This study examines the level of community participation in rural water supply in Vietnam from two approaches: (1) the legal documents at the top level as well as implementing guidances and (2) the case study of community practice and awareness about their role in local water supply. | Journal of Science and Technology 54 (4B) (2016) 178-184 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN RURAL WATER SUPPLY: A CASE STUDY IN MY HOA – TRA VINH Nguyen Thi Thuy1, *, Tran Thi Le Hang2, Nguyen Thai An2, Van Pham Dang Tri 2 1 Project Climate Change and Water Supply in the Mekong Delta, Vitens Evides International, 01 Cong truong Quoc Te, , , Ho Chi Minh City 2 Department of Water Resources, College of Environment and Natural Resources, CanTho University, Xuan Khanh, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho City * Email: thuyvei@ Received: 15 August 2016; Accepted for publication: 10 November 2016 ABSTRACT This study examines the level of community participation in rural water supply in Vietnam from two approaches: (1) the legal documents at the top level as well as implementing guidances and (2) the case study of community practice and awareness about their role in local water supply. Rural water supply policy and regulations are assessed to point out how they allow and support community participation. A survey conducted in My Hoa commune, Tra Vinh province, with the total of 152 households, reveals the levels and types of the community participation, from which some lessons learned can be drawn. The engagement of the community in monitoring and maintenance of the water supply infrastructure is seen as a key for the sustainability of the clean water supply service. Recommendations are given to improve community participation, and therefore to have better clean water supply service in rural areas. Keywords: community participation, rural water supply, sustainability. 1. INTRODUCTION Community participation has been used to address the underprovision of public goods and services and to reduce social, political, and economic inequality [1]. After the first International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade set up by the United Nations (1981-1990), which aimed to provide access to clean drinking water to populations across the world, there was a shift from a .
