Impact assessment on the development of a major Afghan urban centre through the provision of better water services (2014)

The project titled "Development of a major Afghan urban centre through the provision of better water services" was carried out from 2009 to 2011 and intended to provide Charikar with an affordable and sustainable supply of safe drinking water. Charikar city is the capital of Parwan province and was characterised by fast growth and the settling of a large amount of returnees, particularly during the period from 2005 to 2010. Charikar was thus in dire need of the extension of services, particularly of the water supply system.

The project had five main components. The first addressed the piping of water from the Dare Kalan spring (approximately 5km to the west of the existing urban water supply treatment plant) to this water treatment plant, thereby increasing the water supply and eliminating the risk of contamination during transmission (the water having previously been transmitted from the spring to the treatment plant via a combination of deteriorated cast iron pipes and an open ditch). The second component addressed the rehabilitation of the treatment plant (including improving the pumps, replacing the sand filter and rehabilitating the building and all water conducts). The third addressed the construction of a water supply network in Block 11 of the city which thus far had had no access to drinking water (Including the construction of kiosks to ensure water supply to all residents). The fourth component focused on capacity building for operation and maintenance (O&M) and awareness raising among staff of i) the Charikar Strategic Business Sub-Unit of the Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation; and ii) the kiosk committees. Lastly, the fifth component focused on the raising of awareness and hygiene promotion among the population of Charikar, particularly of Block 11. 

The Overall Objective of the Project is to improve living conditions and reduce the prevalence of water-related diseases in major urban centres in Afghanistan. The Specific Objective of the Project is to provide urban dwellers in the city of Charikar with an affordable and sustainable supply of safe drinking water (estimated at 50,000 people in 2008).

The present impact assessment takes place more than four years after the completion of the Project. This provides the Consultant with an excellent picture of the impact, but complicates the analysis of more detailed issues such as effectivity and efficiency since many project staff and their counterparts are no longer in the area or have been assigned to different positions. An external evaluation was also carried out by ACF immediately following Project closure and differences between the status observed at that time and that observed today may provide some additional information and help draw lessons learnt.