DUSHANBE, December 13, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Improving public service delivery to the residents of Dushanbe is the main objective of the Second Dushanbe Water Supply Project, according to speakers at the launch ceremony at the Poytakht Youth Center in Dushanbe on December 8, 2011.

The event was co-hosted by the World Bank, Municipality of Dushanbe and SUE “Dushanbe Vodokanal.”

The project is aimed at further improving the quality of water in Dushanbe and strengthening the performance capacity of municipal water services utility.

According to the press release issued by the World Bank Country Office in Tajikistan, the intermediary objective of this $19 million project is to provide technical assistance to improve management, operational and technical knowledge within the “Dushanbe Vodokanal,” which would set this utility enterprise on a path of improved compliance, customer service and financial viability.  Through provision of such assistance, the project aims to ensure tangible improvements in the quality, delivery and efficiency of potable water services to its main targeted beneficiaries – the people of Dushanbe.  The project is funded with a $16 million grant by the International Development Association (IDA) and with a $3 million co-financing credit by the Municipality of Dushanbe, and will be implemented over a 5-year period.

“Since water is the most vital natural resource on the planet, the most effective development investment to improve the livelihoods of all citizens is through interventions in service and quality of water.  It is very significant that the Municipality of the city investing the project, as it provides a better formula for cooperation throughout the process and demonstrates that all parties are truly committed to improving public service delivery to the people of Dushanbe,” said Marsha Olive, World Bank Tajikistan Country Office Manager, when highlighting the relevance of the project.

The given project builds upon the results of the recently completed Dushanbe Water Supply Project, which has already contributed to improvements in the reliability, safety, and quality of Dushanbe’s water supply.  The project achieved its infrastructure goals, with the rehabilitation or renewal of 40 km of network mains, 2 groundwater extraction facilities, 100 booster pump stations, as well as coagulation, sedimentation and filtration systems at the Napornaya water treatment plant, and hypochlorination system at the Samotechnaya water treatment plant.  A stock of water meters was also procured by the project. In turn, the second project is targeted at launching a systematic metering program, completing the rehabilitation of critical production and distribution facilities, modernizing the managerial and technical capacity of the “Dushanbe Vodokanal”, and improving its operational and financial performance.

Disaggregated, the second project consists of four components. The first component will finance consumption metering and bulk metering of water, for increased revenue, reduced wastage, and better tracking of losses. The second component will support system upgrades for the improvement of water quality, such as installation of re-chlorination systems and equipment for water quality monitoring. The next component would aid in institutional strengthening and capacity building of “Dushanbe Vodokanal” to improve its utility performance. The final component is the project implementation support, directed at ensuring an efficient and timely delivery of results.