Evaluation Team

OPEV Management

Rakesh Nangia, Director, OPEV

Franck Marie Perrault, Acting Director (at evaluation time)

Mohamed Hedi Mohamed, Division Manager, Project and Programme Evaluation Division, OPEV.1

Odile Keller, Division Manager, High-Level Evaluations Division, OPEV.2

Objective

In terms of outcomes, improvements were anticipated in the following areas: (i) permanent access to drinking water supply (DWS) systems; (ii) access to sanitation systems; (iii) capacities to provide quality drinking water supply and sanitation (DWSS) services in rural areas; (iv) sustainability of local DWSS institutions in rural areas; (v) the adoption of appropriate behaviour; and (vi) the planning and monitoring and evaluation system for the DWSS sector. These improvements were to help reduce: (i) the burden of collecting water; (ii) the incidence of diseases related to water quality and sanitation; (iii) health expenditures, etc.

Main Findings

• The sub-programme addresses a genuine need on the part of rural communities that face a renewed outbreak of water-borne and sanitation-related diseases. The sub-programme is part of the Rwandan government’s sector policy and strategy and is consistent with national poverty reduction strategies (2002 PRSP and 2008-2012 EDPRS) and international and regional objectives. PNEAR uses a local community demand-driven approach in order to increase beneficiary involvement in defining the DWSS sub-projects and in the construction and management of facilities through decentralized authorities established by the government. In addition, the sub-programme is part of the Bank’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI). The sub-programme objectives are consistent with the Bank’s general priorities as well as its strategy for Rwanda (CSP 2002-2004). The programme approach adopted for PNEAR encourages a long-term commitment between Rwanda and development partners. The design incorporated lessons on the participatory approach and the management of facilities by private operators through public-private partnership. However, despite the predominance of unhygienic latrines in the target area, the sub-programme design did not sufficiently take into account the needs in sanitation facilities and information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns to promote the adoption of good health practices and behaviours regarding the use of water. The sub-programme is deemed highly relevant with satisfactory quality at entry.

• The sub-programme produced most of the expected outputs in accordance with applicable sector standards; moreover, the facilities are in satisfactory operating condition. It helped to provide a sustainable supply of drinking water to about 476,575 persons, while close to 16,200 persons were provided with hygienic family or collective latrines out of a total estimated population of 3.3 million. Although the great majority of households in the subprogramme area (98%) use latrines, they are generally in poor condition (57%) and classified as unhygienic. PNEAR I also brought about substantial changes in the manner of supplying drinking water to rural households, particularly by stepping up water supply to water points and improved sources, at the expense of unimproved water supplies. However, a significant proportion of households continue to use natural sources as an alternative, reserving the use of drinking water for certain purposes (drinking, bathing, cooking and dishwashing). The average daily household drinking water consumption is well below the capacities supplied by the sub-programme and estimated at 11 litres per inhabitant (compared to projected average daily consumption of 20 litres per inhabitant). In terms of quality, the water supplied by the sub-programme is essentially good, although water from developed sources merits particular attention.

• In light of Rwanda’s physical geography characterized by hilly terrain and scattered rural towns and centres, the sub-programme did not significantly reduce the distance between residences and water sources or the time spent collecting water. Moreover, the burden of carrying water is worsened by the effort and energy required to transport a 20- to 22-litre jerry can in this context. The sub-programme helped to improve the stakeholders’ capacity to provide quality DWSS services in rural areas, particularly through satisfactory public-private partnerships (PPPs) and the beneficiaries’ ownership of the works. The process of adopting appropriate behaviours, impelled essentially by several actions conducted by health centres, is still slow. Good hygiene practices do not appear firmly established in the habits of rural communities at this point. According to the stakeholders, permanent access to drinking water, and to family and collective sanitation facilities for certain groups, had a positive impact on their living conditions. Overall, the sub-programme efficacy is rated satisfactory.

• Economic analysis shows that the sub-programme was economically beneficial to the target populations because it spared them the cost of treatment and travel to health centres for water-borne diseases and reduced the loss of income from absences from work attributable to potential water-borne diseases, etc. These benefits will become more manifest if appropriate measures are taken to increase potable water consumption. The internal economic rate of return (IERR) is estimated at 17.8% for a net present value (NPV) of RWF 2.6 billion, compared to 26% and RWF 7.2 billion, respectively, at appraisal and 27% and RWF 22.59 billion at completion. An IERR that exceeds the opportunity cost of the capital shows that the sub-programme is economically viable. The lower IERR and NPV is attributable, among other things, to the fundamental assumption of a daily consumption of 20 litres per capita considered at ex-ante evaluation and re-expressed at completion, given that the latter proved inconsistent with the situation on the ground. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the analysis showed that the unit costs per person supplied by the sub-programme compare favourably with those of other DWS projects in Rwanda and Africa. Financial analysis indicates that the intervention produced limited financial returns for the government that covered the initial investment. While the sub-programme is rated economically efficient, the financial viability is less than satisfactory.

