2015年-世界发展银行全球_Summary_Note_on_Technical_Assistance_Provided_in_Support_of_the_Greater_Harare_Water_and_Sanitation_Strategic_Plan_34页_4mb

Summary of Technical Assistance to the City of Harare for the Greater Harare Water and Sanitation Strategic Plan

Core Content

The World Bank provided technical assistance (TA) to the City of Harare from October 2012 to June 2014, valued at approximately $600,000. The TA aimed to improve water and sanitation services, create an institutional platform for sustainable improvements, and foster conditions for raising financial resources for necessary investments.

Main Goals of the Technical Assistance

1. Improve operational performance of water and sanitation services in Greater Harare.
2. Create an institutional platform to support and sustain service improvements.
3. Enhance financial conditions to enable investment in infrastructure.

Key Challenges in the Context

1.1 A Fragile Economy

• Zimbabwe experienced a severe economic downturn from 2000 to 2009, with a 50% decline in per capita GDP.
• Hyperinflation peaked at over 200,000,000% in 2008, leading to a collapse in the value of the Zimbabwe dollar.
• The economy remained weak with a current account deficit of 30% of GDP and limited fiscal capacity.
• The government is unable to provide operating subsidies, forcing the sector to implement cost recovery measures.

1.2 Changing Politics

• The 2008 elections led to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which aimed to stabilize the economy.
• The 2013 elections resulted in ZANU-PF regaining control, leading to the development of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset) programme.
• The programme focuses on fiscal reforms, public administration, and performance-based management to restore economic and service stability.

1.3 New Policies

• A new National Water Policy (March 2013) emphasizes:
  • Restoring infrastructure and institutional viability during recovery.
  • Promoting cost recovery and affordability.
  • Encouraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) for improved financing.
  • Establishing an independent Water and Wastewater Services Regulatory Unit to monitor performance and oversee licensing.
  • Defining primary water as a constitutional right, ensuring basic needs are met.
  • Ring-fencing water revenues for cost recovery.

1.4 An Increasingly Metropolitan Region

• Greater Harare consists of five towns: Harare, Chitungwiza, Epworth, Ruwa, and Norton.
• These towns share a common water supply system and wastewater destination (supply dams).
• Harare dominates the region in terms of population, area, and development.
• Institutional development is limited in the smaller towns, with only schools and churches being prevalent.

1.5 Dilapidated Infrastructure

• Harare has two major water treatment works (Morton Jaffray and Prince Edward) with a combined nominal capacity of 704 Ml/day, but actual production is only 75% of capacity.
• Wastewater treatment facilities in Harare have a total installed capacity of 220 ML/day, with service coverage at 75%.
• Chitungwiza receives water from Harare but has intermittent supply and 55,669 service connections.
• Epworth has poor water supply and relies on boreholes and on-site sanitation.
• Norton has low service coverage and faces severe water and sanitation challenges, including untreated sewage discharges.
• Ruwa has limited water supply from Harare and insufficient local treatment capacity.

1.6 Poor Water Services Outcomes

• Water production in Greater Harare dropped significantly in 2008-2009 but partially recovered by 2012.
• Water supply is intermittent, leading to public health risks like cholera and typhoid.
• Water quality is compromised due to low pressure and contamination from raw sewage.
• Non-revenue water is high, estimated at 50-60%.
• Sewer networks and wastewater treatment are underperforming, leading to sewage spills and pollution of water sources.

Key Outcomes of the Technical Assistance

• A Harare 24/7 strategy was developed to ensure continuous water supply.
• A comprehensive investment plan was formulated to address infrastructure and service gaps.
• Institutional reforms were proposed to improve governance and regulatory frameworks.
• Financial strategies were outlined to enhance revenue collection and cost recovery.

Recommendations

• Strengthen the institutional platform for water and sanitation services.
• Implement cost recovery mechanisms and improve billing and collection efficiency.
• Develop strategic investment plans that prioritize infrastructure rehabilitation and expansion.
• Promote public-private partnerships to enhance financing and service delivery.
• Improve water quality and reliability by restoring and expanding treatment and distribution capacity.
• Address wastewater management and prevent pollution of water sources.
• Enhance coordinated planning between urban councils to ensure sustainable service delivery.

Methodology and Approach

• The TA involved diagnostic assessments, workshops, and site visits.
• The focus was on Harare Water as the key player in improving services for the entire region.
• The diagnostic phase (October 2012) identified operational inefficiencies, poor customer data, and low public trust as major issues.
• The approach emphasized improving institutional capacity, financial sustainability, and service delivery.

Institutional and Financial Options

• The Harare 24/7 strategy outlines action plans to improve service reliability and customer satisfaction.
• Long-term investment is necessary to address infrastructure deficiencies and ensure service sustainability.
• Institutional reforms are proposed to create a more integrated and efficient water and sanitation sector.

Conclusion

The technical assistance aimed to address the systemic challenges in water and sanitation services in Greater Harare, including economic fragility, poor institutional performance, and deteriorated infrastructure. The project emphasized the need for a coordinated, sustainable, and financially viable approach to improve service delivery and public health outcomes in the region.