Start Date: 2011-01-01

Completion Date: 2011-12-31

Technology Used:

Our approach builds on more than 30 years experience in the water sector and is based on strengthening the legitimate roles of the different actors (local government, regional government, civil society, private sector, and water user associations) within an integrated water resource management framework. It is adapted to the Mali context and follows the Mali decentralization and water strategies.

This approach is characterized by progressively placing the responsibility for planning, coordinating, and monitoring water and sanitation interventions at the municipal level.

The private sector is involved:
- social engineering is done by local NGOs contracted by the municipalities;
- studies are executed by local engineering firms on the basis of detailed terms of reference
- the works are carried out by local contractors through an open tender procedure.

PROTOS and the engineers from the Regional Water Directorate provide technical expertise and monitor the studies and the works and assure quality control.

The actions of the private sector are coached and controlled by the PROTOS project staff.

The water users elect a committee responsible for distribution, operation and maintenance. Each water user pays an annual fee to this committee which goes to an operation and maintenance fund, which is managed by a water user association (federation), federating the individual committees.

Each municipality signs a contract with the water committees operating on their territory that specifies rights and duties of water users, water committee and local government.

Local technicians have been trained in maintenance and can be hired by the water committees in case of repairs.

Used technology:
Deepening of existing and building of new shallow wells;
Building of new and rehabilitation of existing boreholes with hand pump;
Construction of Improved Pit Latrines and - ECOSAN-Latrines;
Construction of cesspits;
Construction of public latrines and hand washing devices;
Construction of drinking devices for cattle;

These technologies have been used in previous projects and have shown their applicability to the context:
Often shallow groundwater tables;
Easily to construct and to maintain by local population;
Promoted by the Mali Government.

Phases:

The project will be done in one phase, funding will not be split in parts.

Community Organization:

The community makes a request to the municipal authority. The municipality makes an appraisal of the demand according to a number of technical, financial and social criteria. Together with the Regional Water Directorate, the municipality sets the priorities. If the village is selected by the municipality, a local NGO, recruited by the municipality, and coached by PROTOS, starts the social engineering in the village:
- explaining the whole process;
- discussing the community participation;
- explaining the responsibilities of the different stakeholders,
- explaining the technical possibilities;
- sensitizing the population on correct use of drinking water and on hygiene and sanitation;
- creation of a village committee for the management of the water point, elected by the village.

A technical engineering firm recruited by the municipality in on open tender, draws a technical study for the water point, which has to be approved by PROTOS, the municipality, the Regional Water Directorate and the village.

A local contractor is recruited by the municipality for the construction of the water point. The works are controlled by PROTOS and the Regional Water Directorate, and accepted by the Municipality and the community.

The community participates in the works with non skilled labor, local materials and food and shelter for the local contractor. The municipality pays 5 % of the investment.

The municipality signs a contract with the water user committee (WUC) for the management of the water point. This management is regularly appraised by the municipality.

The water users pay for the water (on a monthly basis or per recipient).

Government Interaction:

The local authorities are the main actors in the project:
- they are responsible for the identification of the villages;
- the planning of the interventions;
- the recruiting and management of the contracts with the local NGO’s, the engineering firm, the local contractors;
- the delegation of the management of the water points to the local committees and its follow up.

The Regional Directorates play its role as a back stopping office for the municipalities, and in controlling the implementation of national water & sanitation policies on the field.

The local authorities and the Regional Directorates are member of the steering committee and decide on the strategy of the project, and guarantee the interaction with other interventions in the area (both governmental as non-governmental).

Ancillary activities:

- Training of local actors on Integrated Water Resources Management;
- GIS-Cartography of natural resources (water and soil) as a decision instrument;
- Linking drinking water for human consumption and water for productive aims (growing vegetables, cattle …)

Other Issues: