Witteveen+Bos advises on scaling up water supply sector in Croatia and Bulgaria

May 9th, 2013 by nwp

Compliance with European legislation is one of the reasons why Croatia and Bulgaria need to invest heavily in their water sectors in the coming years. The governments of the two countries asked Dutch consultancy firm Witteveen+Bos to answer some questions to put them on the right track: what is the optimum sizing of the sector, how is this achievable, and how do you organise it?

Scaling up
The drinking water infrastructure is largely organised locally in both countries, while development of the infrastructure for waste water is lagging way behind. Many of the water companies are small and are unable to undertake major investments. In many cases, there is also a lack of sufficient qualified staffing to manage and operate the infrastructure in a future-proof way.

The two countries have opted to address these problems by scaling up their water sectors.

Aggregating water companies
Witteveen+Bos identified ways of aggregating water companies with focus on improving efficiency by looking at different possibilities for mergers. A comparison of the results with sizing and organisational models elsewhere in Europe revealed the most suitable models.

The Dutch consultancy firm also directed considerable attention towards possibilities for implementing the measures taking into account geographical, cultural, technical and financial aspects.

The outcomes showed that aggregation will reduce the number of water companies in Croatia from 160 to over 20, and in Bulgaria from 64 to nearly 30. Croatia has opted for a public sector model, while Bulgaria has decided to give private market a role.

Implementation plan
Croatia was adviced on steps to set towards transforming its water sector. Preconditions included legal frameworks, local autonomy, shareholder structures, control over the companies, and greater capacity.

The consultancy also included mustering support within the water sector, municipalities and relevant ministries. An implementation plan and a development path are now before the Cabinet for decision-making.

The aim is to complete the entire operation within three years. Decision-making in Bulgaria is expected later in 2013.

This news item was originally plublished on the website of
Witteveen+Bos.

More information
Witteveen+Bos
Deventer, the Netherlands
+31 570 69 79 11
www.witteveenbos.com

Posted in News.

IRC WASH-conference: first baseline of all Ethiopian water and sanitation facilities

April 6th, 2013 by nwp

The recently completed National WASH Inventory has been a major initiative to better monitor the performance of the water and sanitation sector in Ethiopia.

For the first time, the National WASH Inventory provides a national baseline of all water and sanitation facilities using standard methods across all regions.

This involved survey of over 92,000 rural water supply schemes, over 1,600 small town systems, 50,000 schools and clinics and interviews with 12 million households. The costs amounted to more than 200 million Birr (about 12 million USD).

International WASH services symposium
Ethiopia’s national WASH Inventory will be discussed at a seminar on Monday 8 April, National WASH Inventory: lessons learned and maximising value, organised by the Ministry of Water and Energy, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre and CCRDA-WSF.

The seminar on the National WASH Inventory precedes the international symposium Monitoring Sustainable WASH Service Delivery which is being held from 9-11 April and also takes place in the Addis Ababa Hilton.

Importance of good data
This event is part of a week of events in Addis Ababa bringing together international experts in water and sanitation monitoring. John Butterworth from the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre at The Hague says: “Counting may seem less important than building new infrastructure, but the better data collected in the National WASH Inventory could be a force that drives a new spurt of growth in the sector. Put to use, the numbers could result in many millions of people getting new or better water supplies and sanitation facilities”.


Ellah Bhasira’s new well in Zimbabwe.
(photo: Paolo Cernuschi/IRC & top photo: Emily Holland/IRC)

Vital for investments
Providing universal access to water and sanitation, the goal of the Ethiopian Government, is a huge effort that is transforming lives and the economy. Behind efforts to improve service delivery – building new communal water systems, repairing broken pumps, encouraging households to improve their family wells and latrines – are monitoring systems, data and statistics. Reliable data are vital for investments to be made in the right places and the correct policy decisions are taken. Should limited public finance be directed to maintaining and repairing existing water supply systems, or to new construction, for example.

