Mid-term evaluation of the water reuse and environmental conservation (WREC) project

The project provides capacity building, technical assistance, and training to support key institutions, such as: (1) the Ministry of Environment (MoEnv) and national laboratories for improved environmental analysis and governance; (2) engineering feasibility studies for industrial waste management, hazardous site remediation, and landfill rehabilitation; (3) industrial wastewater treatment system designs; (4) reclaimed water reuse pilot projects; and (5) other pollution prevention initiatives. WREC has four major tasks: (1) institutional and regulatory strengthening; (2) pollution prevention and industrial waste management; (3) disposal site rehabilitation and feasibility studies; and (4) water reuse for community livelihood enhancement. The evaluation was guided by specific questions including: (1) what have been the achievements of the WREC project [and] what is the success of the various tasks and sub-tasks implemented by WREC [and] what worked, what did not work and why [and] which tasks are fully instituted and which are critical and require further investment; (2) did the project"s strategy enhance or weaken achievement of the anticipated tasks [and] did the project"s management approach enhance or weaken achievement of the anticipated tasks [and] did the project"s implementation approach enhance or weaken achievement of the anticipated tasks [and] define the approaches -- from strategy, management, and implementation -- that enhanced the project and identify the ones that can be replicated in the future [and] also, identify lessons learned that weakened the program and how these can be alleviated in future programs; (3) determine the level of satisfaction of the counterpart institutions and the stakeholders with the program [and] specify what satisfied them and what did not and why; and (4) are the processes, innovations, institutions, partnerships, and linkages introduced sustainable? Specific evaluation analyses on program findings, conclusions, and recommendations structured around WREC"s core tasks are provided in detail. (Excerpt, modified)