Lesotho Water Sector Improvement Project

closed

The project development objective is to support the vision of the Government of Lesotho to secure adequate, sustainable, and clean water supply and to support adequate sanitation services for consumers living in the Lowlands areas. The project has the following three components: Component 1) will focus on the implementation of the recent institutional changes undertaken within the Ministry of Natural Resources as recommended under the 1999 Policy. It will provide support for policy analysis and capacity building for the newly established Commissioner of Water and the Policy, Planning, and Strategy Unit (PPSU). Component 2) will include selected civil works to augment water treatment and extensions to the distribution system of about US$ 6.0 million. It would also support a Performance Agreement (PFA) between the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) and the GOL. Component 3) This component is designed as a pilot to provide an opportunity for the stakeholders involved (WASA, Maseru City Council, Ministry of Local Government, DRWS, DWA) to test different service options and delivery mechanisms for the delivery of water to six peri-urban communities. A number of different service delivery options (for example, prepaid meters, handpumps for the very poor, shared standposts, kiosks, and coupon systems) would be implemented and evaluated.