RURAL WATER SYSTEMS - CARE OPG

PES covers the period 7/77-2/81 and is based on site visits and a larger evaluation, "Proyecto Rural Integrado de Salud y Nutricion". As of 6/80, 33 of the 45 planned systems were complete -- 25 in the Department of Chuquisca and 8 in the Department of Tarija. Of these, 12 use mechanized pumps and storage tanks, 13 are gravity flow types with water treatment and balancing tanks, and 8 are gravity flow types with balancing tanks but without water treatment. Of the systems inspected, 75% were adequately maintained. Project emphasis on water system installation and CARE"s, (the implementing agent) initial shortage of appropriate technical/extension personnel caused community training in cooperativism, health and nutrition, and water system maintenance to lag behind schedule. Moreover, the failure of local contractors to fulfill their agreements with CARE resulted in the lack of a follow-up system maintenance training program. To ensure that the training component is fully implemented, CARE contracted the Chuquisaca Development Corporation (CORDECH) to provide additional training in Chuquisaca from 1/81-2/81 and Fomento de Mano de Obra (FOMO), a Bolivian government agency, to carry out similar training in Tarija from 7/81-8/81. CARE also conducted training at 21 of the 33 completed sites and hired two additional technicians. Community reluctance to use chemical water treatments, due to their perceived role in population control, limited chlorinator installation to 8 of the 22 planned sites. Although CARE was thus forced to spend an unexpectedly large amount of time and effort to alter local attitudes, it predicts the remaining 14 chlorinators will be installed by 7/31/81. The project has had a direct positive impact upon local health standards, notably in reducing infant mortality and diarrhea incidence, and upon community attitudes toward self-help efforts. USAID/Bolivia will conduct a site inspection and final project evaluation in 8/81.