Jordan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. Its annual renewable resources of 145 cubic meters per capita are far below the threshold of severe water scarcity of 500 cubic meters.
... See More + The competition among water needs for irrigation, industrial and domestic uses, wetland protection, and in-stream habitat needs continues to pose serious challenges in Jordan. As a result of this competition, the available fresh water for farmers in Jordan, and more specifically farmers in the Jordan Valley, has declined. The five-year moving average dropped from 155 million cubic meters in 2003 to 131 million cubic meters in 2009. The drop in fresh water has been accompanied by an increase in treated wastewater, which although assisting in maintaining access to water for agriculture, has had an impact on the quality of the available water. Nevertheless, the total crop area has increased from 28,000 hectares in 1994 to 34,300 hectares in 2012. The purpose of this study is to determine the cost of irrigation water in the Jordan Valley, compare this cost with the revenues generated by the JVA, and to estimate the impact of increasing irrigation water prices, based on different levels of cost recovery, on farming. The study undertook a financial analysis of the JVA combining data from the JVA’s administration and the JVA’s budget books, while collecting more disaggregated data on the JVA’s revenues and expenditure from its financial and operational departments. It supplemented this analysis with farmer surveys in the Jordan Valley and an assessment of the agricultural sector using data from the Jordanian Department of Statistics and an expert team of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
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Working Paper 104504 APR 01, 2016
Van Den Berg,Caroline; Agha Al Nimer,Sana Kh.H.; Fileccia, Turi; Gonzalez,Luz Maria; Wahseh, SuhailDisclosed
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.
... See More + 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: (i) improve the design of policies, strategies, and investment loans in the water sector (ii) improve or maintain the quality and outcomes of the Bank water portfolio (iii) support Bank projects engaging in innovative activities The WET provides quality expertise across all water subsectors, in addition to emerging water-related demands in areas like climate change adaptation, freshwater ecosystem restoration, urban and rural wastewater collection, treatment and disposal, sludge management, water resources governance, and water utility management. Other important areas of focus include water-hazard related disaster risk management and remote sensing for water resources management.
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India is home to one-sixth of the world’s total population and its population is expected to grow by 34 per cent in the period 2005-30. Uttar Pradesh, located in northern India, is one of the country’s poorest and most populous states, with over 200 million residents.
... See More + To be able to meet future demand for food, either more land must be brought into production or existing cultivated land should produce more. Either way, optimization of water use in agriculture will be required. The World Bank has been supporting its clients to deliver efficient irrigation services through projects like the Uttar Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project (UPWSRP) to increase agriculture and water use efficiency. With the support of the Water Partnership Program (WPP), UPWSRP used remote sensing (RS) and state-of-the-art modeling to provide evidence of the impact of the Bank’s investment on agricultural productivity. The pilot study in UPWSRP phase one used multi-temporal free satellite imagery to track the agricultural productivity in the project area before and after the project interventions and compared with adjacent non project areas. Through the study, it was possible to map beneficiaries with land use diversification, as well as agricultural intensification and enhanced crop productivity due to improved irrigation and drainage services.
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As a mature technology, hydropower has by far the largest installed capacity of any renewable source of electricity generation. In 1998, in the face of escalating pressure, the World Commission on Dams (WCD) was established by the World Bank and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to review the development effectiveness of large dams and establish a comprehensive set of guidelines for the design, implementation, and operation of dams and their decommissioning.
... See More + Following the final report of the WCD, the hydropower industry took many steps to operationalize its key recommendations and to improve environmental and social management of hydropower globally. In an effort to improve its performance and provide a consistent approach for assessment, the industry partnered with civil society, policymakers, and financiers around the principles of sustainable hydropower. The output of this process is the multi-stakeholder hydropower sustainability assessment protocol (hereafter referred to as the protocol).The main purpose of this report is to reflect on the applicability of the protocol in developing country contexts, based on the available cases, and offer direction on how it can be used to improve the performance of hydropower projects in World Bank client countries. This report also seeks to clarify the complementarity of the protocol with respect to World Bank policies and procedures and provide input as to the World Banks role in the governance of the protocol. The lessons and recommendations presented in this report are based on a desk review of previous protocol assessments; consultation with World Bank staff; structured interviews with accredited assessors and developers from previous assessments; as well as direct observations during the pilot assessment of the Trung Son Hydropower Project in Vietnam.
