2015年-世界发展银行全球_Social_Impact_Analysis_of_Water_Supply_and_Sanitation_Services_in_Central_Asia___The_Case_of_Uzbekistan_150页_75mb

Social Impact Analysis of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Uzbekistan

Core Content

This report is a comprehensive social impact analysis of water supply and sanitation (WSS) services in Uzbekistan, conducted as part of the Central Asia Energy-Water Development Program (CAEWDP). It evaluates the current state of WSS services, the challenges faced by households, and the implications of these challenges on their economic and social well-being. The study uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and a household survey of 300 respondents across Tashkent and three geographically diverse regions.

Main Points

1. Access to Water and Sanitation Services

• Tashkent: All surveyed households were connected to the WSS network and had taps inside their homes. 20% also used bottled water.
• Selected Sites Outside Tashkent: Many households use multiple water sources, including water pumps in the yard, public standpipes, and open water sources such as rivers, lakes, and ponds.
• Rural Areas: Most connected households use yard taps, while unconnected households rely heavily on water pumps and open water sources.
• Sanitation Access: Only 25% of households had access to a centralized sewerage system. Most households, both connected and unconnected, used pit latrines with earthen tanks, while wealthier households were more likely to have flush toilets connected to piped systems.

2. Service Conditions and Water Quality

• Water Quality Issues: A significant proportion of households reported water quality problems, including turbidity, salinity, and bad color.
• Service Reliability: Only 3% of rural households received 24-hour water supply, while in Tashkent it was 90%. Most households were not notified of service changes, leading to dissatisfaction.
• Unconnected Households: They face more frequent water quality issues and are more likely to use unhygienic sources, which can be time-consuming and costly to access.

3. Household Expenditure on WSS

• Unconnected Households: Spent significantly more on water and sanitation than connected households. The median unconnected household spent UZS 12,500–13,500 (USD 5.20–5.60) per month on water, compared to UZS 8,000 (USD 3.30) for connected households in Tashkent.
• Sanitation Costs: Unconnected households spent more on sanitation system operation and maintenance, with an average of UZS 72,500 (USD 30.2) annually, versus UZS 18,900 (USD 7.9) for connected households.
• Total Costs: When all costs are considered, unconnected households may spend twice as much on WSS as connected households. In some areas, these costs exceeded the internationally suggested threshold of 3.5% of household expenditure.

4. Coping Mechanisms

• Households often rely on secondary or tertiary water sources, such as water pumps, public taps, and open water sources.
• Unconnected households are more likely to use these alternative sources, which are often of poor quality and require significant time and effort to access.
• Wealthier households may afford bottled water or tanker-delivered water, which is much more expensive than public water.

5. Willingness to Pay

• There is a clear willingness among some households to pay for improved WSS services, particularly those with better access and higher income.
• However, many households, especially those with normative pricing, are not interested in switching to metered systems due to a lack of understanding and perceived unfairness in the current billing system.

6. Institutional Challenges

• Water utilities (vodokanals) face severe financial difficulties, including high operational costs and low tariffs, leading to poor service quality and maintenance.
• Many vodokanals lack the technical and human capacity to effectively manage and maintain their systems.
• There is a growing trend of non-payment and arrears, partly due to the lack of penalties or disconnection mechanisms by utility companies.

Key Information

• Data Collection: The study included 19 in-depth interviews, 17 focus group discussions, 10 mini case studies, and a formal household survey of 300 respondents.
• Currency Conversion: 1 UZS = USD 0.000435.
• Income Distribution: Households were categorized based on a wealth index into the bottom 40% and top 60% of the income distribution.
• Government and Donor Support: The Government of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with international donors, is working on rehabilitating and extending the water and sewerage system.
• Metering: Metered households pay less than those with normative pricing. However, many households are unaware of the benefits of metering or believe it is unfair, especially given unreliable water supply.

Conclusion and Recommendations

• The current WSS services in Uzbekistan are inadequate and unreliable, leading to high household costs and health risks.
• Unconnected households, particularly in rural and smaller urban areas, bear a disproportionate share of these costs.
• There is a need for improved service quality, better metering systems, and more transparent billing practices to ensure fair and efficient service delivery.
• Strengthening institutional capacity and encouraging private sector participation (PSP) could help improve the efficiency and reliability of WSS services.
• Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of WSS reforms and to develop targeted interventions for low-income households.

Figures and Data Highlights

• Figure S1: Proportion of households using different water sources.
• Figure S2: Proportion of households using different types of toilets.
• Figure S3: Estimated total monthly costs for meeting WSS needs.
• Figure S4: Median proportion of household expenditure spent on WSS needs.

Acknowledgements

The report was prepared with the support of the CAEWDP and contributions from numerous stakeholders in Uzbekistan, including government officials, utility firm representatives, and community members. Feedback was also received from several reviewers and researchers.