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This study aims to understand basic elements that form and influence citizen engagement to sustain service delivery of rural water in Indonesia.

Citizen engagement is elaborated through a sociological perspective of basic elements of social life that consist of structure, culture and process within the realm of a community’s living environment. Sustainability is explored through the life cycle of rural water supply service delivery by means of a strategic plan, financing and budget allocation, construction/expansion, operational and maintenance and support system for sustaining services. A case study was conducted in four Pamsimas villages in two districts with comparable natural environment and water system but with a contrast sustainability performance. Pamsimas is the biggest rural water supply program in Indonesia that was started in 2008 and implemented in 27,000 villages.

Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study found that appropriate citizen and government engagement since the implementation of the strategic plan throughout the rest of sub-cycles is key to sustainable service delivery. In the four aforementioned villages, sustainability is influenced more by structure elements such as government policy, program governance and source of water than by social and cultural elements.

The study was done in four Pamsimas villages located in a mountainous area with a gravitation type of water system. The findings may be different in other locations or settings.

Lessons from this study will guide sector stakeholders to better define the engagement of citizens and the government and to create activities that trigger better engagement between citizens and the government, particularly the village government, so that citizens can avail the services.