RURAL WATER SUPPLY I

closed

The project would provide convenient, safe and reliable water to a rural population of about half a million, and would also strengthen the Ministry of Water Development's (MWD) organization and management capability to plan expansion programs and to operate and maintain water supply schemes. The project would consist of: (i) construction of 33 rural water supply schemes; (ii) strengthening of MWD's operation and maintenance and direct labor sections; and (iii) technical assistance for implementation of the recommendations of the management study aimed at strengthening MWD. The schemes would supply between 100 and 10,000 households each, through a mixture of individual connections, communal water points and kiosks. The project would face risks.ks related to the capacity of MWD to plan, construct, operate and maintain rural water schemes satisfactorily; the implementation of effective collection methods could also present problems. However, measures to strengthen MWD have already begun, and the inclusion in the proposed project of steps to accelerate training, improve financial control mechanisms, and provide for implementation of the program of management consultancy services, combined with the recruitment of additional trained staff should substantially reduce these risks.