Audit of USAID/Tunisia"s rural potable water institutions project

The audit covers the period 4/86-4/90. The objective of improving site selection has been fully achieved and all of the constructed wells are operating in good condition. Midway through the project, however, USAID/T realized the impossibility of meeting all construction goals with available funding and decided to change the project"s focus, reducing the targeted number of wells and emphasizing the WUA concept, including a plan to replicate the concept nationally. The plan is well conceived, but displays certain weaknesses that need to be addressed before implementation. The regional government is neither adquately monitoring the WUA"s nor collecting sufficient cost or revenue data. Available information suggests that the Kasserine WUA"s are not viable (though touted as such), since the government is continuing to pay pump operator salaries and certain repair costs. Additionally, USAID/T has not formally modified the project agreement to reflect changes in project direction to reduce well construction and increase emphasis on WUA"s. Thus, the project has been operating without formal criteria since 5/89, and the Government of Tunisia may be expecting the project to develop the original targeted number of wells. USAID/T has also failed to inform the Asia/Near East Bureau of impending changes or to consult the Bureau in developing alternative approaches. Of the seven functioning well sites visited, three did not display the A.I.D. handclasp. It is suggested that Arabic- language signs be erected at the well sites giving credit to the United States for its funding of the wells.