STSP

SOUTH TARAWA SANITATION PROJECT

The South Tarawa Sanitation Project (STSP) has an estimated total budget of approximately US$19.49 million, financed by the World Bank (IDA). It will be implemented over six years, with the project’s effective date set for September 6, 2022.

The executing agency of the STSP is the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED). The implementing agency is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (MISE) through a project management unit (PMU).

The project development objective is to increase access to sanitation services in selected areas of South Tarawa and to improve efficiency in sanitation service delivery in South Tarawa for Public Utilities Board’s (PUB) future operation and maintenance through the implementation of 4 Components:

1. Access to Sanitation Services: To improve access to sanitation services in South Tarawa to improve the livability for the people of South Tarawa and to protect groundwater sources through a) Provision of 1831 household sewer connections in the 3Bs sewered areas, provision of 3,030 households’ saltwater flushing connections and drainage & provision of 1,000 individual toilets and connecting to the sewerage network. b) Support for increased access to onsite sanitation systems in the villages of Nanikaai, Teaoraereke West, Ananau Causeway and Abarao & equipment for fecal sludge management
2. Operation and Maintenance, Institutional Strengthening and Sector Improvement: To strengthen the capacity of PUB, MISE, and MELAD to provide, manage, operate, and regulate sanitation services and to ensure the sustainability of the systems implemented under Component 1, supported by sector-wide measures.
3. Community Engagement and Support: To ensure communities are involved in planning and implementation, support sanitation and hygiene awareness and education, and behavior change for a significant transformation in the population’s approach to sanitation and WASH behaviors, including in schools and health care facilities, and promote women’s roles.
4. Project Management: Establish a regular PMU including a Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, Project Sanitation Engineer, Community Engagement Specialist, Social Safeguard Specialist, Environmental Management Specialist, Project Accountant, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, Office Assistant, Office Cleaner and Office Driver. It also includes the Project Implementation Assistance Consultants (PIAC) and Behavioral Change Communication Consultant (BCC) to backstop the PMU with international and local expertise as needed.

1. Project Management: Establish a regular PMU including a Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, Project Sanitation Engineer, Community Engagement Specialist, Social Safeguard Specialist, Environmental Management Specialist, Project Accountant, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, Office Assistant, Office Cleaner and Office Driver. It also includes the Project Implementation Assistance Consultants (PIAC) and Behavioral Change Communication Consultant (BCC) to backstop the PMU with international and local expertise as needed.

STSP is the latest investment project following a common approach set out in the 2011 Water Supply and Sanitation Roadmap. This has been followed by investment under the South Tarawa Sanitation Improvement Sector Program (STSISP 2012 – 2019), the GHD Concept Design work (2019), and the 2021 Sanitation Roadmap Addendum.

Under STSP, support will be provided to GoK for project implementation including financial management, procurement, and project management. This will be done through a PMU supporting MISE, with technical backstopping by a Project Implementation Assistance Consultant (PIAC) and behavioral change communications by a Behavioral Change Consulting Firm (BCC).