The provision of safe acceptable and sufficient drinking-water is a crucial prerequisite for human well-being. Small-scale water supplies are the backbone of water supply in rural areas in the entire pan-European region. Yet experience shows that they find such provision a challenge for administrative managerial operational and resourcing reasons. This publication is intended to help decision-makers such as policy-makers or regulators in the drinking-water sector to appreciate better and address the particularities and characteristics of small-scale water supplies. It provides a range of background information case studies and lessons learned and ideas for addressing the issues in national programmes. Information for further reading as well as international networking activities is also provided. This publication was developed by the German Federal Environment Agency a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Drinking Water Hygiene in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.