Evaluation of the CARE water supply and sanitation project in the Dominican Republic

External evaluation covers the period 8/85-8/89. Although project allocations for TA and health education and training materials were inadequate, CARE achieved considerable results through its own contributions, sound fiscal management, and the proper utilization of outside resources. A change in project design to allow participants to choose between water technologies (i.e., piped water distribution vs. handpumps) had a positive effect on performance at all levels. Piped water systems were generally more successful than handpump systems, however, primarily because of greater popular interest and a more adequate operations and maintenance program. While health education coverage and planning need to be improved in all communities, project health promoters gained community trust and made some progress in education. There is evidence that the relationship between water and health is well understood and some health practices were improved. Water committees are functioning; most actively oversee the water systems and collect funds for maintenance. However, CARE needs to develop a comprehensive operation and maintenance program to ensure that all the communities can perform maintenance tasks wholly on their own. It is recommended that the remainder of the project be devoted to the development of such a program, especially for communities with handpumps. Although CARE promoted latrines, only two were constructed, suggesting that promotion alone is not enough in low-income areas. It is recommended that the project be continued beyond the current PACD with increased emphasis on health education and information systems.