This document summarizes research on Water Users' Associations (WUAs) and Branch Canal Water Users' Associations (BCWUAs) in the Meet Yazid area of Egypt. The research team assessed the functioning of WUAs at pumping stations and conducted a comparative survey of 15 BCWUAs. Key findings include: 1) WUAs are not functioning as originally planned and few are formally active; 2) BCWUAs have no legal recognition, resources, or records; and 3) BCWUAs play a limited role in operation and maintenance due to weak links with WUAs and lack of authority. The document concludes that BCWUAs require a law to strengthen their legitimacy and responsibilities, or the idea of

1. Water Users’ Associations
(WUAs/BCWUAs)
Meet Yazid Area
Research team:
Dr. Edwin Rap
Dr. François Molle
Dr. Doaa Ezzat
Eng. Ahmed Ismail
Dr. Waleed Abu Hassan

2. Objectives
 Assess the functioning of WUAs at collective
pump stations in IIP and IIIMP projects
 Carry out a comparative survey on the working
of BCWUAs

3. 1
2
3
WUAs - Methodology
• Rapid Appraisal of 50 pump stations, IIP
and IIIMP in Meet Yazid command area
• Additional surveys and literature review
• 4 Masters students

4. WUAs at pumping stations

6. Functioning of WUAs
1. Normative plans: no WUA functions as planned, # WUAs not formally active
2. Board not farmers considered as WUA members, few re-elections,
assemblies, or other (formal) meetings
3. Decision-making is often informal, fundamental role of the pumping station
(PS) operator
4. Very little participation in design of PS and network; limited recollection of
training; reception of PS often problematic
5. Large diversity of water distribution arrangements, with rotations only
during peak summer time
6. Running costs and fee collection relatively un-problematic; investment
decisions by consensus when needed
7. Conflicts happen when supply/demand ratio too low (tail-ends, or), which
social relations can amplify/reduce

7. BCWUA survey
Activity
• Methodology:
– Use earlier literature study on
successful cases and surveys
– Focus group with BCWUAs on
management options
– Interviews with key-
informants
– Survey of 15 selected
BCWUAs
Output

8. Focus group with BCWUAs

9. BCWUA survey
Activities
• Comparative survey of 15
BCWUAs in Mit Yazid
• Discussion topics:
– Trajectory of the BCWUA
– Election & composition Board
– The role of IIP improvement
– BCWUA resources &
responsibilities
– Relations with Project and
Irrigation Management Staff
– Effectiveness of BCWUAs
– Law for BCWUAs, etc.
BCWUA presidents

10. Main Findings I
• Laudable efforts of BCWUAs and irrigation staff to
deal with O&M problems at BC-level
• BCWUAs have no legal recognition, resource base
(fee collection), office and records
• BCWUAs have no large O&M role, even in success
cases
• Weak link between WUAs and the BCWUAs,
which affects enforcement rotation
• BCWUA leaders need the authority of district
engineers to implement rotations

11. Main Findings II
• BCWUA leaders selected to promote
improvement, cannot effectively represent users
with design & construction problems
• How representative are BCWUAs when many
water users along BCs are not aware of them?
• Women in BCWUA appears a token measure,
driven by donor pressures
• Efforts focused on (re-)elections of BCWUAs and
less on sustaining them
• Egyptian Revolution discontinued regular
interactions BCWUAs - engineers

12. BCWUA representation

13. Main Findings III
• In sum, BCWUAs are financially,
representationally and institutionally weak
organizations, which potentially might, but
presently do not play a significant role in the
O&M of BCs
• Even when a law and additional maintenance
responsibilities would strengthen the legitimacy
of BCWUAs, it is questionable whether they
would be sustainable

14. Key-messages
• The need to adopt a law to recognize BCWUAs
with fee collection capacity and concrete
O&M responsibilities
or:
• Give up the idea of BCWUA participation

15. Future investment