| Grant Profile: |
| Project Title: |
Haiti Rural Water and Sanitation Project |
| PCF/LICUS/SPF: |
SPF |
Status: |
Open |
| File Number: |
| Region: |
LAC |
| Sector: |
Water, sanitation and flood protection |
Country: |
Haiti |
| FY approved: |
2009 |
Grant Theme : |
Public sector governance |
| Keyword(s): |
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Approved Amount: |
$5,000,000.00 |
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Grant Recipient:
Société Nationale d’Eau Potable (SNEP) |
Grant Purpose:
The project aims to strengthen government and community efforts to provide water and sanitation services in participating rural communities and small towns in Haiti. Its immediate goals include improving access to safe and continuous water supply, increasing the use of sanitary facilities, and improving government capacity to deliver water and sanitation services. The ultimate objective is to reinforce state effectiveness, make services less vulnerable to natural disasters, and reduce the risk of social conflicts.
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Grant Activities:
Component 1: Capacity Building
The component supports capacity building for local communities and the exchange of experiences across communities and projects in the South of Haiti. It would builds capacity within SNEP, a task already initiated with a previous water and sanitation project.
In terms of capacity building for communities, the project covers distinct geographical levels: community, municipal, and departamental.
At the community level, local water committees (CAEPAs), members of the community water assemblies, staff of professional operators, members of CBOs working under the CDD project and other stakeholders receive trainings in communication skills, community mobilization, conflict resolution, the clarification of the roles of various stakeholders, and the supervision of professional operators. Professional operators are trained in billing and accounting, meter reading and repair, water disinfection, plumbing, as well as in community relations and conflict resolution.
At the municipal level, existing COPRODEPs (associations of CBOs) receive trainings in the roles and responsibilities of various actors under the project, with the objective of establishing a water and sanitation sub-committee of the COPRODEP. Each sub-committee would undertake an inventory of existing infrastructure and needs at the level of the entire municipality, followed by a municipal water and sanitation investment plan. The CAEPAs in each municipality would also be encouraged to form a municipal association of CAEPAs that would work in close cooperation with the water and sanitation committee of the COPRODEP.
At the departmental level, the service providers for existing World Bank projects and would organize joint annual workshops for the exchange of experiences between participating communities to exchange good practices and to learn from mistakes.
Component 2: Water supply
The component consists of rehabilitation of piped water systems in rural communities and small towns (about 500 to 10,000 inhabitants), including some damaged by the recent natural disasters. Each water subproject would cost more than US$50,000 in order not to overlap with PRODEP, which cannot finance small water subprojects over US$50,000. This component capitalizes on SNEP’s demonstrated capacity to manage investments under previous World Bank projects. Works would be carried out in communities and small towns in the Southern department, which has been a flashpoint of conflict, and including those affected by the recent hurricanes. The component also includes the preparation of technical designs and the professional supervision of the execution of works.
The project would build resilience against future floods and thereby decrease vulnerability of investments and communities through institutional and technical measures. The project would promote the “build back better” approach, including systematic use of high-density polyethylene pipes that have proven to better withstand floods and landslides than the currently prevailing PVC pipes.
Component 3: Sanitation and hygiene promotion
This component supports the promotion of sanitation and hygiene in the same communities as component 2. It consists of capacity building of relevant actors with some investment in collective sanitary facilities at schools or health posts.
A service provider would promote sanitation and provide training to local masons in the construction of household sanitation facilities. Collective sanitary facilities next to schools and health posts would be financed according to the expressed needs of the communities and if satisfactory arrangements for their maintenance have been put in place. The service provider would also conduct hygiene promotion campaigns in collaboration with the CAEPAs, teachers and women leaders (“Training of trainers”). CAEPAs, CBOs and COPRODEPs would be strengthened in supporting sanitation and hygiene promotion.
Component 4: Project management, monitoring and evaluation
This component supports SNEP in managing the project, including project planning, reporting, procurement, financial management, as well as monitoring and evaluation. It funds consultant services, equipment and operating costs.
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News:
In December 2008, the World Bank approved the first project to be financed by the newly-established State and Peace-building Fund. The $5 million grant aims to reinforce government and community initiatives in Haiti to provide water and sanitation services and strengthen related public sector institutions.
The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti was battered by a series of shocks in 2008 putting extreme stress on the already weak government. Tropical storms and hurricanes shattered the country within a period of four weeks, constituting the largest natural disaster since the beginning of the 20th century. On top of this, rising food and fuel prices, the subsequent riots culminating in the departure of the Prime Minister, and persistently high levels of violence in the country, have further undermined the stability of the state. Due to this critical situation, the World Bank’s Haiti country team came to the State- and Peace-building Fund for a rapid response to the urgent needs of the country.
Even before the recent hurricanes, basic rural infrastructure in Haiti was in need of improvement, with rural water and sanitation coverage being the lowest in the hemisphere. An estimated 2 million Haitians in rural areas rely on unprotected water sources and spend significant time securing potable water. The situation particularly affects women, children and the poor. Improving sanitation and hygiene in the domestic environment has become particularly important for the wellbeing of these vulnerable groups.
To address these challenges in Haiti, the project will strengthen government and community efforts to provide water and sanitation services in participating rural communities and small towns in the country. Its immediate goals include improving access to safe and continuous water supply, increasing the use of sanitary facilities, and improving government capacity to deliver water and sanitation services. The ultimate objective is to reinforce state effectiveness, make services less vulnerable to natural disasters, and reduce the risk of social conflicts.
The project is estimated to provide improved access to water to more than 25,000 people over the next two years.
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