Faced with ever-increasing waste generation in the Monterrey metropolitan area, which has a population of over 5 million, the Government of Nuevo León has undertaken the development of a Comprehensive Waste Management Plan based on a precise understanding of the waste streams generated within its territory.

Carried out as part of Franco-Mexican cooperation on waste and the circular economy, this study aimed to quantify and characterise the waste produced by households, markets, economic activities and major industries. The results provided a robust assessment of waste streams and helped to guide future strategies for reduction, recycling and recovery at state level.

Type of services provided

• Design of the methodology and sampling plan.

• Conducting surveys to characterise household and similar waste.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of industrial waste streams.
• Collection, processing and analysis of field data.
• Assessment of waste reduction, recycling and recovery practices.
• Preparation of a sector-specific assessment and formulation of strategic recommendations.
• Support for the preparation of the future Integrated Waste Management Plan.

As part of the SANITA Villes Propres programme, Hydroconseil is providing multi-year technical assistance aimed at strengthening the management of household and similar waste in the municipalities of Greater Conakry. This support mission draws on multidisciplinary expertise covering the technical, institutional, financial and socio-urban aspects of the sector.

The support aims to improve the organisation of pre-collection, collection, treatment and recovery services, whilst supporting institutional reforms, sector funding and the development of recovery chains tailored to the local context.

To date, four contracts have already been completed as part of this support programme, demonstrating a long-term collaboration that is set to continue through further projects.

Type of services provided

• Technical and strategic support for the SANITA programme.

• Analysis and optimisation of pre-collection, collection and waste treatment services.
• Support for the development of resource recovery chains and the circular economy.
• Institutional, regulatory and contractual analysis of the sector.
• Economic and financial studies and the development of management tools.
• Spatial analysis, service zoning and optimisation of collection routes.
• Capacity building, training and support for stakeholders.
• Support for communication, public engagement and social inclusion.

The city of Manta generates nearly 250 tonnes of solid waste per day, of which only 2 per cent is currently recycled. Most of the waste is sent to a landfill site that has been in operation since the 1990s and no longer meets current technical standards. In response to these environmental, social and operational challenges, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its ‘Too Good to Waste’ programme, is supporting the municipality in developing a comprehensive strategy to improve solid waste management.

The pre-feasibility study identified the most appropriate technical, institutional and social solutions to modernise the service, increase waste recovery, improve processing conditions and promote the inclusion of informal waste pickers within the waste management system.

Type of services provided

• Assessment and characterisation of solid waste generation.

• Optimisation of collection, street-cleaning, recovery and final disposal services.
• Pre-feasibility study of waste recovery schemes.
• Pre-feasibility study of a controlled landfill site and the closure/redevelopment of the existing landfill.
• Development of a short-, medium- and long-term roadmap.
• Development of a social inclusion plan for waste pickers.

The municipality of Cuenca, through its public enterprise EMAC EP, has launched an ambitious programme aimed at improving the performance and sustainability of its solid waste management system. This transformative project combines the expansion of disposal capacity, the development of new recycling streams, the improvement of existing infrastructure and the strengthening of environmental awareness initiatives.

The feasibility study, funded by the AFD, assessed the programme’s relevance and its technical, environmental, social and financial viability, whilst defining an investment roadmap to support the sector’s transformation. The approach adopted covered the entire waste management chain, from collection through to recovery and final treatment, whilst taking into account climate, environmental, social and gender issues.

Type of services provided

• Institutional, regulatory and organisational assessment of the waste sector.

• Technical, financial, environmental and social feasibility studies.
• Identification of investment needs and prioritisation of waste management and recovery infrastructure.
• Assessment of treatment, recycling and circular economy solutions.
• Analysis of the programme’s economic and financial viability (CAPEX/OPEX).
• Conducting environmental, climate and social studies.
• Gender analysis and development of a dedicated action plan.
• Development of the operational roadmap and implementation timetable.
• Support for project governance, drafting of procedures and a communication plan.

As part of its national Vision 2030 strategy, the Government of Jamaica has embarked on an ambitious reform of the solid waste sector to improve its performance, sustainability and efficiency. This transformation is based on the establishment of a public-private partnership (PPP) to operate the sector’s infrastructure and on the repositioning of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) as a regulatory authority.

The project enabled an in-depth assessment of the sector’s institutional, legal, organisational and financial frameworks, followed by the definition of the process for transforming the NSWMA into its future role as a regulator. The project culminated in the development of an operational and budgeted roadmap aimed at strengthening the capacities of the relevant institutions and supporting the reform in the long term.

Type of services provided

• Institutional, legal, organisational and financial assessment of the NSWMA and the key players in the solid waste sector.

• Analysis of the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders, identification of overlaps, gaps and coordination needs.
• Conducting institutional interviews and facilitating consultation and validation workshops.
• Defining the future governance framework and the NSWMA’s responsibilities in its role as a regulatory authority.
• Developing procedures, performance indicators, monitoring tools and oversight mechanisms for the future PPP.
• Formulating recommendations on institutional, regulatory, organisational, financial and human resources matters.
• Identifying capacity-building and training needs.
• Drawing up a five-year budgeted action plan to support the implementation of the reform.

