Project financed by the European Commission (ONG-PVD/2007/143-415), with co-financing of the Belgian government and private European financiers.

Partners

• CEDIR (Centro de Desarrollo y Investigación Rural), a local NGO with expertise in local development for water management and sustainable agrculture.
• Municipal councils of Oña and Saraguro, and associated technical services.
• COPLAV (2nd  line public authority for drinking water and sanitation services in the Oña canton).

Target Groups

In consultation with the local authorities, based on specific needs defined in local development plans, the project focuses implementation in 6 parishes in the cantons of Oña and Saraguro : 2 in Oña (Oña and Susudel), 4 in Saraguro (Urdaneta, San Antonio de Cumbe, Tablon and San Pablo de Tenta).

Specific target groups are:

• The 5 involved parish councils (lowest governance level in Ecuador);
• 30 drinking water comittees;
• 20 schools and 6 health centers.

A total of 11,200 individuals will be reached, representing 80% of the rural population in the targeted parishes. In addition, the project will further support the development of local management structures at the cantonal level.

Objective

• Contribute to improved living conditions of the disadvantaged rural communities in the relevant cantons by providing sustainable access to drinking water and basic sanitary infrastructure.
• Construction/rehabilitation of drinking water and sanitation infrastructure, the correct operation of the installations with attention to health and environmental issues. Via the schools, youth will be sensivised on these issues.
• At the cantonal level, specific focus goes to the development of institutional structures multi-actor montages which can guarantee sustainable operations of the installations. Instruments and experience will be offered to assist with the elaboration of local policy for water and sanitation in the framework of IWRM.
• Through a pragmatic cooperation with the end users, the health services and schools on one side, the municipal water and environmental services on the other side, PROTOS envisages to trigger change at both the end user and institutional level towards sustainable water management.

Main results

• Drinking water systems and public sanitation infrastructure are properly installed and are operating to the satisfaction of the end users. End users behave responsible with the resource, the installations and the environment, and adhere to principals of social and sustainable management. 
• The systems each have a representative and functioning management committee.
• The different water committees are assisted in an efficient manner by water associations and/or municipal governance structures, with representation of both end users and local authorities. The assisting structures are part of a global long term management plan of the water and sanitation sector in each canton.
• Experiences are documented and contribute to better sector policy through participation in regional and national conferences.

Financing

European Commission, DGOS/DGCD, private European financiers, TREVI.