PROJECTS

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​NBI-Design Review, Update and Implementation of the Nile Basin Regional Hydrological Monitoring System - January 2020-July 2021
 
This project is implemented by a consortium led by The Research Triangle Institute (RTI). The objective of the project is to implement a regional HydroMet monitoring system for the Nile Basin to ensure reliable data and information for  evidence-based transboundary/national/local decision making for fourteen socio-economic issues related to water management including 1)  water resources planning and management, 2) productive and climate-smart rainfed agriculture, 3) water efficient and productive irrigated agriculture, 4) improved hydro-power planning and management, 5) improved flood management, 6) improved water quality management and water pollution control, 7) groundwater management, 8) soil erosion control and sediment reduction, 9) improved watershed management, 10) enhanced drought management, 11) strengthened wetland management, 12) climate change resilience, 13) navigation development and management, and 14) fisheries protection.  The project is implemented in nine countries: Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Water4Life is leading the development of information products, water quality monitoring, and institutional strengthening of the hydromet services and collaboration between countries and the Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat. Water4Life is also supporting the review of the hydromet design, installation of hydrological and water quality monitoring systems, data management, and training.

Strengthening of Water Resources Management and Planning-Kenya - June 2017 to May 2020

The objective of this project is to assist the Government of Kenya in improving water resources planning and management in the country through scientific based technologies to document and disseminate knowledge.  The primary focus is to strengthen the Kenyan Water Resources Authority’s capacity in terms of tools, skills and infrastructure, to effectively manage water resources and regulate sustainable water use. This three-year project is implemented by Consortium led by Aurecon. Water4Life led the development of an end to end value chain approach for institutional strengthening, improved technical skills and tools, effective management, and improved financial sustainability of the Water Resources Authority (WRA) and its regional and sub-regional offices. Water4Life is also supporting WRA to enhance water quality monitoring and water quality management and building capacity in earth observation and remote sensing.
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Improved Water Sector Management and Governance (IWSMG) - April 2016 to March 2021

IWSMG is designed to strengthen the Government of Jordan’s reform, policy development and implementation, and capacity-building in the water sector management and governance and improve the performance of water utilities. This project is implemented by a Consortium of firms including Water4Life and led by Tetra Tech. Water4Life is working with the water utilities and municipalities to develop and support the implementation of demand management action plan for urban water conservation and increased wastewater reuse by the private sector; supporting the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA)  in establishing a corporatized O&M entity to operate and maintain the water conveyance and irrigation distribution systems in the Jordan Valley; introducing smart technologies for irrigation water distribution efficiency, on-farm water management, and increased irrigation productivity; and supporting institutional strengthening and sustainability of JVA and the WUAs services. Water4Life is also supporting the improvement of groundwater monitoring and management to reduce groundwater over-extraction.
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Water Resources Integrated Development Initiative (WARIDI) - January 2016 to December 2020

The Tanzania Water Resources Integration Development Initiative (WARIDI) was a key activity of USAID/Tanzania which seeked to promote state of the art approaches in the management of water resources and improved water and sanitation services in the Rufiji and Wami-Ruvu river basins.  This five-year WARIDI activity was implemented by a Consortium of firms including Water4Life and led led by Tetra Tech. Water4Life developed climate change prediction scenarios based on global climate models projections and a combined ground and earth observation data and information; determined water availability for the  various climate change scenarios, and developed decision support tools to assist decision makers and water organizations in water allocation for various sectors including water and sanitation, irrigated agriculture, hydropower, and mining based on changes in water availability. Water4Life supported the improvement of hydrometeorological and socioeconomic data and information for decision making on flood and drought management and the establishment of minimum environmental flows requirements in Rufiji Basin. 

Infrastructure Consulting Services-Water, Sanitation and Irrigation (WSI) Mongolia II - Due Diligence Support Services - August 2017 to July 2018

This project provides due diligence support services to the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for the development of a viable, long-term bulk water supply solution to Ulaanbaatar. This two-year activity is implemented by a consortium of firms including Water4Life and led by Hazen & Sawyer. Water4Life is supporting due diligence services in Institutional and Organization Development, Environmental Assessment and Management, and Resettlement.
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Implementation of the second phase of Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP II) - November 2016 to November 2017 ​