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Given the broad array of issues and the complexity faced by the water sector as a whole (from irrigation to flood protection, to water conservation and hydropower), there is great demand for future exploring the potential of RBF and tackling the questions still unanswered about many of its operational dimensions.
... See More + This document takes a closer look at some of the practical aspects of implementing various RBF water schemes. Chapter 2 provides an analytical framework to explore if and when RBF can be a viable option, shedding light on some key factors and preconditions that are necessary for RBF to work--with the understanding that it can be used either as an alternative or a complement to a more traditional input-based funding scheme. Chapter 3 then revisits the concepts discussed in the analytical framework through the analysis of various case studies of RBF approaches in different water-related areas. Some of the case studies are based on actual projects already implemented or ongoing, while others are an illustrative elaboration, given the lack of practical cases to use as sources. Chapter 4 presents some conclusions and lessons learned. The key challenges that are likely to be encountered in designing an RBF scheme deal with: the clarity and level of certainty of the relationships from input to output to outcomes (causal links); the ease and availability of measurable indicators; and, consequently, the optimal determination of the necessary incentive(s) to align the goals of the principal with the agents' deliverables. Appendix A presents a glossary of RBF concepts and acronyms. Appendix B presents specific results and indicators which may be relevant for different sectors.
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Working Paper 89326 MAY 01, 2014
Rodriguez, Diego J.; Suardi, Mario A.; Ham, Marcel; Mimmi, Luisa M.; Goksu, Amanda J.Disclosed
The Adriatic Sea is a cultural and economic anchor of the Mediterranean region, best known for its deep blue water, sandy beaches, and biodiversity.
... See More + The 75 million residents of its six riparian countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania) depend on the Adriatic for recreation and economic activities such as tourism, transport, and fishing. Unfortunately, this critical water body is increasingly endangered by contamination. Pollution generated by solid and liquid waste has created eutrophication, degraded groundwater, and destroyed natural habitats and landscape. These factors combined threaten local economic growth, especially in the five countries that comprise the eastern Adriatic. The Water Partnership Program (WPP) was instrumental in identifying pollution hotspots for priority investments in the eastern Adriatic. These investments, aimed at addressing the sea's major economic, environmental, and coastal management challenges, are now being planned through the Adriatic Sea Environment Program (ASEP), to be funded by several regional stakeholders investing up to an estimated 400 million euros. ASEP has been launched with the approval of the first regional project for Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, intended for piloting viable solutions to address trans boundary pollution in the Adriatic.
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This report concerns the major impact of the Water Partnership Program (WPP) phase one (2009-2012) in each of the World Bank's six regions, as well as its global impact on knowledge and innovation.
... See More + The WPP phase one enabled bank teams to better respond to changing client demands within the project cycle, and to integrate hard (infrastructure) and soft (institutional, policy, management) solutions that yield more sustainable outcomes. Phase one of the WPP was closed out in 2012 and phase two commenced. Water security, or having the right amount and quality of water in the right place at the right time, fosters social and economic progress. Where water is sufficient to meet demand, it can promote economy wide growth and enable countries to reach their food security, energy security, and human development goals. Where it is scarce, excessive, or unclean it can exacerbate multiple dimensions of poverty. Some countries have built robust economies on a foundation of low-cost water, but the underlying practices may not be sustainable for areas that will become drier or more populous in the future. Other countries have been unable to meet the daily water needs of their populations, and future water variability coupled with poor water management could, over time, push more people into poverty. Neither of these two worlds is protected from future water crises, which are heavily influenced by changing local circumstances.