Challenge of extending services
It is in the rural areas, with 82% of the population and fewer facilities than the cities, that the challenge is biggest. The results show that access to rural water supplies is close to the figures reported by the Central Statistical Agency and reported internationally by the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme, the international reporting initiative tracking progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.

The new and improved figures show that the challenge of extending services is also bigger than previously recognized: the majority of rural Ethiopians (51%) still lack access to a safe water supply.

Also reach unserved
Now that a good baseline has been established, the monitoring challenge shifts to making the data available, using data in plans and policy making, and updating. This is all needed to underpin better service delivery, and to reach the unserved with more services says Tamene Hailu, National WASH Inventory Coordinator at the Ministry of Water and Energy. Updating is already underway in some regions.

Read the full programme and background paper of the IRC Symposium 2013 – Monitoring Sustainable WASH Service Delivery

This news item was originally published on the website Wash news Africa.

More information
IRC
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 3044000
www.irc.org
&
www.waterservicesthatlast.org

Posted in News.

Dutch marine vessel HMS Pelikaan brings fresh water to Island Saba, Caribbean

March 9th, 2013 by nwp

The Dutch Navy vessel HMS Pelikaan provides the population of the island Saba in the Dutch Caribbean with fresh water .

Saba is struggling with a severe shortage of drinking water after a long period of drought and a defective water factory. Especially government entities, such as schools, hospitals and retirement homes are under threat of running out of water.

Rainwater shortage

The Caribbean island of Saba has a long tradition of rainwater harvesting. Houses on Saba are constructed to support the collection of rainwater. Due to a long period of drought many rainwater cisterns on the island ran dry.

The local drinking water system has a limited production capacity and mainly provides water to the local hospital.

A new drinking water plant to increase the island’s fresh water capacity is under construction.

On board water maker
HMS Pelikaan also brought 60,000 litres of water to Saba in August 2009. In January 2010, the vessel was used to transport water to Haiti after the country was hit by an earthquake.

The water tanks on board the HMS Pelikaan have a capacity of 70,000 litres.

The marine vessel has a Demitec water maker on board with a capacity of 25 m3 per day. The Demitec installation desalinates seawater by reverse osmosis and is delivered by Hatenboer Water.


A Demitec desalination RO-unit

Full water services
Next to the water maker, disinfection equipment and sanitary fresh water system with ultra filtration, Hatenboer-Water provides periodically the water analysis on board the Pelikaan to ensure a safe water system.

About Hatenboer
Hatenboer-Water is active in the field of water treatment. It also supplied water treatment equipment to most vessels from the Royal Dutch Navy and several foreign navies.

The company’s Demitec RO-units are equipped with a seawater intake pump, extensive pre-treatment, high-quality membranes, anti scalant dosing unit, membrane cleaning (CIP) unit and slow running high-pressure plunger pump.

This news item is based on press releases originally published on the websites of Hatenboer-Water and the Dutch ministry of defence (in Dutch only).

More information
Ministry of Defence
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 318 81 88
www.defensie.nl/english

Hatenboer-Water
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
+31 10 409 12 00
www.hatenboer-water.com


Posted in News.

World Water Day 2013 – The Hague: Tomorrow’s water management is all about sharing water resources

March 4th, 2013 by nwp

Water allocation, water reuse and water cooperation, were the main topics during a UN organized consultation on new post-2015 water targets in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 27 and 28.

Water experts from all over the world discussed in Geneva a political message for the high level meeting in The Hague during the international celebration of World Water Day on March 22..

The consultation made clear that water demand will not only increase because more people will consume more water. Also the production of more food and energy will demand more water. These issues are interrelated in the water-food-energy-nexus and cross sectoral cooperation is needed to come to a fair system for sharing water resources.

Public dialogue
During the consultation the participants reflected on the reactions that have been received by the UN website ‘The World We Want 2015.

This website started a public dialogue in January on new global post-2015 targets when the current millennium development goals expires.

