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FINANCING OF THE BUSINESS OF WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION A presentation at the 2 nd African Water Week Gallagher Convention Centre 9 November 2009. Presented by: Helgard Muller Fred van Zyl Department Water Affairs
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FINANCING OF THE BUSINESS OF WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION A presentation at the 2nd African Water WeekGallagher Convention Centre9 November 2009 Presented by: Helgard Muller Fred van Zyl Department Water Affairs Republic of South Africa
Why talk of water supply and sanitation as a business? (even if it is a subsidised business) • Water is both a Social and Economic Good • Ongoing-non stop service- 24/7/365 • A service for -people, mining, commerce, tourism, industry • Some clients can pay; others not- their supply subsidised or free • BUT – all water supply comes @ a cost
Why water as a business? (even if it is a subsidised business) • Business: product to be treated and transported and distributed-bulk systems- distribution- infrastructure-all needs to be managed • All these elements come @ a cost • The books of the business must balance or else not sustainable- same cash flow problems as in any other business
Main elements of a water supply business • Access to water and sanitation i.e. the infrastructure (a tap or a toilet) • The ongoing service from such a facility. (operations) • The quality of such a service (depends on assets) • The quantity of such a service – e.g. l/p/day or kl/hh/month (available resources) • The free part of such a service (management) • Funding of such a service/viability of service • Cost recovery/credit control of service • Communication between municipality and residents
SA Water Supply and Sanitation Business • 49 million people served by more than 800 supply schemes/systems • Municipalities responsible • National oversight, leadership and regulation (Department Water Affairs) • Service Providers (mostly public-water boards and municipal entities)
SA -% Households with Access to:Water, Sanitation & Cell Phones % Households with Access to Water 88% 73% 73% 59% 72.9% % Households Access to Sanitation % HH Coverage as % of HH 48% 32.2% % Households with Access to Cell Phones 1994 2001 2008
Funding of water supply and sanitation 1. SOCIAL • Infrastructure- dedicated and committed ring fenced grants • Basic services (MDG’s) (MIG, Housing, schools) • Bulk infrastructure (Grant for regional bulk) • Sustainable management: • Equitable share: operating grant for the poor • Cross subsidisation from paying consumers • Dedicated leadership and governance • Donor support for capacity building and support programs
Funding of water supply and sanitation 2. ECONOMIC- • Self financing • Loan funding • PPP arrangements and services • Cost recovery; tariffs • Cross subsidisation; tariffs
MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK Operating grants (Primarily equitable share) Capital grants ( MIG ) OPERATING CAPITAL Own sources (user charges; rates; levies etc.) Basic service social Higher service level- economic Own sources (capital funds, loans etc.)
REGIONAL BULK INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT • 1994- date: Massive program to connect households. • Initial spare bulk capacity exhausted- bulk insufficient. • Not realised by project managers • Huge gap developed for funding of bulk infrastructure (between water resources infrastructure and retail infrastructure) • New grant developed for regional bulk
REGIONAL BULK INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT • Two components: • Social for poor people that cannot pay full costs • Economic for consumers that can pay. • Insufficient funding for social component. • Economic component needs loans but expensive and difficult to put a deal together
Lessons learned from SA system • Established a central grant for basic services- extremely positive--allocated for Water and Sanitation • The Equitable Share Grant as an unconditional grant is substantial but often not used for its intended purpose; i.e. operations of basic services • “Municipalities have become too dependant on grant funding”- SALGA in Parliament
Lessons learned from SA system • Good policy but implementation challenge- lack of capacity at some municipalities • Leakage of funds a threat • Sustainability challenge- short term vs. life cycle costs • Interdepartmental co-operation essential • Moving targets- rapid urbanization
Higher service levels • What happens after the MDG’s have been achieved? • Is there a need for service level> basic? • What are the needs over and above basic levels for economic development • Arguments for more water-over and above basic-preliminary studies- economic development- benefits>costs
Increased benefits for Consumer: • More healthcare direct and indirect • Time lost due to sickness • Impact of mortality • Human pipes and pumps factor • Crime, property value, food production • Fire damage 8 Aug 2009 DWA Workshop on "The Costs and Benefits of Increasing the Basic Water Services Standard" 15
Increased WSS benefits: Households that have to carry their water home suffers more due to less hygiene, more illness, more exposure, shorter life span, time lost to carry water, more crime, lower property value, fire risk, unhealthy food and food preparation 8 Aug 2009 DWA Workshop on "The Costs and Benefits of Increasing the Basic Water Services Standard" 16
Increased benefits for Employer: • Absenteeism, Productivity, Labor turnover, Lower returns, increased taxes • Work place safety and accidents Benefits for Government: • Education – training days, • Health – primary health care • Labor – provisions for unemployed • Treasury – investment and subsidies 8 Aug 2009 DWA Workshop on "The Costs and Benefits of Increasing the Basic Water Services Standard" 17
Lessons learned from Soweto (Mazibuko) Court case • Free Basic Volume as well as use of pre-paid meters challenged in court • High Court-Supreme Court of Appeal- Constitutional Court. • A municipality must do the best from its own resources (water and money) • The basic volume must be set by government and not by the courts • Progressive realisation of Constitutional rights • Pre-paid meters are not unconstitutional and can be used
Cost of the Business Planning Design Procure Construct Operate Maintain Refurb. Typical % of Total Cost over the Life of Water Supply Infrastructure 2% 17% 44% 0,2% 37% Financing Cost Based on actual local government case study (Paul le Roux)
Conclusions • Asset management critically important- value those assets! • Water supply and sanitation to be ring-fenced as a single business • Never under-estimate own income • Tariffs realistic- too low tariffs resulting in a business that cannot expand and cope with economic growth.
Conclusions • Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation= financial viability • Social component must also be financial viable- effective and efficient use of grants • Minimise misuse and leakages of grants
Conclusions Financing planning over total life cycle of a system- Remember design and build may only be 20% of the total life cycle cost