An investigation into the influences of access to safely managed drinking water in rural Timor-Leste

Current approaches to safely managed drinking water (SMDW) provision in Timor-Leste are unsustainable long-term. Challenges including climate change and growing population necessitate adaptable approaches. There’s a significant urban-rural access disparity, with rural aldeia managing their own systems with less government support, facing larger populations and inadequate infrastructure. This paper focuses on ensuring SMDW access for rural households, presenting findings from a scoping literature review and participatory action research (PAR), and using the intersecting complexities approach (ICA) to gain a comprehensive view of the complexities involved. The study highlights complexities affecting water access, providing insights and recommendations for increasing access to SMDW.