This project was implemented by a consortium led by Aurecon AMEI Limited. The Project contributed towards the achievement of the East African Community’s Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) Development Vision of having “a prosperous population living in a healthy and sustainably managed environment providing equitable opportunities and benefits”.  The Project had two objectives (i) Improvement of the collaborative management of the transboundary natural resources of the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) among the Partner States; and (ii) Improvement of the environmental management of targeted pollution hotspots and selected degraded sub-catchments for the benefits of communities who depend on the natural resources of LVB. The project consisted of the development of detailed integrated catchment management plans and wetland and pollution management plans. Water4Life collated knowledge and data on water resources potential, water users, water supply (surface and groundwater), water consumption, water demand, water infrastructures, and socio-economic indicators. Water4Life led the development of the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model for existing and future conditions including various IWRM scenarios for preparation of detailed integrated catchment management plans for municipal and rural water supply and sanitation, irrigation and food security, hydropower, climate change resilience, and protection of the environment and ecological systems. Water4Life also supported the development of institutional framework for Rwanda’s obligations under the East Africa Commission for Lake Victoria Environmental Management. 

Modernizing Hydromet Services in Africa - November 2015 to May 2017

Water4Life led the implementation of this project. Water4Life worked with the National Hydrological Services (NHSs), National Meteorological Services (NMSs), and hydrometeorological data and information sector users on the assessment and recommendations for strengthening and modernization of NHSs in four selected countries in Africa; namely Cameroon, Madagascar, Senegal, and Tanzania.  The project included identification of water-related hazards, hydrological context, and water resources issues faced by each country; identification and assessment of hydrological data and information needs for disaster reduction and recovery and for socio-economic development in the sectors that are sensitive to weather and climate and water; assessment of the capacity of the NHSs of each of the four countries to meet the identified users’ needs; identification of the major factors for the sustainability of NHSs; assessment of socio-economic benefits of modernized NHSs; and development of a National Action Plan for Improvement of Hydrological Services (NAPIHS) for each of the four countries. The Action plan included modernization of meteorological and hydrological observing and forecasting infrastructure and service delivery, improved data processing, analysis, and modeling, institutional strengthening, improved management and financial sustainability, and capacity building.

Roadmap for Designing an Effective EWS and Strengthening Hydromet Services in Afghanistan - July 2016 to December 2017​

Water4Life led the implementation of this project. Water4Life supported the assessment of the current status and capacity of the Hydromet and early warning services (EWS) in Afghanistan and the identification of users’ needs for these services for disaster reduction and recovery and for socio-economic development in the sectors that are sensitive to weather, climate and water. The assessment included the evaluation of the status of infrastructure of the Hydromet monitoring networks, weather and hydrological forecasting and early warning systems, aviation meteorological services, agro-climate services, hydrological services, as well as the procedures of data collection, processing, validation, management, and dissemination and capacity to communicate hydrological information and early warnings.
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Based on these assessments, Water4Life has developed a roadmap and an investment plan for strengthening a nationally integrated and effective meteorological, hydrological, and disaster risk management services. The investment plan covered disaster risk reduction management and early warning service delivery for flash floods/floods, avalanches, landslides, drought, and pest diseases; improved observing systems for surface and upper air meteorology and aviation meteorology, hydrology, climatology, and agro-climatology; weather and hydrological forecasting, establishment of a satellite earth observation system to complement ground observation and cover data gaps in remote areas and in areas with security concerns ; data processing and validation, data analysis-modeling and development of information products based on the users’ needs, establishment of collaboration platform between hydromet services providers and users of the hydromet services, twinning with regional and international hydromet services,  support for institutional strengthening and amendment of the legal framework and regulations, improved management and financial sustainability, and capacity building.

 Design of Nile Basin Hydrometeorological Monitoring System - April 2014 to October 2015

This project was implemented by a consortium led by Riverside Technology. Water4Life provided support to the Nile Basin Countries on the design of comprehensive systems for strategic regional and national hydrometeorological (Hydromet) and water use monitoring in the Nile Basin. The objective of these systems is to advance knowledge based transboundary/national/local decision making for fourteen (14) socio-economic issues related to water management.  The fourteen issues are:  1)  water resources planning and management, 2) productive and climate-smart rainfed agriculture, 3) water efficient and productive irrigated agriculture, 4) improved hydro-power planning and management, 5) improved flood management, 6) improved water quality management and water pollution control, 7) groundwater management, 8) soil erosion control and sediment reduction, 9) improved watershed management, 10) enhanced drought management, 11) strengthened wetland management, 12) climate change resilience, 13) navigation development and management, and 14) fisheries protection.
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Water4life led the development of action plans for institutional development and capacity building, improvement of water quality monitoring and water quality laboratories for each of the 10 Nile basin countries, and introduction of satellite earth observation data and remote sensing to complement ground based hydromet monitoring. 

