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.

Only long term flood defence plan can put Jakarta floodings to a halt

January 18th, 2013 by nwp

Heavy monsoonal rains have triggered severe flooding across the Indonesian capital Jakarta. On January 16th, many government offices and businesses were forced to close because staff could not get to work.

Authorities said four people were killed and 20,000 had to evacuate.

Although this year’s rainy season brought some of the heaviest downpours in five years, Jakarta is frequently hit by flooding.

As part of a memorandum of understanding between the Indonesian and Dutch government signed in 2007, both countries are closely working together to develop a strategy to put the flooding to a hold.

Jakarta Coastal Development Strategy
A consortium of two Dutch consultancies Witteveen+Bos and Grontmij was contracted on December 20, 2012 to develop a master plan for the protection of Jakarta against flooding. The Jakarta Coastal Development Strategy (JCDS) is expected to be ready in two years and should give solutions for the short, medium-and long-term flood problems.

Land subsidence
Previous Indonesian-Dutch cooperation has already identified the causes of the increasing floods. Due to the large-scale extraction of groundwater the northern part of Jakarta sinks up to 17 cm per year. This part of Jakarta already floods regularly. At current land subsidence rates the whole of North Jakarta will sink below sea level in 2050 and increased damaging floods will hit other parts of Jakarta as well.

The Indonesian Project Implementation Unit will be responsible for the master plan, involving the Ministry of Public Works, Provincial Government DKI Jakarta and the national planning development agency Bappenas. The Dutch government granted 1,8 million euro.

Also participating in the Dutch consortium as subcontrators, are KuiperCompagnons (landscape architects), Deltares (research institute on land and water), Ecorys (management consultancy) and Triple-A.

This news item is based on a press release (in Dutch only) published on the websites of Witteveen+Bos and Grontmij.


Torrential rainfall put the city of Jakarta to a standstill on January 16th. The most recent flooding killed at least four people and 20,000 were evacuated.


Flood map as published by KDI Jakarta on January 17th
(download full size map from AIFDR).

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

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


Posted in News.

Witteveen+Bos leads consortium to upgrade flood warning system on Mamore river, Bolivia

September 13th, 2012 by nwp

Consultancy firm Witteveen+Bos is in the lead of a consortium with Deltares, RoyalHaskoningDHV and Bolivian partners, to improve the flood warning system in the catchment area of the Bolivian river Mamore. The contract between sponsor, the Royal Dutch Embassy in La Paz, and the consortium was signed on September 5, 2012.

Large floods in El Nino years
The river Mamore originates in the Andes and runs northward through Bolivia and ends up in Brasil as one of the biggest tributarey rivers to the Amazone. In the Beni region the river crosses a relatively flat plain, an inland river delta with large savannes.

Heavy rainfall floods large parts of the plain annually for 3 to 6 months. In La Niña years, the floods tend to become shorter or less intense. During the El Niño years the seasonal floods are more severe. In 2008 the city of Trinidad suffered from a severe flooding.

Living with water
Flood prevention on the Beni plain is no options. Meassures are to costly in relation to the small population and economy. The Bolvian governement decided for a water management policy based on the concept of Living with water (Vivir con el Agua). This adaptation programme was started by the Bolivian Viceministerie for Water management, in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy.

One of the first elements to be realized is the improvement of the existing early warning system for flooding.

More accurate forecasting of flood and drought
The consortium partners will develop and implement an improved system, based on hydrological models and simulations. A network of hydrological monitoring and improved data transfer will provide a more accurate, effective forecasting for floods and droughts to the local cattle farmers and fishermen.

Additionally the consortium will make risk map in support of the institutional spactial planning. Employees of the Bolivian authorities will be trained to use these new tools.

This news item is based on a press release published on the website of Witteveen+Bos (in Dutch only)


At least 60 people were killed in Feburary 2008 when the Amazone city of Trinidad was flooded following heavy rain fall.

More information
Wittenveen+Bos
Deventer, the Netherlands
+31 570 69 79 11
www.witteveenenbos.nl


Grotere kaart weergeven

Posted in News.

Consultancy firm Witteveen+Bos to draft a waste water re-use plan for Hebron

March 20th, 2012 by nwp

The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) asked the Dutch consultancy firm Witteveen+Bos to make a plan for the re-use of waste water in de Hebron region.

The contract with the PWA-authorities was signed on March 6. Witteveen+Bos will conduct the study together with the Palestine office of the Jordanian engineering firm CEC Sajdi & Partners.

The project is partly financed by the World Bank. The plan must be ready for implementation within a year.

Waste water released unthreatened
Currently up to 95% of the waste water in the Hebron region is released unthreatened. The water ends up in the Hebron river leading to the pollution of both surface and ground water. This situation makes it impossible for the Palestine water authorities to gain water for drinking and agricultural purposes.

Israeli-Palestine agreement needed
The reconstruction of the Hebron Waste Water Treatment Plant will be a very important first step in the rehabilitation of the Hebron river. Israel has been trying to solve the problem of the Palestine waste water unilaterally.

However, fair and effective solutions must be agreed on by both Israelis and Palestinians, in full cooperation. Only joint management and monitoring of the sewage by both sides will enable a real, long term resolution for the issues of the Hebron river.

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


Posted in News.

New water handling contract for Witteveen+Bos in Kazakhstan

December 9th, 2011 by nwp

Witteveen+Bos Kazakhstan (WBK) has won a 5 million US dollar engineering contract for Tengizchevroil, the operator of the Tengiz oil field. The project comprises the water handling upgrade of a plant which was constructed at the beginning of this century.

Upgrade boiler feed water production plant
The project scope comprises the upgrade of a boiler feed water production plant, a sour water stripper unit and a wastewater treatment plant. For this engineering contract, Witteveen+Bos Kazakhstan works together with PSN Kazstroy in Atyrau.

This project is important for the expansion of the oil production and reduces the amount of fresh water intake by introduction of maximum water re-use.

The cooperation has started successfully in March of this year with another wastewater project for the same client.

Follow up of several water treatment projects
Witteveen+Bos started operations in Kazakhstan in 1999 with the design of the drilling islands in the shallow North part of the Caspian Sea and several months covered with ice. Since 2003, WBK has an office in Atyrau, from which wastewater and water treatment projects were developed as one of the main drivers of the presence in Kazakhstan.

Dutch expats staff to Kazakhstan
The total number of permanent employees in Kazakhstan is now over 60 people working from offices in Aktau, Atyrau and Almaty. The number of our Kazakh engineers is still expanding. Frequently several expat staff is working in these offices for several weeks to months.

This press release was originally published in the website of Witteveen + Bos.

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

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