Delegated Cooperation In Nicaragua – PISASH

Integral Sectoral Programme for Water and Human Sanitation (PISASH)

LAIF Nicaragua: Integral Sectoral Programme for Water and Human Sanitation (PISASH)

Nicaragua’s Integrated Sectoral Programme for Water and Human Sanitation (PISASH) aims to improve and expand drinking water, sanitation and wastewater treatment services in 19 cities, as well as to improve capacities for the operation, maintenance and integrated management of water resources with a view to improving the sustainability of these basic social services for the population. The first phase took place between 2014 and 2021.

It has been a meeting point for the efforts of different financial and international development cooperation organisations. The European Union has participated in the implementation of the project (with non-reimbursable resources through the LAIF Initiative); the Spain-Nicaragua Debt Exchange Programme, the Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation (FCAS), and the German Development Cooperation. In turn, these grants have been combined with credits from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). In addition, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) manages some of the investment resources provided by the AECID. The Nicaraguan government’s own resources, which is leading the operation, also contribute to this. The first phase has been a huge challenge, not only due to the budget, but also due to the complexity of the actors and the technical difficulties.

More information (Spanish)

Programs

Overall, the programme has mobilised more than 314 million euros in investments and will benefit more than half a million people by the end of the programme.

Three specific FCAS programmes are incorporated into Phase I of PISAH:

The bilateral Water Fund programme, NIC-014-B, which was initiated prior to the formulation of PISASH and had to be reformulated in order to be integrated into it. This programme was completed in January 2021 and served to improve access to drinking water in the cities of Acoyapa, Santo Tomás and Bluefields, and sanitation in the first two, providing a total of 76,000 people with drinking water and more than 21,000 with sanitation services. It also provided funding for technical support to the public water company ENACAL, both in terms of water management and in improving the operation and maintenance of the new systems installed. The intervention has also improved the sanitation systems of nine public schools in Acoyapa and Santo Tomás and funded a plan to connect 1,100 vulnerable families in both towns to sanitation systems. Extensive awareness-raising work has also been carried out on hygiene, connectivity and payment culture, among other issues, to ensure the programme’s sustainability over time.
The Water Fund’s bilateral programme, NIC-013-B (Improvement and Expansion of the Sanitation System of the City of Masaya), which is being implemented and funds the sanitation works in Masaya and the construction of a WWTP. The programme is due to be completed in October 2022.
The Fund’s multilateral programme NIC-056-M, carried out in conjunction with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), due to be completed by June 2021. Thanks to this programme, which was specifically funded to facilitate access for the most vulnerable population, 60,000 people belonging to the Miskito communities in the city of Bilwi have access to safe water, with 13,600 household connections installed.

Overall, the first phase of PISASH covered the period 2014-2021 and improved drinking water services for 550,000 people, of which approximately 200,000 received this service for the first time. In addition, improved sanitation coverage reached 170,000 new users.

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