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Annual Report 80385 JUL 01, 2013
Rodriguez, Diego J.; Schuring, Matthijs; Constantinou, Nansia; Goksu, Amanda; Ramirez, Danielle A. Garcia; Mimmi, LuisaDisclosed
This report presents insights from the FY11 review of the World Banks water portfolio. The report includes a methodological section followed by reviews of four broad areas: the water related commitments managed by the World Bank Group (WBG) for FY011; the water-related commitments of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and of the International Development Association (IDA) for FY11; water-related projects approved in FY11; and analytic and advisory activities (AAA), in particular economic and sector work (ESW) and technical assistance (TA), delivered in FY11.
... See More + The focus of the report is on the new IBRD and IDA commitments in FY11, which are analyzed not only based on data provided in the World Banks project database but also with data generated by reviewing the Project Appraisal Documents (PADs) using a newly developed questionnaire. Some of the key findings of the FY11 review are the following: Water-related IBRD and IDA commitments comprised about 95% of the overall WBG managed commitments for water. From FY02 to FY11 they grew more than five-fold, from US$1.3 billion to US$7.4 billion largely driven by increased commitments for water supply and sanitation. In FY11 a total of 105 water-related IBRD and IDA projects were approved. Commitments by region were largest for the East Asia and Pacific Region (EAP) and the South Asia Region (SAR) with 30% and 29%, respectively. With regard to the number of projects, Africa was by far the leading Region with 33 projects. Of the 105 water-related projects, only 22% were mapped to the Water Sector Board (WAT) and most of these were water supply and sanitation projects.
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Working Paper 79798 JUN 14, 2013
Scheierling, Susanne M.; Lyon, Kimberly N.Disclosed
This report provides an investment plan, and associated funding plan, for the water and sanitation sector in Malawi, from now until 2030. The aim is to maximize the benefits to the country of expanding access to improved water and sanitation services, while being financeable.
... See More + This report starts by illustrating three investment scenarios in aggregate for the sector (section two). These scenarios illustrate the investment needed and outcomes from three different investment plans. The report recommends that the sector select an investment plan that will lead to universal access to water by 2025 and 87 percent access to sanitation by 2030. This investment plan will require a substantial increase in funds and investment. This increase will generate huge benefits for Malawi relative to the investment made. However, the increase in funds needed may not be achievable. Regardless of the cost-benefit analysis, or the merits of potential individual projects, many stakeholders may worry that the sheer sums of money required will not be available for Malawi. In response to this concern, Section four offers a funding plan. It demonstrates that Water Boards have the capacity to finance the entire urban water investment, if they can increase their performance levels to those of other well-performing African water utilities, and if Development Bank Concessional Finance terms on loans continue to be available. Section six provides an action plan that outlines a number of steps that can be taken to implement the water sector investment plan. This includes organizing a donor conference and preparing and implementing institutional reform plans for the ministry responsible for the water sector, the Water Boards; and the District Councils. This report does not recommend continuing to invest at current levels. This would lead to the proportion of the population with access to water and sanitation falling, with ruinous effects on the health and productivity of Malawians. An investment plan to reach universal access to water and close to 80 percent access to sanitation in 2020 is rejected as infeasible as it would require a massive ramp up in expenditure, especially on sanitation.
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The Rural Water and Sanitation Information System (SIASAR) is an innovative platform de-signed to monitor the development and performance of rural Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) services.
... See More + Through this simple tool, data collection and analysis becomes more accessible, more precise, and comparable across countries. The system generates performance indicators that are aggregated at several geographic levels. SIASAR automatically produces rankings and summary reports that detail the performance of communities, infrastructure systems, service providers, and technical assistance providers. It provides the analysis required to facilitate consultation among stakeholders and enable continuous knowledge exchange between platform participants. Currently in its pilot phase, SIASAR is already providing participants with a more integrated and informed view of the rural water supply and sanitation sector, and is helping to pave the way to reach higher standards in terms of coverage quality and sustainability.