Input from the public dialogue will be part of the high level platform meeting in The Hague on March 22 and the general assembly in September in New York.

Water allocation
In Geneva the participants in the consultation expressed their concern over the fact that within the food and energy sector there is little awareness of how critical the water supply may become in the future.

Without large investments in water infrastructure many fresh water resources will either become useless because of pollution or eventually dry up because of over-extraction. The participants identified a water allocation target as: ensuring transparent, equitable and sustainable mechanisms at the basin, national and transboundary level in order to create a balance among human, food, energy, domestic, industrial and ecosystem needs.

Joppe Cramwinckel (above), director for water of the World Business Council for sustainable development (WBCSD) asked the participants to focus on a fair water allocation system and mentioned the hotly debate issue of water prizing.

Water reuse
National governments should be stimulated to introduce a regulatory framework to stop the discharge of waste water, said President Gérard Payen of the international federation of private water operators AquaFed. He said still 80% of all waste water is not treated. This is especially the case in non-developed countries where water borne diseases spread rapidly.

Various speakers pointed out that a regulatory framework is also needed to stimulate the reuse of water. Some speakers pointed out that next to strict water quality standards and enforcement, there is a great demand for skilled water technicians. Their skills are needed locally to ensure that the treatment of waste water is done properly and quality of the reuse water meets the standards.

Water cooperation
Many speakers addressed the necessary cooperation. Not only between the various authorities on local, regional and national levels, but also with all stakeholders involved in preservation of fresh water resources. The water demand will increase and in many areas water stress will arise. Only in dialogue farmers, nature organisations, energy suppliers, water supply companies, cities

Catchy slogan
At the end of the consultation the participants suggested to formulate a target on improved water-use efficiency by XX % by XX year with two additional sub-targets : increase of water reuse by XX % by XX year; and to reduce water use in agriculture by XX % by XX year.

For the politicians at the high level platform in The Hague, Jack Moss of AquaFed came up with a more catchy slogan: use less water, use water better and use water again.

Finally Maarten Gischler (above), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands, got applause when he announced that the Dutch government will support a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water. He noted that his government aims to elevate water to the highest possible political level

The outcome of this consultation and a recommendation to the high level platform in The Hague on March 22 will be published shortly.

Report and more background information on the consultation and the themes were published on the website of UN Economic Commission for Europe and International Institute for Sustainable Development.

More information on this year’s water cooperation theme and the international celebration of World Water Day in The Hague (including the high level platform meeting, the multi-stakeholder dialogue Wings for water and the Walk for water fundraising):
- International year of Water Cooperation and World Water Day – The Hague, March 22
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue – The Hague, March 21

Follow this website for more news on the international celebration of World Water Day 2013 in The Hague.

More information
UN Water
New York, USA
unwater@un.org
www.unwater.org

Posted in 2013-World water day (7), News.

TNO develops Hydro chip for quick monitoring surface water quality

March 4th, 2013 by nwp

The Dutch applied research institute TNO is developing, in close cooperation water board Hollands Noorderkwartier, STOWA, Vitens and Waternet, the Hydro chip that can analyse dna structures and determine the quality of surface water

The development and demonstration of the Hydro chip takes place within the EU Life + programme. Use of the Hydro chip will manage surface water more efficient compared to the current method.

Pebble algae as indicator
Fast keys of the quality of surface water is therefore important. Pebble algae come in almost all waters off and the presence or absence of these algae is a good indicator of the quality of water.

The current way to investigate water quality is detecting Pebble algae in water samples using a microscope. This is a time-consuming and therefore an expensive job. The Hydro chip in.

Detect DNA
By DNA for various types of algae to detect Hydro can chip easily Pebble, prescribe those categories of siliceous algae are present in the water and translate this to the ecological state of the water.

To the Hydro chip in practical use is still further development needed, because the Hydro chip now can detect only a few groups Pebble algae. By using generic DNA technology can also in the future other relevant Hydro chip algae and bacteria (such as cyanobacteria).

