Rural water supply & sanitation in Bolivia : from pilot project to national program

Bolivia has a long history of building rural water and sanitation systems which focus on technical merits, with little consideration given to economic efficiency or sustainability of service. In 1991, the Yacupaj pilot project was initiated to design and test innovative approaches to sector development based on a community-level implementation process and supporting sustainability through the application of training and hygiene education programs. The results of the Yacupaj project have been essential in scaling up the pilot project to a national program, Proyecto de Saneamiento Basico Rural (PROSABAR). This case study documents the results achieved by the Yacupaj pilot project and the process followed in the preparation of PROSABAR. It also assesses the contribution of both projects to reforming the rural water and sanitation sector in Bolivia. The first part of the study describes the Yacupaj project's rules, processes and implementation strategy and presents results on the impact of the project at the community and institutional levels. It also shows how working through NGOs and existing agencies led to the institutionalization of the project. The second section focuses on how PROSABAR integrated the lessons from Yacupaj in formulating a national sector policy establishing project rules and institutional arrangements, including the eligibility criteria, technical options, and financial policy. The ways in which PROSABAR tackled new challenges during the scaling up process are also examined. The third section draws lessons for project planners and World Bank task managers. The experience with Yacupaj and PROSABAR is significant because it provides a model for implementing water and sanitation projects in rural communities. Boxes and tables support the document.