Rehabilitation of Dilapidated Water Supply & Integration of New Sanitation Services: Lessons from a Sector Analysis in Azerbaijan

Abstract

A sector wide analysis was conducted in Azerbaijan, which included a review of the water supply and sanitation provisions in 51 medium sized towns. In the Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries, the standards for provision of water supply & sanitation were set at a very high level. However, the services were provided at two speeds - water supply systems were put in to meet long term future demands, while the sanitation was to be provided later on. Following the collapse of the FSU, after gaining independence, many countries have embarked on updating and renewing these public services. Given that the countries have adopted a market based economy, there arose a need to carry out a comprehensive reassessment of the whole system for its rehabilitation, ie the existing, and very dilapidated water supply systems, the lack or partial provision of sanitation in most cases, the changes required in the institutional set ups and the new expectations of the customers. The paper addresses these issues based on a comprehensive analysis of the 51 towns, which included reconnaissance surveys in sample towns, detailed survey of the infrastructure and socio-economics in three priority towns. The paper discusses ways & means by which countries might meet their MDG's and develop the means to integrate water supply & sanitation with other essential public services such as waste management and community development. The last is an important element for consideration, because in the absence of income earned by the communities, their ability to finance the provision of public services will fail and the cycle of infrastructure degradation will restart.

Keywords: urban water systems, medium sized town, rehabilitation for social improvements, poverty alleviation