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector and Trends Assessment in Haiti  - March 2014 to September 2014

This project is one of seven WASH assessments conducted in prioritized countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. It was implemented in partnership with Chemonics as a prime contractor.  Water4Life led a tailored analysis of the WASH sector in Haiti. The principal audiences for the assessment are USAID/Haiti Mission staff, the Water Office, and Global Water Coordinator in USAID/Washington’s Economic Growth, Education, and Environment Bureau.  This assessment focused on rural community WASH provision, and is based on the analysis of the following sustainability factors: 1) institutional, 2) management, 3) financial, 4) technical, 5) environmental, 6) social, and 7) behaviorial change.  The main objective of this evaluation was to strategically inform WASH programming in Haiti under USAID Water and Development Strategy. It included: 1) design of a questionnaire to collect and analyze information for rural water, sanitation, and hygiene sustainability factors; 2) interviews with national institutions, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Haiti mission, donors, and implementing partners; 3) field visit to Boucan Carré community in the Central Plateau to  meet with representatives from this community, the Head of the Regional Water and Sanitation Office for the Central department, and the Communal Water and Sanitation Technician; and 4) key findings and recommendations for the design of interventions by USAID-Haiti.

​Guide for Performance Improvement Plans for Water Utilities -  September 2013 to February 2014

Water4Life led the development of this guide. Water4Life worked with mentor and mentee utilities in Europe, North America, MENA, and Africa to prepare a guide to assist water utilities in improving their performance to increase access to water and sanitation services and achieve the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on drinking water supply and sanitation. The development of the guide includes: 1) identifying utility improvement areas from the following activities or modules:  Human Resources Development, Institutional Strengthening and Governance, Policy and Legal Support, Business Planning, Financial Management, Communication and Customer Relations, Billing and Revenue Collection, Non Revenue Water Management, Operation and Maintenance, Asset Management, Information Communication Technology, Extension of Water Supply Services, Extension of Sanitation Services, Expanding Services to Poor Households, Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Water safety plans, Integrated Water Resources Management, Water Demand Management and water conservation, Energy Efficiency, and Climate Change Resilience; 2)  describing the process for the participatory development of the performance improvement plan (PIP) between utility mentors and mentees including an assessment tool that helps utilities in identifying the activities or modules that need improvement at the short-term, mid-term, and long-term, 3) presenting the process for preparation of short term, mid- term and long term plans for the implementation of the PIP, 4) assisting mentees to use short-term plans to strengthen their institutional and management capacity and identify donor funding and bankable funding opportunities to extend and sustain sanitation and hygiene services, and 5) preparing of a monitoring and evaluation plan for the PIP. Trained 20 utilities at the UN-Habitat-GWOPA headquarters in Barcelona, on the development and use of the guide.​

​Building Resilience Through Innovation, Communication and Knowledge Services, Sahel and West Africa  -  April 2013 to October 2013

Water4Life Led the preparation of project implementation manual for knowledge management and monitoring of a portfolio of $1 billion for a World Bank/GEF program on sustainable use of land and natural resources for 12 Sahelian and West African countries in support of the Great Green Wall Initiative. Designed activities for the establishment of a regional decision support web portal; identification and dissemination of best practices on integrated management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation, water management, water harvesting, Water supply and sanitation, Irrigated farming, dry land farming, climate change prediction and adaptation, and flood and drought management. Designed tasks on conducting regional and environmental economic analyses on successful NRM approaches that conserve biodiversity, accumulate soil and biomass carbon, and safeguard ecosystem services; monitoring and modeling of land and water resources and land use change in the 12-country portfolio; and providing technical support for harmonization of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems across the 12 country projects and aggregation and benchmarking of results at the regional level.

Instituting Water Demand Management in Jordan (IDARA), Jordan - September 2011 to  July 2012

Under DAI, Water4Life led the preparation and supported implementation of water use efficiency master plans for three water utilities. Prepared two guides on best management practices for water use efficiency: one for homes and one for high-rise and high-density developments. Led the design and implementation of a population based survey for the evaluation of the residential faucets and showers retrofit program in Amman, Aqaba, and Irbid in collaboration with the three water utilities. Supervised a study on regulatory incentives and enforcement mechanisms to promote water demand management in Jordan.  Designed and supervised training of the Water Demand Management Unit of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the three utilities on Residential End-Use Metering.  
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