Update – September 2025: This post is being expanded to include asset management as a core focus. The updated version will be published here soon.
Urban infrastructure is often measured by the number of projects completed, the kilometres of pipelines laid, or the tonnes of waste collected. Yet the true test of success comes years after the construction teams have left. Too many projects — even those built to high technical standards — begin to falter within three to five years, undermined by weak management, limited municipal capacity, and inadequate financial systems.
This blog is designed to explore those hidden dimensions of infrastructure sustainability. It goes beyond the physical works to examine the institutions, procurement strategies, and capacity development efforts that determine whether investments in water supply, fecal sludge management, solid waste, and low-income community services truly endure.
My aim here is not just to document technical findings for my dissertation, but also to share practical reflections from the field — insights that may help municipalities, practitioners, and policymakers rethink how urban services are planned, managed, and sustained.
Written by William (Bill) Matthews, project leader with 30+ years in donor-funded infrastructure projects. Currently pursuing research on sustainable urban services in Bangladesh.
