Ex-post evaluation of the water access, sanitation, and hygiene for urban poor (WASH-UP) activity in Ghana

The evaluation assesses current levels of service delivered by supported water and sanitation installations; factors that may have supported or impaired the sustainability of selected results; and how activity beneficiaries are applying supported hygiene practices. The team conducted a desk review; interviewed activity beneficiaries, partners, and stakeholders; and made structured observations at WASH-UP installations. The evaluation finds that WASH-UP supported water schemes, including household and school water connections, community water points, and water kiosks, continue to provide services to beneficiaries. However, household and institutional beneficiaries raised concerns about the cost of piped water, which has led some service cancellations. Most WASH-UP supported household and institutional latrines continue to be operational, but large households and households with tenants are more likely to have non-functional latrines due to filled septic tanks and pits and the cost of desludging. The evaluation team recommends that USAID consider supporting alternative financial arrangements for compound and multi-family households and invest in broader support to address fecal sludge management in high-density urban centers. WASH-UP also supported Water and Sanitation Committees (WSC) to manage public water and sanitation facilities. In most cases, WSCs continue to function and provide core services to their communities, although in three of five WSCs support for community sensitization to safe hygiene practices has lapsed. In addition, there is mixed evidence on sustainment of supported hygiene practices. The evaluation team recommends that USAID consider medium- and longer-term support to institutional actors such as WSCs, including linking them to government stakeholders to foster sustainability.