GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY
PROPOSAL FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT FUNDS (PDF)
BLOCK B GRANT
Countries: Argentina,
Brazil,
Paraguay
and
Uruguay
GEF Focal Area:
International Waters (OP #8 - Waterbody-Based
Operational Program)
Project Title:
Environmental Protection and Sustainable
Integrated Management of the Guarani Aquifer
Requesting Agency:
World
Bank
Executing Agency (PDF):
Organization of American States (OAS)
Country Implementing
Governments and universities in the four countries
Agencies:
Total Project Cost:
US$ 15.0 25.0 million
Financing Plan:
US$ 10.0 - 14.0 million (GEF)
US$ 5.0 - 11.0 million (Governments of Argentina,
Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay; Brazilian states)
Project Duration:
4 years
Preparation Costs:
US$741,000
PDF Block B Funds Requested: US$350,000
Block A Grant Awarded:
No
1. Project Objectives
The main objective of the proposed project would be to support Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay in jointly elaborating and implementing a common institutional
framework for managing and preserving the Guarani Aquifer for current and future
generations. The project would be of a preventive nature and would include interventions
regarding (1) expansion and consolidation of the current knowledge base, (2) joint
development and implementation of a Guarani Aquifer Management Framework, (3)
public participation through an appropriate information and institutional framework, (4)
monitoring and evaluation, and (5) implementation of measures to deal with non-point
source pollution.
The project would deal with the water resources and environmental issues in an
integrated manner, targeting pollution as well as over-exploitation of the Guarani
Aquifer. Given the susceptibility of groundwater resources to pollution and the high costs
and quasi irreversibility of polluted groundwater sources, as well as the effects of
localized over-exploitation, a management mechanism that would prevent these
undesirable impacts would have high payoffs.
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2. Background and Strategic Issues: Groundwater, the Guarani Aquifer and
Environmental Concerns
The importance of groundwater, especially of large, deep aquifers stems mainly from the
fact, that they constitute a strategic reserve for water supply. Another advantage of
groundwater is that it generally does not need to be treated for consumption. Natural bio-
geochemical filtering processes of the subsoil achieve a quality far beyond what could be
obtained, in technical or economic terms, by the usual treatment methods of water
withdrawn from rivers, lakes and dams. Groundwater is frequently the most viable water
supply alternative, especially where surface waters are increasingly more polluted by the
dumping of untreated domestic and industrial effluents, by improperly disposed solid
waste, and runoff contaminated by chemical inputs used in agriculture. Consequently,
sustainable use, safe development and recharge, diligent conservation and consistent
protection of aquifers against pollution should be important concerns of humanity.
The Guarani Aquifer, named in honor of the Guarani Indian Nation, is one of the
largest groundwater reservoirs in the world. It is located under the sub-surface of the four
MERCOSUR countries Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Until the relatively
recent discovery of the Guarani as one interconnected system the aquifer was also known
by the names of Botucatu in Brazil, Tacuarembó in Uruguay and Argentina, and
Misiones in Paraguay.
The Guarani Aquifer extends from the center-west region of Brazil, passing
through Paraguay and regions in southeastern and southern Brazil, reaching northeastern
Argentina and central-western Uruguay, with a total surface area of approximately 1.2
million square kilometers (839,800 km2 in Brazil, 225,500 km2 in Argentina, 71,700 km2
in Paraguay and 45,000 km2in Uruguay). Its extension in Brazil alone, equivalent to 2/3
of the total area and extending through eight Brazilian states, is equal to the areas of
England, France and Spain combined.
15 million people live in the aquifer's area of surface influence. The volume of
freshwater reserves stored today is estimated at around 40,000 km3 that is equivalent, for
example, to the totality of water of the Paraná River with a module of 10,000 m3/sec for
19 years. Sustainable extraction is estimated to be able to meet the water demands of a
population of 360 million people, based on a per capita use of 300 l/hab/day.
Only 10% of the reserves is estimated to be able to meet the water demands of a
population of 360 million people based on a per capita use of 300 litres per day for 105
years.
The aquifer's thickness is an average 250 meters and reaches up to 1,000 meters.