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Access to sanitation in Cameroon fell from 61 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2010. While rates of access to drinking water and improved sanitation in Cameroon are higher than average for sub-Saharan Africa, progress has been uneven.
... See More + Similarly, it has reached a larger portion of the urban population than the rural. This is taking place at a time when urbanization is increasing and an estimated 75 percent of urban residents live in informal settlements. To achieve its human and economic development goals, Cameroon requires a significant change in its approach to basic service delivery, including sanitation. The country has already taken its first step, which was to design a suitable national strategy to increase sanitation coverage based on an assessment of sector issues. Following a request by the government of Cameroon, the Water Partnership Program (WPP) (through its Sanitation, Hygiene, and Wastewater Support Service, SWAT) supported the development of a sanitation strategy for two major cities, Douala and Yaoundé. This effort spurred a much-needed national dialogue on sanitation and provided convincing evidence that change was needed. The objective of the program is to increase the quality of sanitation services as well as the rate of access to these services for people in Cameroon.
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The purpose of this report is to review a set of Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) initiatives and pilot studies funded by the World Banks Water Partnership Program (WPP) in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
... See More + The structure of this report is as follows. Chapter 1 introduces the main concepts of IUWM and describes the principal components for the operationalization of IUWM. Chapter 2 reviews the findings of 10 case studies in three regions: Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. This chapter also reviews the main aspects of each project and highlights their principal contributions to the general understanding of IUWM. Finally, chapter 3 puts forward a set of recommenda¬tions to sustain and enhance the scope of IUWM activi¬ties, and describes how the World Bank and its Water Partnership Program can facilitate the piloting, operational¬ization, and scale up of IUWM.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 75043 NOV 01, 2012
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most water-stressed parts of the world. In just over 25 years, between 1975 and 2001.
... See More + Looking to the future, MENA's freshwater outlook is expected to worsen because of continued population growth and projected climate change impacts. The region's population is on the way to doubling to 700 million by 2050. Projections of climate change and variability impacts on the region's water availability are highly uncertain, but they are expected to be largely negative. To offer just one more example, rainfall and freshwater availability could decrease by up to 40 percent for some MENA countries by the end of this century. The urgent challenge is how to adapt to the future as illustrated by these numbers and how to turn the region's economy onto a sustainable path. This volume suggests new ways of thinking about the complex changes and planning needed to achieve this. New thinking will mean making better use of desert land, sun, and salt water the abundant riches of the region which can be harnessed to underpin sustainable growth. More mundane, but just as important, new thinking will also mean planning for dramatically better management of the water already available. Right now, water is very poorly managed in MENA. Inefficiencies are notorious in agriculture, where irrigation consumes up to 81 percent of extracted water. Similarly, municipal and industrial water supply systems have abnormally high losses, and most utilities are financially unsustainable. In addition, many MENA countries overexploit their fossil aquifers to meet growing water demand. None of this is sustainable while water resources decline. This volume hopes to add to the ongoing thinking and planning by presenting methodologies to address the water demand gap. It assesses the viability of desalination powered by renewable energy from economic, social, technical, and environmental viewpoints, and it reviews initiatives attempting to make renewable energy desalination a competitively viable option. The authors also highlight the change required in terms of policy, financing, and regional cooperation to make this alternative method of desalination a success. And as with any leading edge technology, the conversation here is of course about scale, cost, environmental impact, and where countries share water bodies plain good neighborly behavior.
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While economic development continues to pull countries out of poverty, current growth patterns have proven to be unsustainable and inefficient, and are increasing inequality rather than reducing it.
