Water

Ramon B. Alikpala on Striving for a Stronger and More Cohesive Philippine Water Sector
The Philippines’ water sector apex body, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), is among the more advanced in Asia. But NWRB Executive Director Ramon Alikpala is first to admit that the going will get tougher as NWRB strives to implement controversial reforms to improve water management in the country. Will NWRB be up to the task?

National Water Sector Apex Bodies (NWSABs): Blazing New Trails with Performance Benchmarking and Peer Reviews
How can one benchmark reform? That was the challenge posed to NWSABs as they attempt to evaluate how effective they are in leading and coordinating water sector reforms. Their answer? Benchmarking with a twist--- apex bodies reviewing each others’ performance in terms of three telling characteristics: mandate, activity and effectiveness.

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Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS): Steering Nepal’s Water Sector
“Authority and capacity-they’re what we need to operate as central water planning unit,” says Mr. Sharada Prasad Sharma, WECS executive director. While the Government has assured WECS’ authority, capacity is another matter. WECS needs better strategic planning abilities, and is using occasions of policy reviews, planning and studies to acquire them.

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Results of the 2nd Regional Meeting of National Water Sector Apex Bodies
Regional cooperation among NWSABs gets a new boost from the recent regional meeting in Bangkok. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines will jumpstart the performance benchmarking and peer review process among NWSABs. Other activities will soon follow, from information exchange, to a coordinated media campaign.

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Designing a Performance Benchmarking Framework for NWSABs
NWSABs need at least three things to lead water reforms--- clear mandate, support from the highest level of government, and institutional standing. Participants to the 2nd regional meeting of NWSABs agreed on a set of performance indicators that could assess whether a specific water apex body has what it takes.

Commissioned Panel Begins Review of ADB Water Policy Implementation
A recently commissioned panel of experts met in May to begin an external review of the implementation of ADB’s Water Policy. Over the next seven (7) months, the panel will review experiences in implementing the policy, as well as advise ADB on future priorities for its water investment projects.

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Cambodia: Gearing up for the 1st In-Country Consultation to Review ADB’s Water Policy Implementation
The first in the series of in-country consultation workshops planned in conjunction with the comprehensive review of ADB’s Water Policy implementation will take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 23-24 June. The workshop will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the country’s progress and challenges in implementing ADB’s water policy.

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Viet Nam: SEAWUN Conducted Inaugural Convention on Water and Wastewater in Southeast Asia
The South East Asia Water Utilities Network held its inaugural convention on 7-9 June in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The convention served as venue to facilitate exchange of information on key aspects of water supply and wastewater service provision, and promoted cooperation among water utilities in the region.

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Bangladesh: Media Workshop on Water Issues Draws Significant Interest from Journalists
For the first time since ADB organized such workshops in 2003, over 60 journalists participated in the media workshop on water issues. The workshop, held in Gazipur, Bangladesh on 5-8 June, focused on flooding, water supply and sanitation, integrated water resources management and more.

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India: State Governments Meet to Explore Private Sector Participation in Urban Water Supply
Private financing for water supply (WS) is on the decline. Culprits include difficulties in sustaining reforms needed to place the WS sector on a commercial footing, or reduction in investment flows to emerging markets. A meeting in Bangalore on 15-16 June will explore strategies for enlisting private sector participation in the delivery of WS services.

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Viet Nam: ADB, Viet Nam Sign US$1 Million Grant to Improve Urban Environment in Central Region
ADB and the Government of Viet Nam will collaborate to improve the quality of life and livelihoods of poor communities in Viet Nam’s central region. The $1 million grant from ADB’s Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction will use community-based approaches to address problems of annual flooding, poor drainage and more.

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ADB and EPA Sign Agreement for Cooperation
ADB and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will collaborate on a range of interventions that could strengthen their institutional capacities and improve their resource use. Provision of safe drinking water and management of water resources are among the areas of collaboration identified.

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ADB and German Development Cooperation (GDC) Sign Agreement for Cooperation
ADB and GDC will collaborate on water supply and sanitation, education, urban development and a variety of development interventions. The partnership could involve co-financing of investment projects and policy programs, development of new financing instruments, information exchange and more.