Its depth varies from almost zero in Brazil to more than 1,000 m in Argentina. The
aquifer carries potable water in most of the basin (around 90%). Locally (less than 10%),
alterations in potability may occur, due basically to an increase in salinity and fluor
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content. Current usage, from deep wells, allows a per unit extraction of up to 1,000,000
l/hour.
An important characteristic of the Guarani aquifer's waters is its thermal quality.
In a number of regions, the water emerges naturally, with temperatures varying between
33 and 45 degrees Celsius and with a production of around 100,000 l/hour. At present,
this water is principally used for thermal tourism, but could also be exploited as an
alternative energy source, substituting non-renewable energy in the project area.
Despite large surface water reserves, the drinking water supply in this heavily
populated region of the MERCOSUR is increasingly dependent on groundwater. Thus,
future problems may occur if exploration does not take place in a sustainable manner or if
waters are polluted. In the state of São Paulo in Brazil, estimates are that 60.5% of urban
centers are served totally or partially by groundwater sources supplying a population of
5.5 million people. Forecasts for the immediate future are for a growing demand for
groundwater, both due to demographic growth and economic expansion and the
consequent pollution of surface waters.
In the MERCOSUR countries in general, the current situation is characterized by
a short-term view of the use of groundwater resources, coupled with a lack of control and
of legal and regulatory mechanisms. Both in Argentina and Brazil, for instance,
significant pollution of shallow groundwater resources is occurring. Due to its significant
average depth, the Guarani Aquifer still holds a privileged position in this situation.
However, also the Guarani, especially in its shallow areas, is being used in an alarming
manner with negative impacts on quality.
The Guarani Aquifer thus is a strategic water resource in the MERCOSUR region,
which can still be preserved if adequately protected and managed. The main threat to the
resource stems from uncontrolled pollution in its extraction and recharge areas. Given
that groundwater pollution is reversible only at very high costs, if at all, the merit of
protecting the Guarani Aquifer today for current and future generations is clear.
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3. Technical Knowledge and Legal-Institutional Issues
The following table summarizes the importance of and current knowledge about the
Guarani in the four countries.
Table 1: Current Knowledge and Importance of the Guarani Aquifer in Argentina, Brazil,
Uruguay, and Paraguay
Argentina
Brazil
Paraguay
Uruguay
Approximate
225,500 839,800 71,700 45,000
extension of the
Guarani Aquifer
(km2)
Surface of
5.9
9.8
17.6
25.3
territory
occupied by the
aquifer (%)
Characteristics
Supply source
Recharge and
Recharge and
Recharge and
supply area
supply area
supply area
Extent of
6 deep wells for
Between 300 to
About 200 wells
347 wells for
exploitation
thermal use;
500 cities
public supply
about 100 wells
partially or
(250), irrigation
for drinking and
entirely supplied
(90), and thermal
irrigation
by the Guarani
tourism (7)
Aquifer
Main
1. Potentially
1. Point and non-
1. Point and non-
1. Point and non-
environmental
uncontrolled
point source
point source
point source
issue
drilling and
pollution
pollution
pollution
extraction
2. Uncontrolled
2. Uncontrolled
2. Uncontrolled
2. Subject to
drilling and
drilling and
drilling and
pollution effects
extraction
extraction
extraction
from other
countries
3. Subject to
3. Subject to
pollution impact
pollution impact
from other
from other
countries
countries
Level of
Limited
Considerable
Limited
Considerable
information
information
information
structured
information
available
available but
information
available
dispersed in
available
different states
and institutions
The table illustrates that actions in one country have effects on the others, i.e.
uncontrolled drilling and extraction in one country, combined with pollution, will not
affect only that country but also others. Therefore each country needs to jointly
participate in the management of the resource to preserve its share for the future.
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The general issue affecting all countries is, as previously mentioned, the current
lack of a management mechanism controlling drilling, extraction and pollution.
Regarding long-term investment activities, such as non-point source pollution control in
recharge areas, any firm recommendations in this regard would be an outcome of both
project preparation and implementation activities.