Implemented across the seven municipalities of Yaoundé, the Yaoundé Sanitation Project Phase 2 (PADY 2) aims to bring about a sustainable improvement in residents’ living conditions through the development of urban sanitation services and the strengthening of local authorities’ capacities. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the infrastructure and services put in place, a major Information, Education and Communication (IEC) component has been rolled out to raise public awareness of issues relating to hygiene, sanitation, waste management and the prevention of environmental risks.

Type of services provided

• Conducting a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey to establish the baseline situation.

• Development and implementation of the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) strategy.
• Production of awareness-raising materials and training of community outreach workers.
• Conducting mass communication, community-based and advocacy campaigns targeting households, schools, health centres, markets and local stakeholders.
• Raising awareness of good practices in hygiene, sanitation, waste management and flood risk prevention.
• Strengthening local authorities’ capacity in urban sanitation and community mobilisation.
• Supporting the establishment of a pre-collection waste service and the associated technical studies.

In the Far North region of Cameroon, communities affected by crises and displacement face significant needs in terms of access to water and essential services. To improve living conditions for these communities, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has implemented a number of infrastructure projects and initiatives under its Water and Shelter (WatHab) programme.

This evaluation aimed to analyse the relevance, effectiveness, sustainability and impact of these interventions in relation to the needs of the population and the local context. It also assessed the level of community ownership of the infrastructure, the consideration given to vulnerable groups, and the mechanisms put in place to ensure the long-term viability of the investments.

Type of services provided

• Design of the evaluation methodology and definition of the data collection framework.

• Conducting interviews with institutional, community and technical stakeholders.
• Supervision of field surveys and quality control of the data collected.
• Analysis of the results according to the OECD DAC evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability).
• Assessment of governance, management and community ownership of infrastructure.
• Analysis of how vulnerable populations are taken into account in the planning and implementation of interventions.
• Identification of good practices, lessons learnt and areas for improvement.
• Reporting and dissemination of results to stakeholders.

In the face of challenges linked to climate change, pressure on natural resources and growing water demands for domestic, agricultural and pastoral uses, a better understanding of groundwater is essential to guide investment in water infrastructure.

This project aimed to produce detailed mapping and an assessment of aquifer potential by combining remote sensing, geophysical analyses and hydrogeological studies. The results identified the areas most suitable for the development of sustainable water infrastructure, whilst contributing to risk prevention, territorial resilience and the reduction of conflicts over access to natural resources.

Type of services provided

• Mapping of groundwater resources using remote sensing, geophysical analyses and multi-criteria GIS approaches.

• Conducting hydrogeological studies to assess the potential, quality and recharge of aquifers.
• Groundwater modelling to improve understanding of its dynamics and availability.
• Analysis of the interactions between water resources, human activities, agriculture, livestock farming and climate change.
• Conducting field surveys on water use and existing water infrastructure.
• Identifying the most suitable sites for establishing sustainable water points for communities, agriculture and livestock farming.
• Developing a database and decision-support tools for the sustainable management of water resources.
• Capacity building for national and local stakeholders and developing a strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of water services in rural areas.

Faced with the combined effects of climate change, population growth and increasing pressure on water resources, Niger is confronting major challenges in the sustainable management of groundwater. In the Tahoua region, improving understanding of this resource has become a priority in order to secure the water supply and guide management decisions.

Against this backdrop, UNICEF has initiated the development of a groundwater monitoring system designed to provide reliable data on the availability and trends of this resource. The study aimed to identify the most suitable sites for the installation of monitoring wells using an approach combining hydrogeological analyses, GIS tools and multi-criteria analysis.

Type of services provided

• Collection and analysis of geological, hydrogeological and hydrological data for the Tahoua region.

• Conducting a multi-criteria analysis using GIS to identify suitable locations for monitoring wells.
• Assessment of key parameters such as aquifer recharge, soil permeability and topographical characteristics.
• Validation of shortlisted sites through geophysical investigations.
• Support for the design of the groundwater monitoring network and the selection of exploration sites.
• Drafting of the terms of reference for drilling works.
• Assistance to the client in the supervision and monitoring of drilling operations.

In several countries along the West African coast, growing pressure on water resources, combined with the effects of climate change, demographic trends and institutional weaknesses, can exacerbate tensions between water users and undermine the resilience of certain regions. Against this backdrop, USAID has launched a study aimed at analysing the links between water resource availability, governance mechanisms in the sector and conflict dynamics in the areas concerned.

This research has identified risk factors, resilience mechanisms and opportunities for intervention to guide the design of future development and stabilisation programmes in the region.

Type of services provided

• Conducting a literature and sectoral review on water resources, their governance and conflict dynamics.

• Analysing hydrological, hydrogeological and institutional data at regional level.
• Conducting interviews with institutional, technical and community stakeholders.
• Collecting field data through focus group discussions in the study areas.
• Organisation and facilitation of consultation workshops and sessions to present findings.
• Identification of risk factors and drivers of resilience related to water management.
• Preparation of a strategic brief to guide USAID’s future programming and investments.