• From an institutional standpoint, the establishment of the Rwandan Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), the national agency responsible for water supply and sanitation in both urban and rural areas, represents a considerable asset. The sub-programme strengthened sector monitoring and evaluation, particularly with an inventory of DWS facilities. However, in the context of the decentralization process, further efforts are needed to develop integrated systems for the districts to support automated management of planning data and monitoring and evaluation of DWSS project and programme outcomes. PNEAR I also contributed to building the capacity of public and private stakeholders; these efforts should be continued at the district level. In the absence of an enabling decree for the Sanitation Code, the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has yet to establish the pricing structure, develop service quality standards or monitor the performance of operators in the water and sanitation sector. The institutional impact of the sub-programme is rated satisfactory.

• The sustainability of the sub-programme outcomes is guaranteed by: (i) the quality of infrastructure maintenance and management; (ii) the establishment of a policy, legal and administrative framework with the adoption of policies, laws and development strategies; and (iii) effective decentralization. Close community involvement in the sub-programme design and implementation reinforces the sense of ownership. Economic viability is confirmed by the analysis of sub-programme sensitivity tests. However, the low levels of drinking water consumption remain a major issue and the substantial cost of the initial investments requires an appropriate sharing of responsibilities to finance infrastructure replacement and network expansion. The use of PPPs (as an alternative to the community management method) will contribute to the effective upkeep and maintenance of facilities and in general improve the administrative, technical and financial management of DWS systems; competition among operators and the control of prices are nonetheless needed. The overall sub-programme performance is rated satisfactory.

 

Main Lessons

• Information and awareness campaigns among users on domestic hygiene and the cost of drinking water service, and the establishment of water points close to homesteads offering DWS services at affordable rates determined through transparent processes, are indispensable in rural areas for sustainable cost recovery and increased drinking water consumption.

• The delegation of rural DWS network management to private operators as an alternative to community management is advantageous only if there is genuine competition and an effective system to monitor the quality of service provided and the prices charged.

• The effective decentralization of the DWSS sector, underpinned by effective capacity building and performance contracts between local governments and central government are key success factors in the development of rural water and sanitation services.

• Appropriate technologies (less expensive and adapted to local conditions) and affordable to households are essential for improved coverage of the individual hygienic latrine needs of rural communities.

      .  An integrated computerized monitoring and evaluation data management system at the decentralized level is critical for better planning, implementation and monitoring and                       evaluation of the results of rural drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene projects and programmes

Main Recommendations

To the Government:

• Increased drinking water consumption: The government should create conditions to help increase drinking water consumption by: (i) bringing water supply facilities closer to users; (ii) stepping up the grouping of households into Imidugudu; (iii) monitoring the services provided and prices charged by standpipe managers; and (iv) sensitizing users on domestic hygiene and the cost of drinking water service.

• Management of DWS systems: The government should expand the delegation of DWS system management to private operators by: (i) encouraging private investment to build facilities2 ; (ii) encouraging the upstream development of civil engineering materials industry; (iii) continuing capacity building activities3 in districts; and (iv) conducting studies on pricing adapted to poor and vulnerable groups, including a survey on preparedness to pay.

• Quality of water intended for consumption: The government should guarantee the inherent quality of water intended for human consumption through sufficient protection of water collection sites against pollution or the risk of external pollution from human or agricultural sources.

• Appropriate technologies for individual latrines: The government should conduct studies to identify the most appropriate technologies (less expensive and adapted to local conditions) than can help facilitate access by rural communities to individual hygienic latrines.

• Results-based monitoring and evaluation: The government should further strengthen monitoring and evaluation in the sector by developing in each district an integrated computerized data management system for the planning, monitoring and evaluation of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene projects and programmes.

To the Bank:

• Public-private partnerships for DWSS: In designing water and sanitation projects, the Bank should consider a greater role for PPPs underpinned by genuine competition among operators and an effective regulation system.

• Balance of key DWSS components: The Bank should pay more attention to sanitation and hygiene in rural DWSS projects in view of their positive effects in improving health conditions.

• Decentralization of DWSS services: The Bank should encourage the effective decentralization of the DWSS sector in regional member countries, supported by capacity building at the local level and performance contracts defined in a participatory manner between local governments and the central government.

• Support in the development of an integrated monitoring and evaluation system: The Bank should back DWSS sector decentralization in Rwanda through institutional support to develop at district level real integrated computerized data management systems for the monitoring and evaluation of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene projects and programmes.