In the same way as technical information, the diverse legal and institutional
planning on water in the four countries is also very uneven. Brazil is the only country
that has legislation foreseeing the sustainable use of water resources, including
groundwater. However, the legal basis is still relatively fragile and needs to be further
developed. Uruguay is operating through its 1979 Water Code which does not foresee an
economic value for water. Argentina's Constitution states that provinces have ownership
over all natural resources in their territories. The main feature of the Argentine
institutional framework is the distribution of responsibilities and decision-making at
different levels. Regarding Paraguay, the situation is similar, although some attempts are
being made by the Ministry of Planning (STP) to improve the coordination and
regulatory framework for water resources management.
4. Linkages of the Project to On-going Activities (Baseline)
4.1 World Bank financed
The proposed Project is consistent with the Bank strategies in the affected countries. This
is principally the case in Brazil and more recently in Argentina where strategies and
diagnostics regarding the Bank's involvement in the water resources sector exist. These
documents recognize the importance of environmental protection as well as the need to
regard water as an economic resource which has an opportunity cost and which should
not be wasted, be it through pollution or inefficient use.
In Uruguay, the Bank is involved in a series of water resources management related
issues through the activities financed by the Irrigation and Natural Resources Project
(Loan 3697-UR). Regarding Paraguay, the country is engaged in a natural resources
management project which also involves water resources management issues. In addition,
the Bank has been involved for more than 20 years in the financing of rural water supply
projects. However, few hydrogeological studies have been undertaken to investigate the
impact of these projects and to our knowledge no formal water resources management
strategy has been developed by the Paraguayan authorities. In this sense the proposed
project would make an important contribution to on-going activities in Paraguay, by
providing more background data and laying the basis for further environmental work.
The proposed project would complement other on-going activities in the four countries.
In the case of Brazil, World Bank-financed land management projects related to
microcatchments are under implementation in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do
Sul. In addition the PROAGUA II project is currently under preparation, which has as its
aim to improve water resources management, including groundwater, in the southern
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Brazilian states. The project will include support to implementation of sustainable water
resources policies as well as needed infrastructure investments.
4.2 Other financing
In the state of São Paulo, where the aquifer is already experiencing significant
exploitation, extensive zoning work conducted in the Mogi Guaçu, Pardo and Médio
Grande watersheds identified the protection of the aquifer as one of the main objectives
of watershed and natural resources management in those regions. A proposal has been
developed to protect the recharge areas of the aquifer (ecological zoning) in these basins.
The proposal was developed around the existing State Groundwater Law. (São Paulo
Groundwater Legislation may actually come to serve as a supporting pillar for the
development of an operational agreement for aquifer management and use among the
four countries.)
In addition, a workshop was held in São Paulo during the first week of December/99 to
discuss the use and protection of the aquifer in the State. The workshop received support
from a German Technical Assistance agreement and representatives of all four countries
met in São Paulo. There are indications that similar activities are under consideration in
other Brazilian states, as well as a proposed new initiative to obtain funding to support
research on the Guarani aquifer in Paraguay. Further information on these initiatives
would be obtained during project preparation, particularly aimed at identifying potential
areas of collaboration and financing.
4.3 Other GEF Projects
The GEF is financing a number of projects in the Guarani area, which however
principally deal with surface water resources. Among those are the Rio Bermejo and the
Pantanal water resources management projects, both of which are executed by
UNEP/OAS. A new UNDP/GEF initiative is at the early stages of identification for the
Uruguay River Basin, which would place special emphasis on the protection of key
habitats in the river and its major tributaries as corridors for the protection of biological
diversity of regional and global importance. This project would be envisaged as a
component of a wider GEF Strategic Approach for the Plata Basin. While the former
projects have no direct linkages with the proposed Guarani project, the GEF activities
relating to the Plata Basin project focus on roughly the same geographic area. Project
activities would take ongoing activities in the Plata basin into account to achieve
synergies where appropriate. From a managerial and hydrological point of view,
however, the Guarani is a distinct system and needs to be treated as such to achieve the
project objectives.
5. Global Significance
The Guarani Aquifer is a clear example of an international (transfronterizo) water body
threatened by environmental degradation through pollution as defined and included in the
GEF Operational Program Number 8.
