Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Sector Status and Trends Assessment in Haiti

This Sector Assessment presents current conditions in Haiti’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector with particular focus on rural areas and cholera hot spots and makes recommendations on future USAID programming in the sector.

This sector assessment was conducted in follow up to the launch of USAID’s Water and Development Strategy (2013-2018), which identifies Haiti as a Tier 2 priority country for WASH programming. Tier 2 priority countries are generally countries in which relatively small investment levels are likely to generate significant impact in at least one dimension of WASH – such as first-time access to an improved drinking water source, first-time access to an improved sanitation facility, ending open defecation, or new hand washing practices. Six other countries have been targeted for similar sector assessments.

The aim of this WASH Sector Status and Trends Assessment is to examine the WASH sector in Haiti and USAID’s role in the sector to strategically inform WASH programming for rural areas and cholera hot spots in Haiti under the Water and Development Strategy. The USAID/Haiti Mission preferred that the analysis focus on rural community WASH provision and cholera hot spot areas with a deeper analysis on sustainability of rural WASH projects funded by other major players in the sector, so as to inform potential future USAID programming in this sector in Haiti.

The Assessment Team conducted more than 20 interviews with representatives from governmental institutions, the USAID/Haiti mission, donors, and implementing partners. The team also carried out a field visit to Boucan Carré, a cholera hot spot community in the Central Plateau; and met with representatives from the Boucan Carré community, the Head of the Regional Water and Sanitation Office (OREPA) for the Central region, and the Communal Water and Sanitation Technician (TEPAC).