IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN LIUZHOU: A STUDY Prepared for the World Bank By Somnath Sen And Yue Ma December 2005 This report was funded by the Bank-Netherlands Water Partnership, a facility that enhances World Bank operations to increase delivery of water supply and sanitation services to the poor (for more information see www.worldbank.org/watsan/bnwp). The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. Any references provided in this document to a specific product, process, or service is not intended as, and does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the World Bank of that product, process, service, or its producer or provider. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 18 2. Public Toilets in Liuzhou: Existing Conditions and Arrangements............................................ 20 3. Public Toilets in Nanning and Guilin............................................................................................. 57 4. Public Sanitation delivery and PPPs: Select International Experiences..................................... 62 5. Options for Improvements in PT Provision and Management in Liuzhou ................................ 72 6. Recommendations and Next Steps.................................................................................................. 79 Select References .................................................................................................................................. 83 ANNEXES Annex 1: Terms of Reference Annex 2: Terms of Reference of Technical Assistance under LZEMP Annex 3: Team Itinerary Annex 4: Photo-documentation of PTs in Liuzhou, Nanning and Guilin Improvement and Maintenance Management of Public Toilets in Liuzhou Final Report 2 ABBREVIATIONS BOOT Build-Own-Operation-Transfer BOT Build-Operation-Transfer cum cubic meter DESD District Environmental Sanitation Division DN Normal Diameter DRC Development and Reforms Commission ESCO Environmental Sanitation Company ESD Environmental Sanitation Division FS Feasibility Study GDP Gross Domestic Production LMG Liuzhou Municipal Government LZ Liuzhou City LZEMP Liuzhou Environment Management Project m Meter mm Millimeter O&M Operations and Maintenance PAU Pay and Use PMO (World Bank) Project Management Office PPP Public-Private Partnership PSP Private Sector Participation PT Public Toilet RMB China Renminbi (currency unit) SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SOE State Owned Enterprise Sq km Square Kilometer sqm Square meter SWM Solid Waste Management TA Technical Assistance ToR Terms of Reference USD United States Dollar WB The World Bank Currency Units: 1 USD = 8.08 RMB 1 RMB = 0.12 USD Improvement and Maintenance Management of Public Toilets in Liuzhou Final Report 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The Liuzhou Municipal Government (LMG) is implementing the Liuzhou Environment Management Project (LZEMP), with assistance from the World Bank. The project’s development objective is to improve environmental conditions in Liuzhou by improving wastewater treatment, industrial pollution control, municipal sanitation and solid waste services and management. The World Bank, in consultation with the LMG, commissioned a study on improvement and management of Public Toilets (PTs) in Liuzhou. The purpose of this study mission was to support the improvement of public toilet facilities and their management in Liuzhou Municipality, by carrying out an initial financial, institutional and technical review of existing systems, including a review of international best-practice in this regard for comparison; and through the preliminary development of proposals for their improved management. Over the period Oct 27 to Nov 11, the team carried out sites visits and detailed discussions mainly in Liuzhou. This was supplemented by short visits to neighbouring Nanning and Guilin cities to assess their experience with PTs. Apart from situational analysis in Liuzhou and the other two cities, the team carried out a review of best practices in respect of urban sanitation service delivery and public-private participation, and drew up options Liuzhou to consider. Liuzhou city has 1.2 million habitants that are expected to rapidly increase to 1.8 million people by 2020. Rapid urban population growth and industrial and economic development have strained Liuzhou’s already burdened water and sanitation infrastructure. Liuzhou Environment Management Project (LZEMP) will support US Dollars (USD) 205 million worth of investment in wastewater management, urban rehabilitation, municipal sanitation, solid waste management, and institutional development and capacity building. Under the project, about USD 8.8 million will be spent on construction of 62 public toilets, and 30 portable public toilets, two mobile public toilets, and six sanitation trucks. In this context, the Liuzhou Environmental Sanitation Department (LZ ESD) is exploring options for improved provision and management for the city’s existing and proposed public toilets. To support the LZ ESD in doing this, Technical Assistance (TA) (about USD 60,000) has been budgeted for in the LZEMP. The findings of the current Mission are also expected to assist in scoping of the proposed TA. Public Toilets in Liuzhou: Status and Challenges Liuzhou city is governed by the Liuzhou Municipal Government and the four District Governments at the next-lower tier. Under the supervision of the LZ City Appearance Bureau, the LZ ESD, working along with counter-part ESDs in the four districts, is responsible for municipal sanitation functions in the city including solid waste management and public toilets. Since 1997, operations and maintenance of PTs have been devolved to District ESDs (DESDs) and assets were transferred to the district governments in 2004. At present, the LZ ESD is responsible for planning and implementation of construction of new PTs, for providing guidance to DESDs on maintenance management, some of the major repairs, and for regular monitoring and evaluation of outcomes of O&M by the DESDs. The city has 249 Public Toilets, of which the ESD has constructed and manages 140 PTs. The Railway Bureau and the Steel Company have constructed and currently manage 50 PTs. The balance 59 PTs are in shopping centers, cinemas and parks etc, and managed by these establishments. The city is at present looking to address the following issues: (1) Absolute Gap: With the growth and development of the city in the last decade, not only has the need for PTs increased significantly that the city has been unable to cater to, but also city development has meant that many PTs have been dismantled to make place for widening of roads new buildings, or constructing new buildings. There is at present a PT for every 4,000-5,000 persons – more than 50 percent of the Social Assessment survey (conducted in preparation of the LZEMP) respondents noted scarcity of PTs as a key issue. Broadly, there are broadly two user segments: * Floating population in the city’s public spaces and commercial centres using “Public Toilets” – these are more in the nature of civic, and a core group of regular users is difficult to identify; Improvement and Maintenance Management of Public Toilets in Liuzhou Final Report 4 * Residents who may be using PTs near their residences, in absence of or as a supplement to toilet facilities in their homes. Since a core group of users can be identified for these toilets, these are more in the nature of “Community Toilets” that also have many casual/public users. More than seven percent of residential buildings in the city do not have independent toilet facilities, and hence residents from these properties are entirely dependant on this type of PTs. This segment needs special attention. While the above two categories are relative (not “pure”), it will be useful to determine the different types in the city to craft appropriate management arrangements for these –this type-classification has not been possible under the current assignment although DESDs will be in a position to provide their assessments. The bottom-line is that Public Toilets in Liuzhou need to cater to the needs of both the user segments above – about 75 percent of the Social Assessment survey respondents reported using PTs some time or other. About 60 percent were occasional users, and 15 percent regular users – about 11 percent used PTs more than four times a day (this probably includes the seven percent population entirely dependant on PTs). About 60 of the 149 PTs are pay-and-use toilets, at the rate of 0.2 RMB (0.025 USD) per use. The rest of the PTs are free to use. Using population projections and urban China norms for provisioning (one PT per 2,500-3,000 persons, and one every 300-500 m on busy streets, or every 750-1,000 m in other streets), the LZ ESD’s Master Plan projects that in addition to its existing 260 PTs, the city will need to build more than 150 PTs to bring the total up to 410-420 PTs by 2015. As a result, there is an absolute shortage of PTs that the city is seeking to address at present. (2) Upgradation Required: National standards (Grades III, II and I) determine the design features and amenities provided in Public