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In the absence of a strategic intervention supported by the GEF, the likelihood is that
business-as-usual would prevail in the four countries. At the aquifer's current use rate,
and considering the growing use of groundwater for human consumption, it is easy to
foresee the increasing threat of pollution in the not too distant future. The uncontrolled
use of the aquifer, without rules or regulation, can change it from its current status as a
strategic reserve of drinking water for the population in the Southern Cone, into a focus
of generalized degradation and conflicts of use among countries. If nothing is done, the
future scenario of this underground treasure will be the same as that faced by more
shallow aquifers, which tend to become both polluted and over-exploited.
The global benefit of the proposed project is thus the preservation of this transboundary
resource for current and future generations. In the specific case of the Guarani Aquifer,
there is the opportunity to exploit the advantages of preventive activity. The project
would ensure that in the face of increasing scarcity and pollution of surface water sources
in the beneficiary countries, this resource will be available as a strategic reserve when
needed.
An important issue to additionally be considered is the fact that an international legal
framework for the management of transboundary groundwater resources currently does
not exist. Neither does the World Bank, for example, have a specific policy on this type
of water resource. This issue is now being addressed in the evaluation of the Bank's
Water Resources Policy Paper of 1993. It is generally recognized that transboundary
groundwater issues need to be addressed as projects are often proposed and implemented
in areas where a situation of scarcity and competition already exists (e.g. North Africa
and Middle East). In the case of the Guarani aquifer, the Bank/GEF could make a
contribution by helping to shape an institutional framework regarding transboundary
groundwater which could serve as a replicable model to other countries and regions. In
addition, the experience derived from this project could contribute to GEF and Bank
thinking with regard to transboundary groundwater issues.
6. Project Description
The proposed project would support Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in jointly
elaborating and implementing a common institutional framework for managing and
preserving the Guarani Aquifer for current and future generations. The project would be
of a preventive nature and would include interventions regarding (a) expansion and
consolidation of the current knowledge base, (b) joint development and implementation
of a Guarani Aquifer Management Framework, (c) public participation through an
appropriate information and institutional framework, (d) implementation of measures to
deal with non-point source pollution, and (e) monitoring and evaluation.
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Project components and their related activities would be:
a. Expansion and Consolidation of Knowledge Base
· Promote an equalization of technical-scientific knowledge about the aquifer,
by consolidating and sharing existing data;
· Expand technical-scientific knowledge about the aquifer through collection of
further strategic data to define its physical limits, recharge and discharge sites
and their mechanisms, types and quantity of pollution, transmissivity of the
aquifer, etc. This may imply drilling of some more, strategically located, wells
as well as geophysical studies;
· Evaluate uses and technologies for use of groundwater, in order to determine
the region's future demands in relation to water resources;
· Create a multilateral information system to recover all available data and
organize it to be shared among the four countries. This activity could include
the following sub-activities:
· Initial workshop on raising awareness and updating knowledge;
· Determination of parameters to be measured;
· Survey of all existing data;
· International standardization of means of obtaining data;
· In a first step, implementation of a data sharing network as well as a
cadastre of institutions of importance to the management of the aquifer;
· In a second step, definition of most appropriate software or contracting of
specific (tailored) software for a comprehensive homogenous information
system, including GIS, compatible with the software of the monitoring
network;
· Set-up of the information system and monitoring network for the aquifer,
which should consider all existing information on the aquifer and define
what information is missing (surface and limits, temperatures, depths,
geological data, available physical, chemical and bacteriological tests,
movements and flows, definition of recharge zones, confining layers,
volumes of contribution and withdrawals, existing wells, current
availability of water, outflow, emergence, flow networks, contamination,
pressures, saline intrusion, etc.);
· Creation of a monitoring network to monitor the evolution of the physical,
chemical and bacteriological features of the aquifer in order to ensure its
future use. The activities foreseen are, among others: Workshop on
awareness and skills updating; Determination of parameters to be
constantly measured; determination of the frequency of measuring each
parameter; Definition and standardization of means of data collection;
Definition and contracting of the most adequate software to manage the
monitoring network; Beginning (start-up) of monitoring network's
operation.