The project Hydro chip takes place within the EU Life + demonstration program

About TNO
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek or TNO (Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research) is a nonprofit organization in the Netherlands that focuses on applied science.

TNO is a knowledge organization for companies, government bodies and public organizations. The approximately 5,400 employees work to develop and apply knowledge. The organization also conducts contract research, offers specialist consulting services, and grants licences for patents and specialist software.

This news item was originally published on the website of TNO.

More information
TNO
Zeist, the Netherlands
+31 88 866 50 97
www.tno.nl

Posted in News.

Consultancy firm Mott MacDonald wins three water infrastructure related projects in Bangladesh

February 5th, 2013 by nwp

Mott MacDonald has been appointed by the Government of Bangladesh to support three development projects aimed at reducing poverty and increasing incomes in the country.

All projects are financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Small scale water supply
One project concerns design and supervision services for Sustainable rural infrastructure improvement project (SRIIP) which will foster growth, capacity development and gender equality in three regions and 21 districts of north west and south west Bangladesh.

The project aims to enhance the rural population’s contact with social services such as health and education, while widening access to markets and livelihood activities which will increase earnings for the rural poor. Innovative pilot projects include introducing toll roads, road safety improvement and small scale water and off grid electricity supplies in remote growth centres.

Improvement irrigation and water resources

Another new project for Mott MacDonald in Bangladesh is to providing technical and management consultancy services to Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project II (CHTRDPII) which will strengthen institutional capacity, link remote communities to main roads, improve irrigation and water resources and offer economic opportunities through agribusiness support in three districts – Banderban, Khagrachari and Rangamati – all in the south east of the country.

PPP watersupply Dhaka
Additionally, the consultancy is carrying out due diligence for the Asian Development Bank for a proposed water treatment plant in Khilkhet, Dhaka.

The study will explore the feasibility of a public-private partnership (PPP) and possible alternatives which will improve the service delivery of water supply in the area.

Hero Heering, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “These projects will make a huge difference to the rural people of Bangladesh. Mott MacDonald has almost 60 years of experience working on development projects in the country, contributing to rural and water resources development, agriculture, environmental protection and management, climate change projects and capacity building.”

About Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald is a global management, engineering and development consultancy with more than 14,000 staff, £1 billion revenue and work in 140 countries for the public and private sectors. For 6 consecutive years the employee-owned company has featured in the Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For survey. Mott MacDonald’s core business sectors cover buildings, transport, energy, water, environment, health, education, industry, oil and gas, communications and international development.

This news item was originally published on the website of Mott MacDonald.

More information
Euroconsult Mott MacDonald
Hero Heering
Arnhem, the Netherlands
+31 26 357 71 11
www.euroconsult.mottmac.nl


Posted in News.

Grontmij to advise 14 Turkish provinces on development water investment projects

February 1st, 2013 by nwp

Consultancy firm Grontmij has been awarded a major water assignment in Turkey. An international Grontmij team will prepare integrated water and wastewater investment projects for the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation.

The projects are part of an extensive programme to meet the crucial water management needs of around 3.5 million people and will be funded through the European Union’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) programme.

The work started in January 2013 and will take around 30 months to complete. The assignment value for Grontmij is 5.5 million euro.

Water management to meet EU standards
A comprehensive programme of water management services is currently under development in Turkey supported by IPA. The programme includes the supply of drinking water, storm water networks and sewerage facilities along with wastewater treatment plants.

Grontmij has been awarded the development of master plans, feasibility studies and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in order to provide water services to a number of municipalities in 14 provinces in Turkey. Grontmij will create tender dossiers including the designs for the construction of the facilities.

Grontmij has extensive experience in both large-scale water management projects and in EU-funded programmes. It was this expertise along with the significant track record in multiple countries that won this assignment for our joint Turkish and Danish team.

