PAS Project 1 Benchmarking of urban water and sanitation in emerging economies Introduction CEPT UNIVERSITY

Benchmarking water and sanitation in developing countries  The situation of water and sanitation in developing countries is very different –  poor communities living in informal settlements without any service, intermittent water supply, on-site sanitation etc.  Does it require a different benchmarking approach?  Are the indicators for benchmarking developed by IWA, and other utilities appropriate for developing countries?

Coverage of water supply low in sub-Saharan Africa JMP (2014), Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation:2014 update, WHO and UNICEF

Supply of water ONCE IN 15 DAYs ‘WATER DAY’ in one of the cities in Western India

Poor Sanitation facilities in many countries JMP (2014), Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation:2014 update, WHO and Unicef

Sanitation…should we include solid waste management in benchmarking?

Open defecation –high in Asia JMP (2014), Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation:2014 update, WHO and Unicef

Source: UN Habitat (2011), World Bank (2010) Poverty levels and slums in LAMIC  Regions of ECA, LAC and MENA have between 14 to 20% of their urban population residing in slums  Role of small service providers and affordability assume significance in this context Source: UN-HABITAT, Global Urban Observatory, 2009 Slum proportion of select countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia (2005)

Slum dwellers have poor access to services JMP (2014), Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation:2014 update, WHO and Unicef

Service levels: Drinking Water South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa shows relatively lower levels of water consumption; however there is only limited information on these indicators Additional concerns also relate to the lack of continuous water supply in some regions, mainly SA and SSA Focus on intermittent supply situations becomes critical in this context

Benchmarking of water

benchmarking efforts  Promote sustainability of performance assessment systems through regular use of performance information and linked to performance based funding  Regular use requires ensuring developing standard, comparable and reliable information  Achieving scale across all service providers; government participation critical in this as it ensures universal participation Utility Associations For comparative assessments National and/ or state governments For performance based sector funding & improved information systems Regulators For monitoring and price setting Sharing information and good practices across utilities Promote process benchmarking Support decision making Funding: incentive for improved performance Comparative regulation Review against agreed performance targets in contracts

Sustainability Water resources and quality Customer satisfaction Financial Management Focus on services to poor and affordability Role of external facilitators Non-networked sanitation Universal coverage and progressive standards Key focus areas – developed countries versus LAMIC Themes adopted by major benchmarking efforts in developed countries Key focus areas based on a review of major benchmarking efforts in developing countries  Benchmarking frameworks in developed countries more focused towards  Water resources and quality  Financial management  Customer satisfaction  Sustainability  In developing countries’ context, focus would also need to include  Role of external facilitators  Universal coverage, progressive realization of improved standards,  Access to sanitation facilities and non-sewered contexts  Service delivery to urban poor and affordability

Roles of different actors National/ State Govt. (Brazil. India, etc.) Utility Association (WOP, SEAWUN) Regulator (Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique) Regulation through contract (Uganda, Senegal) External facilitators the mandate for service provision for WaterIs likely to be with local government, utilities at local/ regional /national levels Small service providers in peri-urban and slum areas and community based organizations SanitationIs likely to be with local government, local utilities or even national utilities (as in Malaysia) While performance benchmarking would be through…. and actual service provision may also include

Key discussion points  Should we talk of Utility benchmarking or assessing service levels?  When large number of people are not connected to water and sewer system-does utility benchmarking make sense?  How do utilities provide service in ‘informal settlements’ – legal and political issues  How can we assess performance of non- networked systems  How can we capture inequity? – over space (slums, peri-urban areas) and to poor

Key readings  JMP (2014), Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation:2014 update, WHO and Unicef  PAS (2013), Review of benchmarking of water and Sanitaiton, (draft), CEPT University, Ahmedabad, INDIA

Web site: Contact for more information and clarification: Prof. Dinesh Prof. Meera END