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SEAWUN Convention on Water and Wastewater in South East Asia

The universal provision of efficient water supply and wastewater services in a sustainable and financially viable manner is a challenge shared by regions, countries and water utilities. And one strategy to promote shared improvements in these services is to get these parties together to exchange their knowledge and experiences, and learn from each other.

This inaugural SEAWUN convention served as a platform for promoting the exchange and management of knowledge among the key stakeholders. It was designed as a highly practical and topic-driven event that exploited the power of collective peer group influence and knowledge to improve management and service delivery.

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The convention aimed to

• facilitate information and experience sharing among key stakeholders in water supply and wastewater service provision
• promote utility-to-utility collaboration
• build consensus on SEAWUN program priorities
• provide a venue for donors and international organizations to explore invesment opportunities in the region and the sector

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The convention focused on the following themes:

1. Benchmarking Exercise
• Developments in global benchmarking
• Benchmarking experience from SEAWUN member countries
• Institutional requirements for improving water utility effectiveness
• Results of 2004 SEAWUN Benchmarking Program


2. Full Cost Recovery (FCR)
• Results of regional and country survey on FCR
• Institutional restructuring to improve FCR
• Improving customer-oriented services and staff incentives
• Innovative measures to reduce FCR


3. Non Revenue Water (NRW)
• Technical and management solutions for NRW reduction in mega cities
• Water distribution management
• Country experiences in NRW


4. Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
• Institutional reforms towards PPP
• Country experiences in undertaking PPP
• ADB experience in projects with PPP arrangements
• Small piped water networks


5. Wastewater Collection and Treatment
• Effective water and wastewater management options
• Financing options for wastewater collection and treatment
• Country experiences in undertaking wastewater collection and treatment


6. Training and Human Resources Development
• Results of training and certification program of SEAWUN
• Human resources development strategies in South East Asian Water Utilities

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Approximately 100 - 150 representatives from the 11 ASEAN countries attended. These included representatives from

• government ministries and agencies
• water supply and sanitation companies
• donors and foreign aid organizations
• private sector consultancies and companies
• journalists

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The Asian Development Bank and other donors sponsored the participation of speakers and selected representatives from SEAWUN members that have already paid their membership fee in 2004. Sponsorship covered airline tickets and hotel accommodation.

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