Project Evaluation
Summaries
Prepared by the Policy, Planning and Evaluation
Unit (PPEU)
Burkina Faso
I. Basic Project Data
| Project Number: | BKF/85/C09 |
| Project Title: |
Drinking water supply for the town of Ouahigouya |
| UN Cooperating Agency: | UNDP/OPS |
| Government Executing Agency: | Ministry of Water, National Office of Water and Sanitation |
| Sector: | Water works |
| Sub-Sector: | Urban water supply |
| UNCDF Budget: | US$ 1,193,620 |
| Gov't. Budget: | 311,200 |
| Total Budget: | 1,504,820 |
|
UNCDF Expenditures at Evaluation: |
1,139,287 |
|
Date Project Approved:
|
11 Feb 1988
|
|
Date Project Began:
|
Oct 1989
|
|
Date Project Evaluated:
|
Mar 1997
|
|
Type of Evaluation:
|
Ex-Post
|
 |
|
II.
Background
The economic development of Burkina Faso has been strongly influenced by the country's climate, with its scarce and irregular rainfall and the scarcity of year-round watercourses. In 1980, the country's authorities worked out a ten year Drinking-Water Supply and Sanitation Plan with the aim of improving water supply. It was in this context that the authorities requested UNCDF assistance to strengthen and extend the water-supply system for the town of Ouahigouya, which dates from 1963.
Ouahigouya, with a population of 50,000 in 1992, is the capital of Yatenga province, which has been particularly hard hit by drought. The town has been supplied with water by five boreholes and three wells situated at two stations. The network of the National Office of Water and Sanitation (ONEA) comprised 32 public standpipes and 1,290 private subscribers. Water was stored in a water tower with a capacity of 300 m3. Only 57% of the town had access to this network in 1992.
III. The Project
The project's development objective was to contribute to the Ten Year Plan, which included the target of supplying 60 litres of water per day per person by the year 2000. The immediate objectives of the project, which was to be executed by ONEA, were:
• To increase water resources from 1,500 m3 per day to 3,150 m3 per day by extending the catchment area downstream of the dam and by improving management of the catchment area;
• To improve conditions of water storage by increasing the existing storage capacity from 450 m3 to 1,250 m3 ; and
• To extend the distribution network into new neighbourhoods, in accordance with the area's master plan for development.
IV. Purpose of the Evaluation
The main purpose of the evaluation was to assess project design, implementation, results, effectiveness and socio-economic impact on the direct and indirect beneficiaries.
The mission was also expected to carry out an in-depth review of the situation at the conclusion of the project, identify the factors that have helped or hindered the consolidation of achievements or the project's sustainability, and provide concrete proposals to improve the design, formulation, efficiency and effectiveness of future projects in this sector.
Lastly, in order to have a better idea of the project's impact on the area in comparison with the direct or indirect impact of previous interventions or ongoing activities in the sub-sector, the mission was asked to broaden its review to encompass a number of actions financed by other donors in the project's regional or subregional context.
V. Findings of the Evaluation Mission
A. Assessment of results achieved
With 60% of the planned outputs having been achieved, the project has nevertheless helped to measurably improve the town's water supply, especially in the project area. The project also largely contributed to the strengthening of the skills of private and public operators and of water suppliers. However, the participation of beneficiaries and the promotion of their project awareness were minimal, which resulted in strong competition from alternative wells, that did not charge users. Lastly, the project suffered from a lack of institutional collaboration: apart from a contract between ONEA and the Provincial Department of Health, there was no linkage with existing intermediate structures.
Physical plant and facilities:
The works were completed in 1994 after several delays and cost increases. Seven public standpipes were constructed, instead of the ten planned, and four boreholes were drilled instead of eight. Still, access to potable water by town residents improved measurably: after the project, one public standpipe covered 772 inhabitants in the project area, as compared with 1,349 in 1992. Water resources increased from 1,500 m3 per day to 2,000 m3 per day (60% of the original estimate). The electrical equipment is in relatively good condition, with a few exceptions. Some equipment is needed to improve well and borehole drilling operations. The water-treatment equipment is susceptible to occasional breakdowns. The water meters used are not standardized. Various standpipes have leaks, owing to frequent use. The pump used to empty the intake tank is not powerful enough.
