Dhadimagu Kulhi, This is safe Fresh water too, We dont pay a penny for this Natural Resource,
Image by Ibrahim Asad’s PHotography
Country Water Action: Maldives
Recovering the Full Cost of Delivering Clean and Safe Water
April 2006
The people of Mal no longer drink brackish water. They have safe, desalinated water and they’ve agreed to pay a lot of money for it. The Mal story offers an example of a successful private-public partnership and the implementation of very high tariffs.
Desalinated water is worth Mal residents’ money
Fighting water scarcity with the right partners
Mal Water and Sewerage Company: desalinating water
Understanding Mal’s success
What’s ahead
Related link
DESALINATED WATER IS WORTH MALE’ RESIDENTS’ MONEY
Faced with the prospect of no freshwater source, the people of Mal, Maldives knew that the solution would come with a price. The question was: are they willing to pay it?
In 1995, Mal residents agreed to pay an average of US$ 5.00 per cubic meter (m3) of water. This high tariff, the highest in Asia, was to be used to support the operation of seawater desalination plants that provide 24-hour access to drinking water. In 2000, the tariff rate even increased to US$ 6.40/ m3 but was later reduced to .62 in 2005.
Contrary to common expectations, this did not stop consumers from using the water. From a customer base of 6,500 customers in 1996, using 395,500 m3 of water, the numbers surged to almost 17,000 customers using just under 2 million cubic meter of water in 2005.
The increase in desalinated water use indicates people’s confidence in desalinated water than water from traditional water sources: groundwater and rainwater. Beyond that, this indicates that people— without alternative viable options —would be willing to pay for water that they know to be safe, clean and worthy of its price.
Top
FIGHTING WATER SCARCITY WITH THE RIGHT PARTNERS
Water is a very scarce resource in the Maldives. Groundwater and rainwater are the major water resources.
In the period leading to the 90′s, the underground aquifer had been irreparably damaged by extensive use and pollution. The result was salty water not fit for human consumption. No regulations and standards were issued on groundwater use, and the build up of saline groundwater is evidence of its misuse.
Rainwater, on the other hand, is not disinfected and very few people boil it. There have been incidents when rainwater was tested positive for bacteria.
Aside from these geophysical limitations, people perceive water as a free good.
The impending water crisis prompted a Joint Venture Agreement between the government and NTR Holding/HOH Water Technology of Denmark, creating the Mal Water and Sewerage Company Pvt. Ltd. (MWSC) in 1995.
NTR/HOH, with contributions from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), took on full responsibility of providing reliable water and sanitation services, including the desalination plant and distribution system for 5 years. This autonomy enabled smooth operations in all work phases and established the business’s financial viability among private investors and the local government. The government, in turn, granted NTR/HOH monopoly of all public water supply and sewerage services for a 20-year period.
Top
MAL WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY: DESALINATING WATER
The MWSC produces desalinated safe drinking water and distributes it to 100% of the urban population (104,400 people) in the capital island everyday. It has also expanded its operations to nearby islands of Hulhumale and Villingili.
Upon its inception, MWSC established water production facilities and a distribution system to service the whole island of Mal. SeaWater Reverse Osmosis equipment is used in the water desalination plants to produce 3,500 cbm of safe drinking water a day (This has now increased to 7,000 cmb/day). A new water supply network consisting of more than 10,000 piped desalinated water connections distributes fresh water to each customer hooked up to the network by a water meter.
MWSC is also responsible for wastewater systems, to which all households in Mal are now connected. The Maldives Water and Sanitation Authority (MWSA), which was formally responsible for the water and sanitation sector, was converted into a Regulatory Body and performs water regulation functions for MWSC to protect consumer interests and the environment. The Regulatory Body was previously lodged under the Ministry of Health but is now under the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.
Top
UNDERSTANDING MAL’S SUCCESS
After the public-private partnership between the Mal government and NTR/HOH, all customers had 24/7 access to clean and safe water. MWSC reached break-even point in April 1997 and by June 1999 had recovered all losses from the starting period.
The customer base has also increased — 16,888 for Male’, 381 for Hulhumale, and 852 for Villingili.
The 3-tiered water tariff also provided a lower tariff for subsistence living needs, and rates are higher as consumption increases. The cross subsidy helps MWSC operate on a commercially viable mode.
The Government subsidized water is still available through road tap bays and this is designated for the economically weak. Over the years, the consumption from the tap bays diminished, while the average per capita consumption increased Male’s success could be attributed to several factors, among them the following:
NTR/HOH was able to take full responsibility for all the project’s main components, thereby facilitating coordination of all operations.
The MWCS was organized with a view to efficiency, i.e. maintaining an ever-increasing productivity per staff ratio, having well-defined job descriptions per staff, offering favorable salaries in comparison with other organizations in the country.
The initial tariff introduced was progressive, with a built-in support for low-income consumers. A private consumer using 0-90 l/day, for example, had to pay MRf 25.32/m3 while a commercial consumer had to pay MRf 101.26/m3 for any quantity.
While tariff has increased since then, the structure remains progressive and has the same built-in support for low income users.
Source:- www.adb.org/water/actions/MLD/paying-the-price.asp
- Fits the following GE 12 gallon per day reverse osmosis drinking water systems:
- PNRV12Z, PNRV12ZBL, PNRV12, and GXRV10
- Should be replaced every 6 months
The GE FX12P reverse osmosis filter set fits many GE Smartwater reverse osmosis drinking water systems. This FX12P filter set includes one 9 3/4 inch long pre-filter and one 9 3/4 inch long post-filter.
Price: $ 34.50
Reverse Osmosis System 6 Stage RO 80g UV/DI/Booster/Permeate White Water Filter
Reverse Osmosis System 6 Stage 24/35/50g RO UV Booster Clear w/tank Water Filter
Find More Reverse Osmosis Water System Products