· Development of geo-hydrological models;
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· Evaluation and projection of the region's future demands for water,
considering all possible uses, in order to determine which volumes are
sustainable and possible to use;
· Evaluation and comparison of groundwater extraction technologies and the
production of drinking and non-drinking water of surface origin;
· Technical training of staff in the respective institutions for adequate
maintenance of the information system.
b.
Joint Development of a Guarani Aquifer Management Framework
· Creation of a legal framework for Guarani aquifer management (e.g.
elaboration of an international treaty between the four countries; achieving
compatibility of the countries' environmental and groundwater legislation and
norms, etc.);
· Preparation of a Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Sustainable Development
and Environmental Protection of the Guarani Aquifer, with rules and
regulations to be followed by all users, regardless of their country of origin, as
well as pilot projects to validate the SAP's conclusions;
· Evaluation and survey of the legal frameworks dealing with the issue of
natural resources management and water resources management in the four
countries;
· Assistance with the revision and/or preparation of new legislation and
regulations for the countries to improve their respective legal frameworks;
· Evaluation and survey of all existing international and multilateral agreements
on the issue and/or related to it;
· Evaluation and survey of the entire institutional framework dealing with the
issue of natural and water resources management in the four countries;
· Assistance with the preparation of new institutional arrangements and/or,
where applicable, creation of new agencies or institutions;
· Development of an appropriate multilateral institutional arrangement for the
future management of an information system and a monitoring network shared
among the four countries;
· Development of an appropriate multilateral institutional arrangement for
monitoring and managing the Aquifer's Strategic Action Plan;
· Workshops involving the four countries on issues contained in the component.
c. Public Participation through an Appropriate Information and Institutional Framework
· Implementation of a Public Opinion Survey to assess the population's level of
knowledge about the aquifer;
· Design and implementation of pilot processes to improve the public's
awareness of the existence and strategic importance of the Guarani Aquifer;
· Strengthening of public and community institutions that are involved in the
project and ensure their participation in the formulation and execution of
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management and monitoring activities by explicitly including them in the
institutional set-up for Guarani Aquifer Management at different levels;
· Participatory design and implementation of a Social Communication Plan
(formal and informal environmental education) aimed at the population
residing in the region of the aquifer, with emphasis on the population residing
in recharge areas;
· Evaluation and provision of technical assistance for change in sector policies
to achieve sustainable management of the aquifer.
d. Implementation of measures to deal with non-point source pollution
Given that indications are that pollution threats to the aquifer stem, to a significant
degree, from non-point source pollution activities, the project would identify and
implement on a pilot basis, improved management procedures to tackle land-based, non-
point source pollution in recharge areas. Substantial baseline funding/leveraging could
contribute to component costs.
e. Project Monitoring and Evaluation
A monitoring and evaluation plan would be implemented to ensure monitoring and
evaluation of project results. The M&E plan would be used on a continuing basis during
and after project implementation and as a basis for dissemination of project results to
other countries/regions. Key indicators to be monitored would be (a) improved
knowledge of the physical characteristics of the Guarani Aquifer; (b) implementation of
the shared data network and information system, (c) access to Guarani data by all
interested parties, including civil society, (d) existence of a joint Guarani Aquifer
Management Framework, (e) increased awareness by decision makers and civil society
regarding the value and importance of the Guarani Aquifer, (f) strengthened institutions
at all levels of society (governments, municipalities, universities, riverbasin committees,
other NGOs) in the countries for aquifer management, and (g) implemented pilot projects
in recharge areas.
The results of the Project would be disseminated to other countries, regions and
institutions. Replication elsewhere would be supported by production of written material
as well as participation in international workshops and task forces.
f. Project Management and Capacity Building
A project management component would strengthen institutional capacity in the different
countries for Project implementation. Activities could include the building up and
training of staff in a shared MIS (Management Information System) as well as financial
management procedures. The scope of this component will depend on the institutional
arrangements agreed for project management as a result of PDF activities.
