Georgia: Urban Services Improvement Investment Program-Tranche 4

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban sanitation - Urban water supply

The Investment Program will improve WSS services in urban centers of secondary towns. The Investment Program includes, (i) infrastructure improvement to rehabilitate and expand WSS services; (ii) enterprise resource planning and management to improve the service utility's efficiency and sustain investments in the long-term; and (iii) Investment Program management and implementation support.

Georgia has an estimated population of 4.93 million (2013) with over 53% classified as urban, and serves as an important nodal point for inter-regional trade flows connecting the South Caucasus and landlocked Central Asia with the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) is $15.98 billion (2012). Georgia's overall economic outlook remains positive with expected GDP growth forecast of 5.5% in 2014 and 6.0% in 2015. Structural reforms targeting higher quality public investment are expected to boost productivity, catalyzing growth in manufacturing and other trading goods. The agricultural sector is expected to expand, reflecting increased government support to the sector. Services are also projected to grow, fueled by projected expansions in the transport, communication and financial intermediation sectors.

To address imminent pressures on physical infrastructure, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure (MRDI) has undertaken various initiatives, and in particular, interventions to improve water supply and sanitation (WSS) across the country. MRDI has developed an urban WSS sector development plan (SDP) with a vision to ensure continuous and reliable water supply and safe sanitation services to all of Georgia's urban residents by 2020. The SDP's objectives include (i) technical sustainability and environmental protection; (ii) institutional and financial sustainability; and (iii) enabling legislative and regulatory framework. To achieve the vision and objectives laid out in the SDP, the government's investment plan for urban WSS includes physical and non-physical investments.

WSS services are now provided by three service utilities: (i) Georgia Water and Power Company (GWPC) that serves Tbilisi and Rustavi (31.8% of country's population); (ii) Batumi Water Company and Adjara local self-governments that serves the Adjara Autonomous Region (8.6% of country's population); and (iii) United Water Supply Company of Georgia LLC (UWSCG) that serves the rest of the country (58.5% of country's population). Georgia National Energy and Water Regulatory Commission is responsible for economic regulation.

Most economic growth centers proposed for development by the government are in the region served by UWSCG. In this region, only 69.7% urban population has piped water supply and 15.5% urban population has access to sewerage system. Sewage from the reticulated network is discharged directly into streams or water channels without any treatment. The Investment Program socioeconomic surveys (which included an assessment of WSS coping strategies and willingness to pay) indicate that WSS services are irregular and severely affect the poor and internally displaced persons.

The proposed Investment Program fits within the overall growth context and the efforts underway to match infrastructure with the emerging needs. It will focus on improving WSS services in priority towns of Anaklia, Kutaisi, Marneuli, Mestia, Poti, Zugdidi, and Ureki, and benefit approximately 335,000 persons (38% of urban population in UWSCG region). It will also comprehensively improve WSS services in the selected economic centers rather than spreading thin the investments and diluting the impact. The Investment Program is consistent with the government's agenda to improve WSS service delivery through effective implementation of legal, economic, and financial frameworks for local self-governance.

Infrastructure Improvement: Water supply system efficiency improved through rehabilitation and replacement, and extended coverage.

Infrastructure Improvement: Sewerage and sanitation system efficiency improved through rehabilitation and reconstruction, and extended coverage.

Project Implementation Support: Public awareness program effectively implemented, information on hygiene and sanitation disseminated.

Complied with.

Civil works of water supply systems in Zugdidi and Jvari are in progress and expected to be completed in 2018 and 2019.

Civil works contract for the water supply system in Gudauri to be awarded in 2018.

Construction of sewerage system and sewage treatment plant in Poti is in progress.