2015年-世界发展银行全球_Water_and_Wastewater_Services_in_the_Danube_Region___Czech_Republic_Country_Note_16页_2mb

Summary of Czech Republic Water and Wastewater Services in the Danube Region

Core Content

The Czech Republic, an EU member since 2004, is a stable and prosperous market economy with a high per capita GDP of $27,344 (2013) and a population of 10.5 million. The country is part of the Danube River Basin and faces challenges related to water and wastewater services, including the need for regulatory reform and managing a fragmented utility structure.

Main Sector Challenges

• Regulatory Reform: The Czech Republic is required to establish a regulatory office for the water sector under the 2014-2020 Operational Program for Environment. Discussions are ongoing at the governmental level, with regulatory impact assessment papers being prepared.
• Fragmented Ownership Structure: Approximately 6,000 entities (owners and public service providers) operate in the water sector, leading to difficulties in strategic planning, resource balancing, and efficient asset management.
• Water Scarcity and Management: The country experiences water stress, with an average of 1,234 m³ of renewable water per capita per year. This is below the Danube best practice average of 7,070 m³/cap/year. The Czech Republic is classified as a "sensitive area" under the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.
• Aging Infrastructure: Despite significant investment, infrastructure built in the 1970s and 1980s is aging, and a sustainable renewal rate has not yet been achieved.

Sector Structure and Service Providers

• Number of Formal Water Service Providers: 2,438 (2013)
• Average Population Served: 3,993 (2013)
• Dominant Service Provider Type: Private concession (46% of the population)
• Ownership: Municipalities
• Service Scope: Water and wastewater
• Geographic Scope: Cities and regions
• Water Services Law: Yes
• Single Line Ministry: No
• Regulatory Agency: No
• Utility Performance Indicators Publicly Available: No
• National Utility Association: Yes (SOVAK for water and wastewater)
• Private Sector Participation: Yes (in mixed and separate models)

Access to Services

• Piped Water Supply: 100% of the population (2012)
• Flush Toilets: 98% of the population (2012)
• Equity of Access: 100% of the poorest segment of the population has access to piped water and flush toilets.

Service Performance

• Water Supply Continuity: 24 hours/day (2013)
• Nonrevenue Water: 22% (2012)
• Nonrevenue Water per km/day: 5 m³/km/day (2012)
• Water Utility Performance Index (WUPI): 91
• Drinking Water Quality: 99.8% of samples in full compliance with standards (2013)
• Wastewater Treatment Quality: 99% of samples in full BOD5 compliance (2013)
• Customer Satisfaction: 81% of the population is satisfied with services (2013)

Financing of Services

• Operating Cost Coverage: 1.18 (2013)
• Average Residential Tariff: 2.75 €/m³ (2013)
• Share of WSS Expenditures over Average Income: 2.0%
• Average Annual Investment: 62 €/cap/year
• Overall Sector Financing per Capita: 124 €/cap/year
• Overall Sector Financing as % of GDP: 0.62%
• Percentage of Service Cost Financed from Tariffs: 60%
• Percentage of Service Cost Financed from Taxes: 18%
• Percentage of Service Cost Financed from Transfers: 22%

Sector Sustainability Assessment

• Sustainability Index: 88
• Danube Average: 64
• Danube Best Practice: 96

Policy and Governance

• Water Sector Policy: Managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, which oversees water resources, river basin management, and regulation of drinking water and wastewater services.
• Environmental Protection: The Ministry of Environment is responsible for protecting surface and groundwater from pollution and regulating wastewater discharges.
• Tariff Regulation: The Ministry of Finance regulates tariffs based on economically justified costs and reasonable profit, with regional financial authorities monitoring compliance.
• Water Quality Control: The National Institute of Public Health is responsible for ensuring drinking water quality.

Capacity and Training

• Large utilities and international operators (Veolia, Suez, Aqualia, Energie AG) are key in staff training and capacity building.
• Vocational training and EU grants have supported staff development.
• Technical staff turnover is relatively low, but municipal political cycles can influence top-level management.

Key Entities and Projects

• SVS (Severočeská Water Company): A joint-stock company owned by municipalities in the North Bohemian region, responsible for water and wastewater infrastructure.
• EU Operational Program for Environment (OPE): Introduced principles for concession contract modification and financial models for tariff setting, leading to improvements in efficiency.

Regional Context

• The Czech Republic is part of the Danube Water Program, which aims to improve water services through smart policies, strong utilities, and sustainable services.
• The country has made significant efforts to mitigate climate change impacts and improve water management practices.
• The Danube Water Program is financed by the Austrian Ministry of Finance.

Further Resources

• Regional Report: Available at SoS.danubis.org
• Utility Database: Accessible at www.danubis.org/eng/utility-database
• Czech Republic Country Resources: Available at www.danubis.org/eng/country-resources/czech-republic

Conclusion

The Czech Republic has made substantial progress in water and wastewater services, with high service continuity and quality. However, challenges remain in terms of regulatory reform, infrastructure renewal, and the management of a complex ownership structure. The involvement of international operators and the establishment of a regulatory office are expected to further enhance the sector's performance and sustainability.