... See More + The path to sustainable development is inclusive green growth. But green growth requires water security (that is, the maintenance of an adequate quality and quantity of water) as an input to human and economic development. Water security remains elusive for many countries. At the local level, recent changes in demography and landscape, from urbanization to climate change, have increased the demand for water and, at the same, degraded water supplies. At the global level, ongoing financial, food, and energy crises have amplified local water challenges. The 2011 annual report presents the outcomes of selected undertakings that were active during the year, and that contribute to four key themes: water resources management, climate change, food security, and energy security. Combined, these themes demonstrate the Water partnership programs (WPP's) contribution to the green growth agenda. The report illustrates how, throughout each of these distinct themes, the WPP is working to: strengthen the Bank portfolio and strategies as well as client capacities; secure the right quality and quantity of water resources for all water users; and ensure sustainable water management and water service delivery for long-term and inclusive green growth. This year's report presents the outcomes of selected activities that contribute to four key themes: water resources management, climate change, food security, and energy security. The program provides incentives for Bank teams to go the extra mile by tackling water challenges at the confluence where water meets climate, food, and energy. The result is more integrated, more resilient, and more sustainable solutions to complex development challenges. Finally, this report spotlights Africa's progress. From analyzing sustainable sanitation in West Africa, to building institutions for groundwater management in southern Africa, the WPP is influencing major Bank funded projects throughout the continent. Specialists have improved habitat restoration following a hydropower installation, conducted multi-sector investment analysis at the basin level, and sustained a partnership that addresses food security needs across the region.
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As countries develop, the demand for water increases while water supply becomes less certain and is often not enough to meet demand. In general, pressures from both environment and human activities can increase the likelihood of water scarcity.
... See More + Such pressures include increased socio-economic development and population growth, change in people's diets, competition for available water among different user sectors and growing climate variability. Climate change is likely to exacerbate the existing demand and supply stresses, particularly when more frequent and extreme droughts and floods, as well as rising sea level are becoming more evident. In temperate, sub-temperate regions, less rainfall and longer dry seasons are expected. In tropical areas, rainfall is predicted to be similar or greater in terms of annual average volumes, more intense and severe storms and seasonal droughts (IPCC, 2007). These pressures will test the effectiveness of water resource management systems in providing a consistent and secure water supply for all users, with minimum externalities. This study will assess advances in management practices, institutional and technological innovations for managing water scarcity sustainably under a changing climate. This study of 'sustaining East Asia's water resources through Green Water Defense (GWD) is a sub-study of the 'towards GWD in East Asia' study and is complemented by another sub-study 'green water defense for flood risk management in East Asia' that focuses on flood management in delta regions.
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This report provides an investment plan, and associated funding plan, for the water and sanitation sector in Malawi, from now until 2030. The aim is to maximize the benefits to the country of expanding access to improved water and sanitation services, while being financeable.
... See More + This report starts by illustrating three investment scenarios in aggregate for the sector (section two). These scenarios illustrate the investment needed and outcomes from three different investment plans. The report recommends that the sector select an investment plan that will lead to universal access to water by 2025 and 87 percent access to sanitation by 2030. This investment plan will require a substantial increase in funds and investment. This increase will generate huge benefits for Malawi relative to the investment made. However, the increase in funds needed may not be achievable. Regardless of the cost-benefit analysis, or the merits of potential individual projects, many stakeholders may worry that the sheer sums of money required will not be available for Malawi. In response to this concern, Section four offers a funding plan. It demonstrates that Water Boards have the capacity to finance the entire urban water investment, if they can increase their performance levels to those of other well-performing African water utilities, and if Development Bank Concessional Finance terms on loans continue to be available. Section six provides an action plan that outlines a number of steps that can be taken to implement the water sector investment plan. This includes organizing a donor conference and preparing and implementing institutional reform plans for the ministry responsible for the water sector, the Water Boards; and the District Councils. This report does not recommend continuing to invest at current levels. This would lead to the proportion of the population with access to water and sanitation falling, with ruinous effects on the health and productivity of Malawians. An investment plan to reach universal access to water and close to 80 percent access to sanitation in 2020 is rejected as infeasible as it would require a massive ramp up in expenditure, especially on sanitation.
