Asian Development Bank Markets for the Poor and EMW Host Water Management Workshop

Posted: November 18, 2007

Da Nang City—On October 11-12, Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Markets for the Poor (M4P) and East Meets West Foundation (EMW) sponsored a water management workshop on privatizing management of rural water supply and sanitation. The objective was to exchange ideas among development experts and water management practitioners about how to improve affordable access to rural water and sanitation services by promoting market-based incentives and private sector service providers to manage rural water and sanitation services.

The workshop included presentations of invited speakers Mr. Dominic Smith, Markets for the Poor Project Coordinator (shown at right), Vietnamese Center for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (CERWASS), International Development Enterprises (IDE), and EMW.

ADB Country Director in Vietnam, Mr. Ayumi Konishi, reaffirmed the bank’s support for improving water supply infrastructure. EMW facilitated a panel discussion with water system managers and presented the initial results from a survey of privately managed water systems built by EMW.

The 91 participants from the workshop included public and private water managers, NGO representatives, local and national government officials, and M4P representatives. They participated in group discussions and conducted a field visit to an EMW clean water system in Quang Nam Province.

The workshop provided an occasion for participants to share experiences and gain new perspectives on private sector management of water systems. Providing access to clean water and adequate sanitation has a profound impact on economic growth and well-being. Thus, identifying efficient management systems will improve the services provided to the beneficiaries. EMW will organize additional workshops on related topics in the near future.

 

To find out more about the Clean Water program, please contact Hazaiah Williams or call 1-800-561-3378.