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Issue 17, September 2005

Supporting the Private Sector's Role

Champion of Reform

Manila Water's Tony Aquino: Living Up to the Promise of Private Sector Involvement in Water
Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) has been under a spotlight since it became one of two companies in 1997 to ink what was hailed as the largest private water concession in the world. MWCI has managed to shine under pressure. Its president, Tony Aquino, explains how they did it, and why they are now eyeing India.

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Focus

Public-Private Models Offer Options to Utilities
Every prize has its price. The prize of Target 10 of the Millennium Development Goals, to halve the number of people without safe water and sanitation by 2015, will cost Asia $8 billion every year for the next 10 years, according to a new report. How can the private sector help settle the bill?

Credible Regulatory Bodies:
Managing Water Interests
It takes a watchdog to protect the interests of all sides in the water sector--the government, the service providers and the consumers. Whether a service provider is publicly or privately operated, good regulation gives it autonomy and protection from risks on investments, while making it accountable to performance targets. Consumers gain from the fair tariffs and improved services. Read how regulations can make all the difference.

Two Private Operators Go to Market as a Financing Option
This year, the market called to two private water operators in Asia-a bond issue for PALYJA in Jakarta and a public stock offering for Manila Water. What led these two private utility companies to go public? And is the market move paying off? Time is already telling.

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News

Water Partners Initiate Performance Benchmarking Activities
ADB's commitment to performance benchmarking gets a boost as two water partners build their capacity for it this September. National Water Sector Apex Bodies(NWSABs) will begin training on benchmarking tools and peer review process, while the Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO) will launch its performance benchmarking system.

People's Republic of China (PRC): ADB Conducts Media Workshops on Water Awareness
Three media workshops organized by ADB will be held in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai to increase awareness and understanding of water issues in PRC. Journalists across the country will attend the events.

Philippines: Final Local Water Dialogue for the PDA on Sustainable Water Integrated Management and Governance (SWIM) for Baguio City
The PDA on Sustainable Water-Integrated Management and Governance (SWIM) for Baguio City nears completion. A final local water dialogue to clear up local governments' role in financing water services, and laying the groundwork for sustainable water investments will cap the activity.

PRC: ADB to Help Reduce Water Pollution and Protect Water Resources in Fuzhou
Water pollution will be reduced and water resources protected as ADB approves the US$55.8 million loan for the improvement of the urban environment in Fuzhou in PRC's Fujian Province. A PRC commercial bank and the Fuzhou municipal government contribute to the US$185.5 M project.

Philippines: ADB Charm Offensive Brings New Hope to Upland Farmers
Over 50,000 poor households in two Cordillera provinces have so far benefited from the ADB-financed CHARM (Cordillera Highland Agriculture Resource Management), which offered farming infrastructure, better irrigation schemes, and training on new farming methods. More gains are expected as communities take more responsibility for project implementation.

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Country Water Actions
	Indonesia: Creating a Custom-Fit Regulatory Framework Indonesia is advancing toward better water governance with the development of a regulatory framework that combines a national regulatory body with local regulatory functions. Find out more.
	Maldives: Recovering the Full Cost of Delivering Clean and Safe Water The people of Malé Island no longer drink brackish water. They have safe, desalinated, drinking water worth US$5 per cubic meter - Asia's highest tariff. But they're not complaining. Find out why.

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Publications	View more >>
	Southwest Asia Integrated Water Resources and Planning and Management Project in Bangladesh [PDF] (July 2005) Nanjing Water Utility Long-term Capital Finance in Commercial Markets [PDF] (July 2005) Fuzhou Environmental Improvement Project [PDF] (June 2005)

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Water Calendar

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25 August	Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation — In Country Consultation: Indonesia (Jakarta, Indonesia) Water stakeholders will meet to discuss Indonesia's experiences in implementing ADB's water policy.
26 August	Final Local Water Dialogue for the PDA on Sustainable Water - Integrated Management and Governance (SWIM) for Baguio City, Philippines (Manila, Philippines) Sharing lessons learned from the PDA, the dialogue will serve as a venue for exchanging views on local water financing as an important component of good water governance.
29 August - 3 September	2^nd Southeast Asia Water Forum (Bali, Indonesia) Working to build a regional commitment on IWRM and effective water governance, the forum will discuss better water management through public participation.
3 September	Launching of NARBO Performance Benchmarking System with Peer Review Process (Bali, Indonesia) A NARBO Event at the 2nd Southeast Asia Water Forum, which will involve 11 pilot RBOs for the Benchmarking System.
4-7 September	PRC Media Workshop on Water Issues (Beijing, PRC) Participants will have the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges on urban, rural and basin water in PRC.
8-11 September	PRC Media Workshop on Water Issues (Shanghai, PRC) Participants will have the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges on urban, rural and basin water in PRC.
12-15 September	PRC Media Workshop on Water Issues (Chengdu, PRC) Participants will have the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges on urban, rural and basin water in PRC.
15 September	Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation — In Country Consultation: Kazakhstan (Almaty, Kazakhstan) Water stakeholders will meet to discuss Indonesia's experiences in implementing ADB's water policy.
19-20 September	Hands-on Workshop on Sanitation and Wastewater Management (Manila, Philippines) Alternative solutions and best practices on sanitation and wastewater management will be the focus of this event.
28 September	Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation — In Country Consultation: India (New Delhi, India) Water stakeholders will meet to discuss Indonesia's experiences in implementing ADB's water policy.
4-7 October	Apex Bodies Training on Performance Benchmarking(Manila, Philippines) National Water Sector Apex Bodies will be introduced to Performance Benchmarking Assessment Tools and Peer Review Process.

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Water for All News is produced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide current information to developing member governments, professionals, researchers, private sector, civil society, academe, and their counterparts in the donor community who are interested in water sector issues that affect the pace of development.

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