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China's increasingly serious water crisis threatens to become a potentially limiting factor of future economic growth and national development.
... See More + Turpan Prefecture, located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has a very arid climate. However, the naturally occurring scarce water resources have been exacerbated over the last decade by rapidly expanding commercial agriculture, particularly the irrigated agricultural development. This has led to a drastic overdraft of groundwater in Turpan's closed basin, threatening the sustainability of current water uses as well as the health of the ecosystem. The report is structured into chapters: the first chapter provides a background of the study and brief summary of its relations to the Xinjiang Turpan Water Conservation Project (XTWCP). The second chapter describes the water resources situation, developments and management with specific focus on the problems, constraints and weaknesses of the current water rights administration practices. The third chapter explains why an Evapotranspiration (ET) based Water Rights Administration System (WRAS) is appropriate to sustainably address the water management needs in Turpan Prefecture, the feasibility of the proposed approach drawing on similar experiences and legal/admistrative conditions in the United States, and the benefits that are expected for Turpan Prefecture government, water users and the ecosystem. Fourth chapter outlines the general and specific design of the proposed ET based WRAS framework with its three sub-systems set out in detail, and a discussion of legislative and administrative measures needed to support implementation of the proposed framework. Fifth chapter describes the pilot plan to test the proposed WRAS and synchronize it with the other activities. And the sixth chapter concludes the report, including reasons why this ET based approach.
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The Mekong Delta is the major pillar of Vietnam's agriculture, accounts for more than 25 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and is the origin of some 90 percent of its rice exports and 75 percent of fishery export value.
... See More + With changing agro-climatic conditions, economic incentives and demographic patterns, and upstream development of the Mekong River, water resources management and development in the Mekong Delta has become more sophisticated and is facing a number of major challenges. In 2010, the World Bank was provided a grant fund from the Water Partnership Program (WPP) to assist the Government of Vietnam, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), with reviewing priority challenges, exploring opportunities and solutions, and developing programs to strengthen the capacity for water management investment planning and helping local farmers to start taking adaptation measures to address the possible impacts of climate change. This report is a summary report outlining the key findings of the four studies. The study demonstrated that timely technical inputs from national and international consultants could help ensuring synergy and timely integration of structural and non-structural measures into an investment project designed to improve the effectiveness of water resources management for rural development. In general, while water resources development has provided the hydrologic environment supporting the intensification achieved in irrigated agriculture, the productivity gains would not have been possible without a significant shift in input use, and the enhanced use of agro-chemicals including: a) fertilizer and pesticides in rice production; and b) processed feed, pesticides, and veterinary drugs in the aquaculture sector.
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In 2003, following a long and costly selection process, City Water Services (CWS), a private operator was engaged under a lease contract with the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) to provide water supply and sewerage services in Tanzania's largest city.
... See More + CWS' performance was disappointing and it encountered serious financial difficulties early. Within two years, the contract collapsed with the dramatic expulsion of its expatriate managers from the country. Two international arbitration tribunals ensued. The case raises compelling questions about the preparation of the public-private partnership (PPP), the selection process, the allocation of risks in the contract, expectations regarding financial viability and service improvements, the effectiveness of the public-public partnership that has existed since the private operator departed, and how to structure institutional relationships to ensure accountability. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate how customers, especially the poor, were affected. The objective of the present study is to review the evolution of the institutional framework for water supply and sewerage services in Dar es Salaam from the late 1990s to 2010, assess the performance of the key actors, and extract lessons that might be useful to Government of the United Republic of Tanzania (GOT), DAWASA, the World Bank, other international lenders and sector practitioners. Frequent reference is made to the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Project (DWSSP) which supported the institutional reforms and investments in the services from 2003-2010.
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