Threshold programs should consider the likelihood for success when incorporating infrastructure investments that are inextricably linked to larger constraints not addressed in the program. Threshold programs are much smaller in scope and funding than MCC’s compact investments and generally focus on policy and institutional reform. In the short and medium term, the project was able to realize a number of successes related to the institutional reform such as increased utility customer engagement, improved data collection and monitoring, completion of two rounds of AquaRating international benchmarking, and development of a national resettlement policy. In the Sierra Leone threshold program, institutional reform was the key focus with a small infrastructure component in the form of the District Metering Area (DMA) and Kiosks Demonstration Activity. The DMA and Kiosks Activity included infrastructure works to demonstrate successful strategies to reduce water loss in project selected areas and pilot a public-private partnership model for kiosk development. The water supply is severely limited, particularly in the dry season and it was not intended or possible to scale this program to address the water supply issue. So although the DMA and Kiosks demonstration was structured to cover a relatively small portion of the utility’s service area, the water supply issues severely limited the potential for the success of the demonstration activity. Future threshold programs should carefully consider the likelihood of success when integrating infrastructure works. This relates to an interim evaluation learning which suggested that to better align with MCC’s focus on results, threshold programs need to specify clear, credible, and measurable targeted results (and/or program logics) that are linked to evidence-based timelines for when results can be expected.
Lesson Learned