Supporting the development of new institutions, such as Water User Associations, is inherently difficult and can be a long-term undertaking, so MCC projects should account for the five year timeline and anticipate necessary follow-on activities. While MCC’s intervention improved WUA performance during the Compact, WUAs did not continue to improve their cost-recovery after the Compact ended. The Compact did not put in place the necessary environment for WUAs to continue to improve and become self-sufficient. Future programs should focus on building the right environment for sustainability from the beginning by clearly defining reasonable achievements within a five-year timeframe and planning for what will need to occur after.
Lesson Learned