Project assistance completion report : CARE OPG 518-0020, rural water systems

PACR covers the period 9/80-7/84. While the main objective - to improve the health of rural Ecuadoreans - undoubtedly was achieved, it is difficult to demonstrate this with hard data. The project did surpass its targets in a number of areas, though. Water hook ups and latrines were provided to serve a total of 5,407 people, almost twice the original target of 3,000. Another target, to establish community groups to maintain water systems constructed under the project, was met by organizing village water boards in each village, which are now charging user fees to cover maintenance costs and hiring villagers to be in charge of system operation and maintenance. A final target, to provide basic health education to beneficiaries to maximize the health potential of the new systems, is harder to quantify, although serious educational efforts have been mounted and are likely to continue. Provincial staff of the Ecuadorean Institute for Sanitary Works (IEOS) used a simplified purchasing plan which enabled the project to be completed in record time, and which demonstrated to IEOS headquarters the need for streamlining procurement procedures. Many of these have since been streamlined, and construction now takes place faster than before. Other lessons are that (1) communities involved in the project have realized that much can be accomplished by working together; (2) the establishment of village water boards has taught participating communities much about management practices which should carry over to other development activities; (3) interinstitutional cooperation can be the major bottleneck in construction projects of this sort; and (4) attention should be paid to the capacity of the counterpart host government agency; in this project, implementation was slowed at first because of IEOS" weak provincial organization, and it was only after an infusion of funds for institution strengthening and a change in IEOS staff that the situation improved.