Sindh Transformational Accelerated Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Project

pipeline

Prospective

The operation will use the Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA). Accelerating and scaling up access to rural WASH in Pakistan requires a significant change in sector governance and hefty investments, necessitating a programmatic, long-term approach. Traditional, retail-based approaches to projects, typically focused on asset creation, have failed to deliver sustainable rural WASH solutions at scale. A system change -comprising policy and institutional reform, a professionalized and efficient service delivery model, and a significant focus on behavioral change- is essential to close the WASH access gap in rural Pakistan and to leverage scarce fiscal resources to crowd in multilateral development banks (MDBs), the private sector, and other partners. An MPA's long-term and sequential nature makes it the most suitable instrument to deliver systems change incrementally and sustainably. The MPA is comprised of four mutually reinforcing pillars: (a) sector governance, (b) access to water supply services, (c) access to sanitation, and (d) behavioral change for strengthened hygiene. Subsequent phases of the MPA will customize the theory of change (ToC) based on their needs, priorities, available resources, and capabilities, provided these are aligned with the PrDO.The MPA comprises four overlapping phases. Its total estimated envelope is US$2.55 billion, of which US$1.4 billion is financed through IDA/IBRD funds and US$900 million from counterpart funding and co-financing from other development partners. The implementation timeframe will be from FY26 to FY35, coinciding with the CPF’s timeframe. It encompasses the Sindh, KP, and Punjab provinces, with the potential to add the Balochistan Province based on client demand.STAR-WASH-1 will finance activities and investments that will contribute to reducing stunting prevalence in Sindh rural areas by addressing structural bottlenecks for service delivery, including technical, governance, and financial aspects. As such, the Project is expected to finance the extension of water supply schemes, latrines, and transport, treatment, and disposal of fecal sludge and wastewater. The investment will be supported by comprehensive behavioral change campaigns to improve hygiene practices related to water storage and treatment, handwashing, menstrual hygiene management, safe disposal of child feces, and solid and animal waste management. The inventions will occur at the household level and in public places (healthcare facilities and schools, among others). Under the STAR-WASH-1 Project, WASH investments will be complemented by support to strengthen the sector's institutional and financial architecture for a major change to the existing arrangements.STAR-WASH 1 will be co-financed by the ADB under the new co-financing framework, where the Bank will be the lead agency for preparation and implementation. ADB is expected to mobilize US$100 million.

World Bank Group

Project

Water Supply and Storage, Waste Processing and Treatment, Government