with partner countries
Through our delta country approach, Partners for Water supports delta countries worldwide in adopting sustainable and integrated water management strategies. We actively encourage our partner countries to implement systematic approaches for maintaining water infrastructure. For example, since 2019, one of the key goals of the Netherlands’ delta cooperation with the port city of Beira in Mozambique is addressing the BNR cycle. Similarly, it is one if the main pillars of our delta cooperation programme with Bangladesh for the 2024-2027 period.
BNR Deep dive reportSubsidies & tenders
Through our subsidy programme and tender opportunities, we encourage the Dutch water sector to strengthen operation and maintenance (O&M) considerations into the design of water-related infrastructure. MetaMeta Research, FutureWater and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, for example, were granted funding to protect and improve Nepal’s natural springs.
The project aims to secure reliable water supplies and maintain road quality by reimagining roads as tools for landscape enhancement. Similarly, Element15, Climate Focus and Fix that Pump received funding to pilot and improve a community water treatment system that can be retrofitted to existing water infrastructure in rural Ghana. Read more about these and other funded projects.
All projects within the PfW5 subsidy programmeBNR Community of Practice
As we navigate this learning process, we aim to establish a community of practice where collectively, water sector professionals, policy makers, financial institutions, NGO’s and knowledge institutions can connect, discuss and explore the challenges, potential solutions and strategies for addressing the BNR cycle. If you’re interested in joining this conversation, please send us an email via our contact form and let us know you are interested in joining the conversation about the BNR cycle.
Resources on the BNR Cycle
- Download our whitepaper to learn about best practices and lessons learned on BNR.
- Explore the BNR cycle through our new podcast series ‘Waterproof,‘ where we discuss the changes needed for a more water-secure world. The first episode will air on 21 November, 2024.
- Learn more about resilient infrastructure opportunities in this World Bank report.
Let’s chat about BNR
Do you have ideas, questions or suggestions for this collaborative learning process to address the BNR cycle? We would be happy to discuss them with you. Please send Liliane Geerling, Programme Manager at Partners for Water, an email to continue the conversation about BNR.
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