Higher level of environmental protection
Comments Kerem Sadıklar, Country Managing Director in Turkey: “Through this project, we will be helping the Turkish government and the local authorities to provide better water and wastewater services and to achieve higher levels of environmental protection, all in compliance with EU directives. Delivering integrated water and wastewater projects is one of our core businesses. The fact we were awarded this complex project is a recognition of Grontmij’s position as one of the major players in water sector consultancy.’

This news item was originally published on the website of Grontmij.

More information
Grontmij
De Bilt, the Netherlands
+31 30 220 79 11
www.grontmij.com

Posted in News.

Rebel Group explores possibilities for Manilla to develop additional water reservoir under public-private partnership

December 17th, 2012 by nwp

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Company (MWSS) in Manila, Philippines, has mandated a consortium of advisors, under the led of the Dutch consultant Rebel Group, to advice on the New Centennial Water Source Project.

The other consortium partners are Allen & Overy, Crisil, PJS Law and Royal HaskoningDHV.

Additional water source
Manilla’s water works company wants to develop an additional water resource and wants to know if this can be realized as a public-private partnership under the national BOT law.

In case the Philippine Government determines that the project is viable as a PPP project, the consortium will prepare the bid/tender documents and provide advisory support to the MWSS during the bidding process until financial close of the project.

Old dam and increasing water demand
Manila derives 97% of its water supply from a single source – the Angat Reservoir. A 50 year old dam which has not had remediation since initial construction, is under threat of earthquakes.

Furthermore, increasing water demands for irrigation and economic development as well as changing rainfall patterns due to climate change, impact on the availability for water supply.

Hence the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Company (MWSS) has identified the need for the development of an additional water source, which would bring more flexibility in the operation and management of the current source, as well as provide long term water supply security to Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

This news item was originally published on the website of Rebel Group.

More information
Rebel Group
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
+31 10 275 59 90
www.rebelgroup.com


Grotere kaart weergeven

Posted in News.

IRC joins Millennium Water Alliance to further unroll wash services in developing world

December 12th, 2012 by nwp

IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre has joined the Millennium Water Alliance (MWA), the consortium of US-based organisations that implement water, sanitation and hygiene education programmes throughout the developing world.

IRC is leading in the WASHCost research programme, gathering information related to the true costs of providing water, sanitation, and hygiene services for an entire life-cycle of a service, from implementation all the way to post-construction. The programme involves several partners in the rural and peri-urban areas of Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, and Mozambique.

Research and analysis capacity
“This is very exciting for us because IRC is so highly respected around the world for its leadership in research and analysis of the growing water and sanitation sector,” said MWA Executive Director Rafael Callejas.

Callejas: “The international development community recognizes and values IRC’s leadership in knowledge management, an area of enormous importance to MWA and its members. Our new formal association with IRC will build on the valuable working relationship we have had for years.”

Feedback from the field
IRC Director Nico Terra emphasized how IRC’s expertise strongly complements the work of MWA’s 11 implementing NGO members. “IRC does not directly provide WASH services. Therefore we are keen to work with those who do,” Terra said.

“The MWA partnership brings together a very interesting group of organisations with significant capacity to implement WASH projects in various parts of the world. We believe that IRC’s particular niche in the sector and our way of working is complementary to the strengths of the MWA partners and will add to the impact of their interventions.”

About MWA
MWA was founded in 2002 to create opportunities for consortium programming, to help members share best practices and technologies, and to advocate for greater US commitment to improving WASH access for the world’s poorest people.

MWA is headquartered in Washington and its members now operate WASH programmes in nearly 85 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with diverse funding from governments, multilateral institutions, foundations, corporations, and individuals. At this time, MWA directly manages several major consortium programmes for its members in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Central America.

About IRC
IRC is a knowledge-focused NGO headquartered in The Netherlands, and works with a worldwide network of organisations to achieve equitable and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. IRC’s roots are in advocacy, knowledge management, and capacity building.

