however, governmeutal authorities dealing with water supply and sanitation are urged to formulate and implement policies designed to generate alternative sources of funding, to increase the financial self-sufficiency of systems, and to encourage the participation of the private sector in ways compatible with the needs of the urban and rural poor. 89. The continued improvement of operation and maintenance systems still constitutes a critical aspect of actions to be taken by Governments at all levels, if the sustainability of programmes is to be ensured. This will depend largely on the success of actions taken to increase trained manpower, improve community participation, upgrade institutional capability, and institute suitable cost recovery measures. There is a need for the development of guidelines for the effective application of cost recovery principles. The successful formulation and implementation of cost recovery policies normall!, will be a long-term objective requiring the active participation of the community in terms of the selection of technologies, as well as type and density of service coverage for which they are able and willing to pay, and for the administration of the policies themselves. Improved procedures for the recovery of operating cotits, and to the extent possible of investment costs, are needed for the efficient operation of urban and rural water supply systems. Governments are urged to institute the necessary mechanisms to strengthen their capability to implement cost recovery schemes, 90. Governments need to assign a high priority to increasing the impact of existing financial *esources, in order to ensure that sustainable services reach the maximum number of people. A key to achieving this will be the application of low-cost technologies which are acceptable to the community and are appropriate in terms of reliability, initial investment costs, ease of operation and main’enance procedures, and operating costs. During the Decade significant
**Analysis**
The text focuses on the need for governments to formulate and implement policies to ensure the sustainability of water supply and sanitation systems. It highlights the importance of increasing financial self-sufficiency, community participation, and cost recovery measures. The text also emphasizes the need for low-cost technologies and improved procedures for operating costs. These themes suggest that the text is primarily concerned with economic and environmental issues related to the management of natural resources.

**Category**
Economic development, Natural resources and environment