Summative evaluations of natural resource programmes and projects are of considerable value when future programmes are being planned and implemented. A case-control study design was adopted to evaluate a rural water supply programme in a developing region in Ghana, The study focused on impacts of issues related to programme objectives, Primary data were collected by means of formal and informal interviews, The results showed that women in the programme communities have not utilized excess waste water effectively in productive economic activities to supplement their incomes, The results also indicate that radio was the most effective medium in delivering health and hygiene education messages, Water user committees appointed by programme managers have been less effective in the performance of their duties than community water organizers, who were selected by the communities. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.