Access, Management El Salvador and Rational Use of Water (AGUA) Final Report of the Evaluation Submitted to: USAID/El Salvador Submitted by: The ARD-Water IQC Consortium PO Box 1397 159 Bank Street, Suite 300 Burlington, VT 05402 USA October 2002 Task Order #805 under the Integrated Water and Coastal Management (Water) IQC USAID Contract No. LAG-I-00-99-00018-00 Acknowledgements A successful project evaluation—both the process and the final product—are the result of a collaboration of organizations and people for whom the goals of the project transcend other agendas. The evaluation team wishes to acknowledge the good will, support, and collaboration of all those involved in the AGUA Activity. The conclusions and recommendations found herein are the product of a collaborative analysis of findings with AGUA participants and reflect their sincere desire to carry out activities with the highest possible sustainable impact. The Evaluation Team wishes to acknowledge the AGUA Project consortia—CARE/El Salvador, in particular Roney Gutiérrez and Carlos Huezo—and the staffs of Salva-NATURA, FUNDAMUNI, and SACDEL. The staffs at PCI, CRS, World Vision, and ICA-CAMAGRO also went out of their way to facilitate the work of the Evaluation Team. We would also like to acknowledge the collaboration of the Government of El Salvador, in particular the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) and the National Administration of Water and Sewage (ANDA). The evaluation team wants to give a special acknowledgement to the USAID/El Salvador staff, in particular those members of the Environmental (AGUA) Office—William Patterson, Brad Carr, Patricia Echeverria, Mary Rodriguez, and Elizabeth de Gonzalez—whose sincere dedication to the development of the country of El Salvador both inspired the Evaluation Team and created a climate of open collaboration for all involved in the AGUA Activity Evaluation. El Salvador: Access, Management and Rational Use of Water (AGUA) Table of Contents Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations ...............................................................................................................iii Executive Summary................................................................................................................................v 1.0 Background and Project Environment...........................................................................................1 1.2 Overview of the Water Resource Sector in El Salvador and Problems with Access, Management and Rational Use of Water ............................................................................................................1 1.2 USAID/El Salvador Strategic Objective 4 and Intermediate Results Package ...............................2 1.2.1 IR 4.1: Improved Quality of Water Sources................................................................................. 3 1.2.2 IR 4.2: Improved Performance of Water Delivery Systems.......................................................... 3 1.2.3 IR 4.3: More Effective Citizen Actions to Address Water Issues.................................................. 4 1.2.4 IR 4.4: Greater Municipal Participation in Water Resources Management................................... 4 2.0 Evaluation Objectives, Scope of Work, and Methodology............................................................6 2.1 Evaluation Objectives....................................................................................................................6 2.2 Scope of Work and Limitations of the Evaluation...........................................................................7 2.3 Evaluation Methodology and Makeup of the Evaluation Team ......................................................7 2.4 Structural Conditions Affecting Execution of Activities under Strategic Objective 4 .......................8 3.0 Evaluation Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations..........................................................9 3.1 General Findings and Conclusions................................................................................................9 3.1.1 Appropriateness and Effectiveness of the AGUA Strategy .......................................................... 9 3.1.2 Progress in Meeting Intermediate Results Performance Indicators for Strategic Objective 4...... 10 3.1.3 Beneficiary Participation and Satisfaction ................................................................................. 15 3.1.4 Implementation Arrangements and Expenditures of USAID, GOES Counterpart and NGO Cost- Sharing Funds.......................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.5 Development Impact and Sustainability of Project Interventions................................................ 21 3.2 Decentralization and Local Management Capacity Development ................................................22 3.2.1 Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 23 3.2.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 26 3.3 Watershed Management, Water Source Protection, Sustainable Agroforestry and Agricultural Diversification..............................................................................................................................26 3.3.1 Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 27 3.3.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 28 3.4 Potable Water Systems, Wastewater and Solid Waste Management Infrastructure ....................32 3.4.1 Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 32 3.4.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 37 3.5 Environmental Education, Citizen Participation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources........38 3.5.1 Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 38 3.5.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 39 3.6 Project Strategic Planning and Policies for Sustainable Management and Use of Water Resources...................................................................................................................................43 3.6.1 Findings and Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 43 3.6.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 44 3.7 General Recommendations to USAID regarding the AGUA/WE Activity .....................................49 3.7.1 Strategic Focus of Activities until FY04..................................................................................... 50 3.7.2 Reordering of Activities under Existing Components and IRs.................................................... 51 3.7.3 Establishment and Monitoring of Impact Indicators ................................................................... 52 4.0 Lessons Learned and Development Impact of Project Activities ..............................................55 4.1 Overall Project Strategy, Management and Monitoring................................................................55 4.2. Decentralization and Local Management Capability Development ..............................................55 4.3 Watershed Management, Water Source Protection and Sustainable Agroforestry ......................56 4.4 Potable Water Systems, Wastewater and Solid Waste Management Infrastructure ....................56 4.5. Lesson Learned in Environmental Education, Citizen Participation and Use of Natural Resources ....................................................................................................................................................57 El Salvador: Access, Management and Rational Use of Water (AGUA) i Table of Contents 4.6 Project Strategic Planning and Policies for Sustainable Management and Use of Water Resources...................................................................................................................................57 5.0 Strategic Guidance for Future AGUA Activity .............................................................................58 5.1 Integration of Actions for Sustained Production, Access and Management of Water Resources and Expansion to Additional Critical Areas using Strategic Planning Tools .................................58 5.2 Collaboration with Other Development Assistance Institutions and Alternative Financing Mechanisms................................................................................................................................60 5.3 Demonstrating, Proving and Packaging Alternative Approaches and Technologies for Sustainable Development and Management of Water Resources and Environmental Health and Protection.61 Annexes Annex 1: USAID/El Salvador Scope of Work for the Evaluation of the AGUA Activity ....................... 1-1 Annex 2: Revised Evaluation Work Plan..........................................................................................