Wastewater Approach for Project Identification and
Selection
The implemented projects in the wastewater sector amount to US$ 221 million, while the on-going projects amount to US$ 235 million. On the other hand, the value of the projects being under preparation is US$ 836 million.
Nevertheless, significant investments accompanied by institutional back-up are still required for improving the sector performance.
Lately, the Water and Wastewater Establishments have been made responsible for the sector under the tutelage of the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW).
The sector has been divided in accordance with the new institutional arrangement, sub-divided by administrative division to make use of the existing database.
Accordingly, the MEW is responsible for setting guidelines and standards at the national scale, coordinate among the Establishments and among the water and wastewater sectors, monitor the performance of the Establishments and assist them where required. Relevant projects are classified as national.
Each of the four Water and Wastewater Establishments is responsible for an area of operation. Projects falling within a particular area of operation have been grouped under the corresponding Establishment. Additionally, the projects identified by Establishment have been listed by administrative division (Caza) since to date wastewater projects were identified by Municipality or Caza.
Criteria for the selection of projects are:
1- Protection of water resources
2- Optimization of investment
3- Technical, institutional and administrative capabilities
4- Provision of arteries, interceptors and main collectors for stormwater drainage in main communities.
At the national scale, the MEW would have to update the Master Plan of 1982 at scale 1/100,000 or 1/50,000, set design guidelines and standard details to be followed by the various establishments. The Master Plan of 1982 is nearly 25 years old and hence outdated in terms of treatment technologies, cost and administrative aspects. Most recent feasibility studies are adopting the solutions proposed by the Master Plan without developing and analyzing options for
collectors and treatment. The updated Master Plan has to address the institutional aspects and capacity building of the MEW as well as the Establishments.
Furthermore, the MEW has to set indicators which would eventually be used to assess the performance of the infrastructure as well as the Establishments.
At the Establishment (regional) level, master plans and feasibility studies have to be prepared by basin at scale 1/20,000.
At the basin level, projects have been selected in the first place to protect the water resources. Known water resources to be at risk have been recommended, however, it is expected from the regional master plan to identify more closely the importance of the water resources and their significant risks of pollution for a better prioritization of projects. The regional master plans have also to address the institutional aspects at the Establishment level, taking over the responsibility from municipalities and the coordination procedures and mechanisms for basins falling within the jurisdiction of neighboring establishments.