Evaluation of Kionzo potable water project

Special final evaluation covers the period 1/83-4/85 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with key participants. Although the project was well designed, a series of setbacks during its implementation phase have made its success doubtful. The originator of the plan, a priest at Kionzo Catholic mission, left the country soon after A.I.D. had agreed to finance the project. A local company, Ateliers de Construction Electrique de Charleroi (ACEC), agreed to install the water distribution system, although only a small sum was offered in payment and the company had very limited experience in water distribution systems. The senior field engineer, who was extremely competent, agreed to handle the project himself; unfortunately, he died in an automobile accident before installation began. ACEC continued, installing two hydraulic rams to pump water to seven villages and the mission. The original plan, to connect two reservoirs separately to the two hydraulic rams, was changed to join the supply pipes 800 meters before one of the reservoirs. Larger pipes were not installed to absorb the increased quantity of water, and excess pressure during the rainy season caused the supply pipes to burst. A number of failures followed this accident, although ACEC made - and is continuing to make - every effort to repair the system. Funds were lacking to solve the problem by installing larger pipes or running independent pipes from each water source to the reservoir. The project should be viewed not as a failure, but as a pilot effort showing problems to avoid in future projects. When the system was working it was of great value to the villagers, and the hydraulic rams are a simple, appropriate method of providing water with minimal cost and upkeep. However, such a small independent activity necessarily competes with larger investments by A.I.D., absorbing more staff time than its value warrants; it would be more effectively conducted in a larger framework of technology testing, adaptation, and dissemination, carefully monitored.