IRC was set up in 1968 by the Dutch government on request of the World Health Organization as a WHO Collaborating Centre. It is now an autonomous, independent not-for-profit NGO with around 65 staff members at headquarters, and nearly 120 staff members conducting activities in a dozen focus countries, including Burkina Faso, Ghana, Honduras, India, Mozambique, and Uganda.

About WashCost and the life-cycle costs approach
Since 2008, WASHCost is developing a new methodology for monitoring and costing sustainable WASH services by assessing costs and comparing them against levels of service provided. The methodology—known as the “life-cycle costs approach”—is being tested in Burkina Faso, Ghana, India, and Mozambique. The life-cycle costs approach aims to catalyse learning in order to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of WASH service delivery—to essentially provide WASH services that last indefinitely.
Also read: www.watercost.info and www.waterservicesthatlast.org.

This news item was originally published on the websites of IRC
IRC and MWA.

More information
IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 3044000
www.irc.nl

MWA Millennium Water Alliance
Washington, USA
+1 202 296-1832
www.mwawater.org

Posted in News.

Vitens-Evides International and Royal HaskoningDHV advise on complex water project in La Paz, Bolivia

October 26th, 2012 by nwp

Engineering company Royal HaskoningDHV and water operator Vitens Evides International (VEI) are advising the Bolivian water company EPSAS on the development of the Chuquiaguillo drinking water project.

The project will connect approximately 125,000 inhabitants of the Bolivian capital La Paz to the city’s drinking water mains. The large differences in altitude of La Paz make this a complex project.

The project is being financed by the Facility for Infrastructure Development (ORIO), a grant scheme operated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Many new settlements along major feeder roads
The population of La Paz and its suburb El Alto has more than doubled since 1985 and growth is likely to continue in the coming decades. People and businesses have settled even on the steep slopes of the Chuquiaguillo district along one of La Paz’s major feeder roads. In this area, differences in altitude exist of a few hundred metres.

New drinking water treatment plant
The project will construct a new drinking water treatment plant with an annual capacity of 12.5 million m³ of water, install 50 km of distribution pipes and connect 25,000 homes. Royal HaskoningDHV and VEI are providing technical assistance updating the design the water treatment plant and the distribution network.

Bridging altitude differences
The source of water for the Chuquiaguillo treatment plant is a reservoir upstream of the nearby Incachaca dam. This reservoir, at an altitude of 4,380 metres, is fed primarily during the rainy season. The supply area is located considerably lower at an altitude of around 3,600 to 4,000 metres above sea level.

Royal HaskoningDHV will examine the impact of climate change on the annual replenishment of the reservoir during the rainy season. A nearby glacier has already disappeared completely.

High pressures in the drinking water network
Rik Dierx, project manager at Royal HaskoningDHV, said: “Rainfall greatly determines the availability of water, especially because it’s not possible anymore to partially rely on a dependable supply from glaciers. We will need to study the situation carefully. What’s more, the water pressures in the main distribution system are extremely high by Dutch standards.

The pressure can exceed a 200-metre water column, compared with between 15 and 50 metres in The Netherlands. This matter obviously requires attention. Fortunately, the La Paz water company is accustomed to having high pressures in the main distribution network.”

Additional project work
Royal HaskoningDHV will not only review the preliminary design of the plant and the network, but also examine the social and environmental impacts of the Chuquiaguillo project and advising on its financing.

Together with Vitens Evides International, Royal HaskoningDHV is looking at how the sustainability of project after completion can be secured, and thus a proper level of service to the population can be guaranteed for years to come.

The new drinking water treatment plant is due to supply the first water in 2015.

This news items was originally published on the website of Vitens-Evides International and RoyalHaskoningDHV.

More information
Vitens-Evides International
Utrecht, the Netherlands
+31 88 884 7991
www.vitensevidesinternational.com

RoyalHaskoningDHV
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
+31 88 348 20 00
www.royalhaskoningdhv.com


Posted in News.

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