AfDB calls for independent water supply regulator

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has proposed establishment of an independent water supply regulator in the country to attract more private investments in the water and sanitation sector.

Speaking yesterday during the Third Africa Water Supply and Sanitation Regulators Conference in Blantyre, AfDB acting director for water and sanitation Mtchera Chirwa said the presence of a regulator assures financiers that there is an arbiter between the water service provider and the consumer.

He said: “Investors look at issues of independence of the regulator, the credibility of their functions and their transparency.

“The regulator assures the financiers that the water service is financially sustainable, the quality of service is there and that the consumer is getting a fair deal which gives confidence that investments will achieve objectives.”

On investment, Chirwa said AfDB has 110 projects worth $5 billion in the water and sanitation sector across Africa and is looking to invest $12 billion in the sector by 2030 when countries are required to achieve universal access to water and sanitation under the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

The three-day regulators conference organised by Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation (Esawas) Regulators Association has attracted delegates from more than 10 African countries.

In her remarks, Esawas Regulators Association executive secretary Yvonne Magawa said out of 54 African countries, 22 have independent water supply regulators while the majority are regulated by ministries.

She said countries which have independent regulators are doing well in terms of steering progress for water access.

Water Services Association of Malawi representative Robert Hanjahanja said the association, which comprises water boards, carry out some functions meant for a regulator, a thing which should not be happening.

“There is need for a regulator to come in place and look at how we are doing on service delivery, water quality and tariff structuring,” said the Blantyre Water Board chief executive.

Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia said rising frequency of droughts, floods, landslides and pandemics has made governance of the water and sanitation sector a lot more challenging.

She said the ministry has revised the National Water Policy and is in the process of reviewing the National Sanitation and Hygiene Policy, the Water Works Act and the Sanitation and Hygiene Bill.

“These reforms will ultimately lead towards the establishment of an independent water supply and sanitation regulator,” she said.

Malawi currently has the National Water Resources Authority, a State agency, which regulates and manages water resources but not water suppliers and sanitation.

The regulators conference which will end on Thursday,  September 26 is being held under the theme ‘Adaptive regulation: Addressing emergent issues’.