Quality of the network:
The town's water supply is still inadequate owing to the many water leaks in the plant and in the network, the inadequate capacity of the water storage tower, and limitations on the hours of pumping. Even though such losses have declined since the UNCDF project as a result of better maintenance and improved management, they were estimated at 20% in 1996. The quality of the water distributed is relatively good, but it could be improved with additional equipment and personnel. Imported chlorine is used to treat the water.
Capacity of ONEA to operate and maintain the facilities:
The local personnel possess the technical skills to operate and maintain the facilities satisfactorily. The maintenance instructions are being complied with for the most part, and the results of maintenance of the facilities is, on the whole, satisfactory. ONEA's revenues are derived from user fees. The sale price of water nearly doubled, to CFAF 179 per m3 in 1994 after the devaluation. The Ouahigouya auxiliary centre, however, runs at a loss owing to numerous charges and items imposed on it by the General Management.
Participation:
The project was hampered by a lack of participation and prior awareness among the population regarding the choice of sites, the inauguration of the public standpipes, the concept of paying for water, water management, the impact of water on health, and so on. This resulted, for example, in strong competition from alternative wells in some areas.
Impact on women:
The installation of public standpipes and their proximity to concessions helped to lighten the workload of women and children by decreasing the distance they had to go to fetch water, reducing fatigue and saving time. Women did not, however, benefit from any awareness-raising activities under the project.
Socio-economic impact:
In spite of the good quality of the water provided, the standpipes face strong competition from alternative water sources, especially traditional water points in most of the concessions and, in particular, in sector 13. The mission was unable to determine the project's impact on the health of the inhabitants.
B. Assessment of project design
The project did not attach due importance to the leadership, awareness, and participation component (particularly where women were concerned) in either design or implementation. Similarly, it did not emphasize institutional cooperation between the various partners involved, in particular the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. It could have relied on existing intermediate public health structures and parastatals to execute the bulk of the promotional programmes. Apart from this, the original objectives were valid and relevant. The plans were, for the most part, achieved. The technology proposed was suitable, technically adequate, simple and serviceable for this type of project environment.
VI. Recommendations
Given the ex-post nature of the evaluation, the recommendations are addressed primarily to ONEA. They relate to:
The physical condition and functioning of the facilities:
• The reservoir should be inspected as soon as possible in order to repair leaks.
• Some equipment is necessary to improve the functioning of well and borehole facilities and to improve the quality and frequency of water analyses. The brands of water meters need to be standardized. Equipment for maintaining standpipes should be ordered.
• Ouahigouya needs a SANILEC B-50 system so that good quality chlorine can be manufactured locally for water treatment; this will be less costly than using imported chlorine. Such a system is currently being tested in another centre.
In general, given the substantial losses in the plant and distribution network, there is a need to locate the sources of leaks, rehabilitate the network and take corrective action.
ONEA:
Steps must be taken to remedy the deficits at the Ouahigouya Centre by introducing analytical accounting methods as soon as possible in order to review the entire range of charges and identify ways to reduce the cost of water. Decentralizing the Centre's management should be considered.
Promotional, awareness-creation, health education, and training campaigns:
An agreement could be concluded with a DANIDA water and sanitation project which is under way in the region in order to include the population affected by the UNCDF project, particularly women, in awareness activities.
Institutional cooperation:
Concerted action with the Provincial Health Department (DPS) of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare at Ouahigouya is necessary so that water analysis and quality control by DPS continue and the areas of health education and environmental hygiene aspect are taken care of. Lastly, mutual cooperation between ONEA and the Mayor's Office is needed to meet the water needs of Ouahigouya in the town's future development plan.
VII. Policy Implications and Lessons Learned
In order to ensure the success of a project and the future transfer of responsibility, the local population must be consulted and must participate in the design and preparation phase, in the selection of sites and technology, etc.
A semi-urban water-supply and sanitation project cannot be planned without providing the necessary measures to advise and supervise the beneficiaries. Information, awareness, promotional and health education campaigns must explain the benefits of clean drinking water and its secondary effects to the target population, and should encourage them to accept the cost. With regard to the impact on public health, the participation of women is a very important factor which must be ensured from the earliest stages of the project.
In order to maximize the project's impact, active collaboration must be programmed from the outset between existing specialized institutions and services in all the areas concerned (water, health, promotional activities).
VIII. Evaluation Team
The evaluation team consisted of Abdoulaye Djegal (USA), MBA and hydraulic engineer, team leader, and Jean-Claude Sanon (Burkina Faso), social economist.
