Sustaining rural water systems : the case of Mali

At its completion in 1992, the Mali Rural Water Supply Project was giving about 228,000 people-more than twice the original estimates- access to potable water in about 230 drought-prone rural villages. The project was completed 18 months ahead of schedule at below the estimated cost. An OED Performance audit report: Mali - Rural Water Supply Project, dated April 23, 1997 found that about 90 percent of the water pumps were still operating and that villagers were covering the costs of small repairs. The project's success derived largely from its careful attention to the choice of technology and to the repair needs of villages, two issues that have plagued most rural water projects in Africa.