The Rural Water and Sanitation Project's goal is to alleviate poverty in rural areas by enhancing productivity through improved health conditions and a more efficient use of the time saved collecting water. Specific objectives include: 1) increasing the coverage and sustainable use of water and sanitation services in rural communities and municipalities; 2) assisting the local water and sanitation units in developing the capacity to provide technical assistance to municipal governments and local communities; 3) supporting the sustainability of water and sanitation services through extensive training of community-level operators and administrators; and 4) strengthening the capacity of the National Directorate of Water and Sanitation (DINASBA) to formulate policies, prepare technical standards, and mobilize financial resources. The project consists of the following components: 1) rural water and sanitation infrastructure program which includes 2 subcomponents: (a) water supply facilities and shallow wells with hand pumps and rainwater catchments; and (b) small-scale wastewater collection facilities, treatment and disposal systems, and latrines; and 2) institutional capacity-building program comprising 3 subcomponents: (a) financing of project management to assist the institutions in charge of project implementation; (b) financing of technical assistance to strengthen sector institutions and communities in their capacity to provide safe, reliable and sustainable water and sanitation services; and (c) training program that will fund training to stakeholders and institutions responsible for backstopping water and sanitation services.