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7. Stakeholders and National Level Support
Initially, information about the Guarani Aquifer had been forthcoming to the Bank
principally through universities from the four countries involved in the research
(Universidad Nacional del Litoral and Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina;
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil; Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay;
and Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay). In discussions during an initial
mission in November 1999 it became clear that all government representatives contacted
in the four countries were also very positive regarding the proposal. Key governmental
agencies such as the Secretaria dos Recursos Hídricos of the Ministry of Environment
and State of São Paulo Secretariat of Environment in Brazil; the Sub-Secretaria de
Recursos Hídricos in Argentina; DINAMA and the Dirección Nacional de Hidrografía in
Uruguay; and the Vice-Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Ministry of Public Works
in Paraguay expressed their keen interest and support.
An additional regional stakeholder is the MERCOSUR. Initially created as a trade
mechanism, MERCOSUR is now also developing other areas of collaboration. It has 12
sub-groups dealing with different issues, one of which is the environment (Sub-grupo 6).
The Sub-group 6 recently finalized a preliminary proposal for joint environmental
legislation for the MERCOSUR countries. The proposed project would need to
incorporate the MERCOSUR as an important institutional stakeholder at the regional
level. Contacts with members of the Sub-group 6 during the mission gave a clear
indication of the interest of this working group, which meets on a regular basis, in
supporting the proposed project.
Based on the results of the mission, a Concept Note was prepared and
stakeholders from the four countries were invited to participate in a joint workshop in Foz
de Iguazu, which was held on January 31 and February 1, 2000. Confirming the
importance of the subject for the region, more than 70 representatives from central and
state governments, from universities who have been conducting research about the
aquifer, from NGOs, municipalities, international organizations (OAS, IICA) and other
interested parties participated in the workshop. The Concept Note was discussed and
endorsed in its overall approach.1 A number of changes were agreed and incorporated
into this PDF request, which is the follow-up to the initial Concept Note. An endorsement
letter has been received from the Paraguayan GEF Focal Point2. Brazil, Paraguay and
Uruguay have already designated project preparation units and/or preparation working
groups and counterparts.
Section 11 of this document outlines the institutional set-up for project
preparation and illustrates how the different stakeholders, including different government
levels and civil society, will continue to be involved in the preparation process. It is
considered essential that both preparation and implementation of this project be designed
1 A comprehensive workshop report is forthcoming and will be widely disseminated.
2 Letter of 27 January 2000. Secretaría Técnica de Planificación.
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to incorporate true participation of civil society as well as other stakeholders to ensure
project success and sustainability.
8. Incremental Cost Framework
Although a number of baseline activities exist which touch upon the area of the proposed
project, the incremental costs are expected to be substantial. This is mainly due to the fact
that the activities proposed here relate to international cooperation which at present does
not exist with regard to the Guarani. Project investment would generate and bring
together new data of interest to all four countries and would put in place a joint
institutional arrangement for aquifer management, which would otherwise not exist. For
this reason the costs of the proposed project are largely incremental, with the exception of
some monitoring activities in place in Brazil and Uruguay, implementation of non-point
source pollution control activities, and the implementation of groundwater legislation in
Brazil. For the latter, the cost of this implementation will have to quantified.
The benefits to be expected from the project are of both national and global nature and
mainly relate to avoidance of future cost. Groundwater pollution is extremely difficult to
remediate and by putting into place a preventive mechanism, damage and thus clean-up
costs would be avoided. A further benefit would be the preservation of a strategic
resource to be used in the long run once other water supply options are exploited.
Uruguay's Water and Sanitation Agency estimates, for example, that it is cheaper to
pump clean Guarani water from significant depths than to treat contaminated surface
water. The benefit is global in the sense that Uruguay is located downstream from Brazil
where measures need to be taken to not pollute Guarani Aquifer water for the
downstream users. It can be expected that, as other sources become more polluted, the
Guarani Aquifer increasingly becomes the economically viable source of choice.
9. Sustainability
Sustainability of the project achievements would be attained by involving stakeholders
from the beginning. As previously mentioned, the demand for the project originated in
the countries. By building up institutional capacity, especially within the framework of
the MERCOSUR, and further sensitizing stakeholders, including civil society, it is
expected that the collaborative framework built up by the project will be a sustainable
mechanism which will function after the end of the project. Certain costs of the project,
such as maintaining the information system, are of a recurrent nature and would require
financing by the governments after project completion.
