News and Events

Regional Workshop on
Achieving Full Cost Recovery for Water Utilities in Southeast Asia:
Sharing International Experience and Best Practices

Rationale

For many water utilities in the Southeast Asia region, low water tariffs, increasing operational costs, inadequate infrastructure, and management limitations continue to hinder recovery of operational and capital costs. In response, the South East Asia Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN), in collaboration with the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (USAEP), have conducted an assessment of fifteen successful water utilities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to identify key factors contributing to the financial standing of utilities.

According to the survey, the critical enabling conditions for achieving cost recovery in the region are

• maintaining effective working relationships with government
• building core staff capabilities
• offering customer-oriented services

Strategies for cutting costs and increasing revenue are reducing water losses, increasing tariffs, improving metering and minimizing power, labor and other inputs costs.

Objectives

The workshop will provide an opportunity for water utilities to identify institutional, financial, political and technical challenges, as well as share best practices for achieving full cost recovery and the social dimension of water affordability.

Venue

The workshop will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Contact details are as follows:

Organizers

The workshop is hosted by the Provincial Waterworks Authority in Thailand, and is a collaborative undertaking by the following:

• SEAWUN
• US Asia Environmental Partnerhsip
• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
• Asian Development Bank
• Water for People

Program

• Draft agenda [PDF]

Contact

Ms. Watcharee Limanon
United States-Asia Environmental Partnership
Tel. No. (02) 651 8826 ext 119
E-mail: wlimanon@asianet.co.th