102743 WET Water the Expert Team What is WET? The Water Expert Team (WET) is a technical support service that identifies and mobilizes on-demand high- level expertise to address complex water challenges in World Bank operations. World Bank operational teams seek specialized WET support during project preparation and implementation to tackle highly complex water issues. This additional support informs decision-making, promotes innovation and enhances project quality. WET’s three main objectives are to: WET Budget per Theme (Phase I) (i) Improve the design of policies, strategies, and investment loans in the water sector FLOODS & (ii) Improve or maintain the quality and outcomes of the HYDROMET Bank water portfolio 10% (iii) Support Bank projects engaging in innovative WRM activities 26% 8% GROUNDWATER 6% BASIC SANITATION The WET provides quality expertise across all water subsectors, in addition to emerging water-related 6% & HYGIENE demands in areas like climate change adaptation, WWT freshwater ecosystem restoration, urban and rural 9% UTILITIES & wastewater collection, treatment and disposal, sludge 30% INSTITUTIONS management, water resources governance, and water 7% utility management. Other important areas of focus HYDROPOWER include water-hazard related disaster risk management IRRIGATION and remote sensing for water resources management. How the WET Adds Value to Projects The WET supports World Bank water projects but can and emerging needs of the Bank’s water-related also work cross-sectorally, providing assistance to water- activities. The experts are engaged as short-term related issues in projects in other sectors such as energy, individual consultants on an as-needed basis. WET agriculture, and the environment. The WET works closely assistance is provided on-demand and is designed to with World Bank operational teams to understand their be fast, easy to use, flexible, and responsive – WET emerging project needs and identify and mobilize the best experts can be fielded two to four weeks after a request expertise available globally. By facilitating project activities for assistance has been approved – and the application that could not be implemented without WET support, it process is simple and quick. adds value to current and future World Bank projects. The value-added to Bank projects is evidenced by the The WET maintains a roster of highly-qualified water continuous positive feedback received from the WET’s clients specialists with expertise not normally available to and by the growing number of requests being received. operational teams, and that corresponds to the current WET Structure The WET was created in January 2011 by consolidating three Expert Support Teams (ESTs) established to meet increasing demand for expertise in water supply and sanitation (SWAT), hydrology (HEF), and groundwater management (GW-MATE). This merge resulted in a new entity with an increasingly responsive structure, and a more efficient and streamlined administration. WET is funded by the Water Partnership Program (WPP), GW-MATE HEF a Multi-Donor Trust Fund created to enhance the World Bank’s efforts to reduce poverty through improved water services and water resources management, as well as the mainstreaming of these in climate-resilient, green growth. SWAT It is based in the Water Anchor (TWIWA) in the Sustainable Development Network (SDN) of the World Bank. WET is managed by a senior TWIWA staff member (the WET Task Team Leader (TTL)), aided by a Support Group of technical specialists and a Program Officer. The WET TTL and the Support Group ensure that activities are in line with the WET objectives, are cost-effective, respond to Bank and client needs, and add value to Bank operations. A WET Advisory Committee – chaired by the TWIWA Sector Manager and composed of senior members of the World Bank’s water community – advises on WET priorities, policy, strategy, and operation, and also WET plays a role in its evaluation. Features of WET Support WET support is normally of short duration and focused support, and financing of consultant fees and expenses, on specific issues, situations or problems. It includes the as well as technical support. When full-support services following activities, among others: are requested, the WET team, working closely with the TTL and/or Project Team, participates in: • Project-focused technical support services in the field and to the regions, including consultant management and • Selecting the best consultant(s) for each activity technical review of reports and outputs to ensure quality • Preparing ToRs for the expert’s (or experts’) services • Technical support for policy and institutional reform • Providing procurement, logistical and technical support, • Technical review of documents, including, for example, assuring the quality of the services and products, and Analytical and Advisory Assistance (AAA) and ensuring smooth operation, monitoring and reporting Economic and Sector Work (ESW), Country Assistance • Ensuring that consultant outputs are high-quality and Strategies and other strategy and policy documents support Bank operations according to the ToR • Support in addressing the most pressing emerging • Administrative management and financial monitoring water challenges of WET, i.e. keeping track of the contracting and • Support for the development and implementation of payment of consultants, as well as reception of all analytical frameworks and tools deliverables and filing of all related documents WET services can range from helping a project team to To enhance the impact of its support, WET disseminates draft Terms of Reference (ToRs) and identify the best the outcomes of activities by organizing and conducting consultant, to providing full-support in helping project technical events and preparing briefing notes, case teams identify and resolve key technical issues. WET full- profiles and technical publications. support includes administrative, contracting and logistical The Water Expert Team (WET) provides on-demand, just-in-time, comprehensive technical support in the water sector to operational World Bank teams, at the request of Task Team Leaders (TTLs). Progress and Achievements Since its creation, the WET has supported activities in more than 35 client countries across the six World Bank regions. WET assignments have supported World Bank projects across all thematic areas in the water sector. With a quarter of projects having a main focus on climate change adaptation, WET has actively supported new pragmatic approaches aimed at incorporating climate change in the project design. WET has also supported non-conventional initiatives like the use of deep aquifers for urban water supply in Africa and the design of workable solutions for on-site sanitation in flood-prone areas. By combining results of several activities and organizing knowledge-sharing events, the WET actively seeks to stimulate global dialogue in water and make innovative ideas available to other World Bank teams. “ The WET team did an outstanding job. The team must be commended for its efficiency and responsiveness and understanding of the TTL needs. Using WET was a refreshing experience. This is a very good example of what “people in operations” would like to get more often from programs such as the WPP. ” ~ Christophe Prevost, TTL, WET Support for Urban Water Utilities Performance Monitoring in Paraguay How to “Get WET” Only World Bank teams working on World Bank projects For more information, including request forms, please are eligible to apply for WET support, by submitting a contact WET through the World Bank’s internal e-mail request form to the WET administrative team describing system by typing “Water Expert Team” as the destination the need for specialized water technical expertise not e-mail address, or visit us at: otherwise available to the Project Team. Requests will be evaluated in terms of their contribution to Bank http://water.worldbank.org/wet business development, and/or their value added through enhancement of current or future operations, above and The World Bank beyond the normal technical needs of a project. Sustainable Development Network (SDN) Water Anchor (TWIWA) Water Partnership Program (WPP) Water Expert Team (WET) http://water.worldbank.org/wpp