10. Replicability
As stated previously, an international legal framework for the management of
transboundary groundwater resources currently does not exist. On the other hand,
transboundary groundwater issues do need to be addressed as initiatives are often
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proposed and implemented in regions subject to scarcity and competition (e.g. North
Africa and Middle East). In the case of the Guarani Aquifer, the Bank/GEF could make a
contribution by helping to shape an institutional framework regarding transboundary
groundwater which could serve as a replicable model to other countries and regions. In
addition, the experience derived from this project could contribute to GEF and Bank
thinking with regard to transboundary groundwater issues and to the development of
consistent policy approaches.
For this purpose, the project monitoring and evaluation component will be geared
towards documenting both process and outcomes of the project, and the dissemination of
reports and participation in efforts related to transboundary groundwater in other regions
will be encouraged.
11. Description of PDF Activities
The expected outputs from project preparation activities are summarized below. The table
at the end of the document summarizes the costs of each of the preparation activities and
the proposed GEF PDF contribution.
General Activities:
· Workshops with stakeholders in the four countries for project definition and
preparation of specific components;
· A Preparation Unit will be housed within the OAS to prepare the Project. PDF
funds will be used to help cover costs of this unit (consultants, operational and
administrative costs). Part of the costs, notably those related to the use of in-
house expertise, space and equipment, will be covered by the OAS.
· Specialized consultancies and studies for detailed project and component
design, including preparation of the project document (PAD). This would
specifically include:
! Incremental Cost Analysis;
! Definition of national counterpart and donor contributions to baseline
and project costs;
! Preparation of a project budget and schedule.
Activities Related to the Different Project Components
a. Expansion and Consolidation of Knowledge Base
· Exhaustive survey of all existing technical data on the aquifer (understood
here as information on the existence of the data, not its collection or any more
technical work on it);
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· With the aid of a specialist, define the most relevant physical, chemical and
bacteriological data and the frequency of obtaining them, to be used as a basis
for building up the aquifer monitoring network;
· Initial exploratory survey on the actual uses and projected future use of the
aquifer.
b. Joint Development of a Guarani Aquifer Management Framework
· Survey of the legal-institutional frameworks of the Guarani Aquifer.
· Elaboration of TORs for the Strategic Action Plan
· Institutional Assessment of all public and non-public agencies to be involved
in the Project
c. Public Participation through an Appropriate Information and Institutional Framework
· Participatory design of a Social Communications Program for the aquifer.
d. Implementation of measures to deal with non-point source pollution
· Identification of pilot area candidates for implementation of non-point source
pollution programs.
· Feasibility Studies and Design of TORs for such programs.
e. Project Monitoring and Evaluation
· Elaboration of a Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan including preparation
of a dissemination and replication strategy.
· Cross-fertilization/learning from GEF-financed activities in other regions
where similar projects are being developed.
f. Improvement of Project Management Capacity
· Assessment of needs for a Management Information System.
· Design of institutional arrangements for Project implementation.
12. Institutional Arrangements for Project Preparation
Given the multi-country nature of the project, the OAS would be the executing agency
for project preparation. It is not desirable to split project funds into four country sub-
budgets, so the OAS would fulfill an integrating function. Consequently, the role of the
OAS in the preparation of the project is envisioned as the administrator/manager of the
Block B grant. A Central Project Preparation Unit (UCPP) would be established,
responsible for both multi-country studies and consultancies, as well as integrating the
14
contributions to project design by the national agencies in each of the four countries. The
Bank would have overall responsibility for the coordination of the preparation effort, for
the quality of the resulting products, and the development and processing of the required
project documents.
In addition to the Central Project Preparation Unit housed within the OAS, a Project
Steering Committee (CSPP) would be created by the four countries. The CSPP would
have eight members, one government representative of each country and one
representative of the Sub-group 6 of the MERCOSUR. The CSPP would draw upon the
help of National Preparation Units (UNPP) as technical advisory members. These Units
would include further government representatives (federal, state, provincial, etc.),
universities, riverbasin committees, and other members of civil society, as determined by
each country. The institutional arrangements are summarized in Annex 1.
Project implementation arrangements would be defined during the preparation process.
13. Expected Date of Project Completion
It is presently anticipated that Project preparation will be substantially completed by
January 2001 and that the Project will be ready for final Bank approval by April 2001.
This schedule assumes timely availability of preparation funds and effective coordination
between the four country governments.
Date
Activity
Jan 31 Feb 1 First Preparation Workshop with representatives from governments,
2000 MERCOSUR and civil society to further define project and preparation
requirements and obtain inputs to produce draft PDF proposal
March 2000 Submission of PDF Block B
May-Dec. 2000 Project Preparation
January 2001 GEF Council
April 2001 Board Presentation
June 2001 Project Launch Workshop
15
14. Project Preparation Activities - Budget
Preparation Activity
GEF
Part. Countries
OAS
US$ US$ US$
TOTAL
General Preparation and Design Studies
Initial workshop to discuss Project Concept
45,000
45,000
Incremental Cost Analysis
10,000
10,000
Definition of national counterpart and donor contributions
10,000
10,000
to baseline and project costs and preparation of a project
0
budget and schedule
0
Financial Management and Procurement Assessment
10,000
10,000
Preparation Coordination
35,000
15,000
50,000
100,000
Subtotal 65,000
60,000
50,000
175,000
Expansion and Consolidation of Knowledge Base Component
Survey of all existing technical data on the aquifer
30,000
20,000
50,000
With the aid of a specialist, define the most relevant physical
10,000
50,000
60,000
chemical and bacteriological data and the frequency of
0
obtaining them, to be used as a basis for building up the
0
aquifer monitoring network
0
Workshop to define technical needs for building up data network,
22,000
25,000
47,000
information system and aquifer monitoring network; including
production of relevant TORs
network, information system and aquifer monitoring network;
0
including production of relevant TORs
0
Initial exploratory survey on the actual uses and projected
20,000
20,000
40,000
future uses of the aquifer
0
Subtotal 82,000
115,000
197,000
Joint Development of a Guarani Aquifer Management Framework
Survey of the legal-institutional frameworks of the Guarani Aquifer.
33,000
30,000
63,000
Workshop with legal experts, government representatives and other
15,000
35,000
50,000
stakeholders regarding existing legal-institutional frameworks of the
0
Guarani Aquifer and identification of Project needs
0
Preparation of TORs for a Strategic Action Plan
35,000
20,000
55,000
Subtotal 83,000
85,000
0
168,000
16
Public Participation through an Appropriate Information and
Institutional Framework
Participatory Design of a Social Communications Program
30,000
40,000
70,000
for the Aquifer (including stakeholder workshops)
0
Subtotal 30,000
40,000
0
70,000
Implementation of measures to deal with non-point source pollution
Identification of pilot area candidates for implementation of
14,000
10,000
24,000
non-point source pollution programs
0
Development of TORs for development of pilot programs
14,000
14,000
Subtotal 28,000
10,000
0
38,000
Project Monitoring and Evaluation
Elaboration of a Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
12,000
12,000
Crossfertilization/learning from GEF-financed projects that are
12,000
5,000
17,000
being prepared in other regions (e.g. partic. in seminars, workshops)
0
Subtotal 24,000
5,000
0
29,000
Project Management
Institutional Assessment of all public and non-public agencies to be
10,000
10,000
20,000
involved in the Project
0
Development of TORs for strengthening of existing Project
13,000
6,000
19,000
Management Information Systems
0
Design of institutional arrangements for Project implementation
15,000
10,000
25,000
Subtotal 38,000
26,000
64,000
TOTAL 350,000
341,000
50,000
741,000
17
Annex 1: Institutional Arrangements for Project Implementation
GEF
CSPP
World
d Bank
OAS
UCPP
Universities
UNPP UNPP
UNPP
UNPP
Brazil
Argentina
Uruguay
Paraguay
Autonomous
Consultants
CSPP Project Steering Committee (Consejo Superior de Preparación del Proyecto)
UCPP Central Project Preparation Unit (Unidad Central de Preparación del Proyecto)
UNPP National Preparation Unit (Unidad Nacional de Preparación del Proyecto)
19
OAS Organization of American States (Organización de Estados Americanos)
Document Outline