Villanova University College of Engineering Villanova Engineering Service Learning Sustainable WASH Research Initiative Madagascar Project Report - 2017 V I L L A N O V A U N I V E R S I T Y College of Engineering J. Ermilio Tel: 610-519-6859 Villanova University Fax: 610-519-7312 800 Lancaster Avenue E-mail: [email protected] Villanova, PA 19085 August 1, 2017 Subject: Sustainable WASH Research Initiative Dear WASH Sector Professionals, On behalf of the Villanova College of Engineering and our program partners in Madagascar, Catholic Relief Services, we are pleased to present the results of a two-year study on the sustainability of PPP Managed Water Supply in Madagascar. This study is a part of an ongoing multi-year initiative that includes the continuously monitoring of water supply infrastructure. The primary objective of this research initiative is to develop tools to improve system performance by providing local management teams with the information needed to improve operation and maintenance. In addition to this, the long-term objective of this study is to better understand how external factors influence the sustainability of water infrastructure in developing communities and how local management mitigates external threats to long-term performance. Whereas, this study is being presented here in a graduate thesis, it is important to note that the research is ongoing and includes a multi-country initiative with multiple program partners and research teams. Anyone who would like to collaborate on this effort is encouraged to contact us directly, as would sincerely welcome the opportunity to explore ways to improve this work and to better serve the needs of the international development water and sanitation sector. Having personally been involved with international development for over fifteen years, I would like to recognize all of the water and sanitation professionals that are currently in the field working to improve the lives of people living in low-income communities. Thank you for all of your efforts and please keep up the excellent work. Kindly, Jordan Ermilio; PE, RPVC Director, VESL Principal Investigator Sustainable WASH Research Initiative College of Engineering, Villanova University VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING SUSTAINABLE WASH RESEARCH INITIATIVE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction This series of technical briefs presents results from an on-going study that is aimed at developing continuous, objective tools for evaluating the reliability of water supply infrastructure in developing communities. An additional goal of this study is to explore external factors that influence sustainability in order to improve local water utility management. Pressure transducers were installed in water system storage tanks to continuously monitor water levels as a measurement of system reliability based on an analysis of supply and demand as well as tank empty condition using the PE25 method. Water quality analysis was used to determine percent compliance with international water quality standards and household customer satisfaction surveys were conducted to validate performance characteristics. Surveys and stakeholder interviews were implemented to better understand water utility management and the external factors that influence long-term sustainability. Whereas, this study is ongoing, the results presented here suggest that PPP managed water systems in Madagascar have been largely successful in terms of providing reliable water services. At the same time, a number of economic indicators suggest that PPP operators need further assistance to improve management, profitability and sustainability. Contextual Background This research includes ten project sites in Madagascar, which have been implemented during the USAID Rano HP and Ranon’ala program. The Island nation of Madagascar has roughly 24 million people with only 52% of the population having access to improved water supply and only 7% with access to piped water supply (JMP, 2015). In addition to this, an estimated 92% of the population live on less than USD $2 per day and 60% of the population is less than 25 years old (World Bank, 2013). The Rano HP and Ranon’ala programs were aimed at improving access to piped water supply with the ultimate goal of improving health and economic conditions throughout the country. Whereas community management has been the predominant model for implementing water supply infrastructure, it is largely recognized that community management has not been successful in Madagascar for multiple reason including limited legal framework, a lack of external support, limited access to spare parts and challenges with respect to affordability and cost recovery. As a result, two other management models have emerged in Madagascar; self- supply and public-private partnerships. In 1999, the PPP model was ratified by the national water code which allocated ownership of infrastructure to local governments with the authority to delegate management to a private operator. Summary of Findings The findings from this study suggest that the implementation of water supply infrastructure using the PPP model has been an improvement from previous models however, there are still some significant challenges that need to be addressed. The reliability of water delivery services based on the PE25 method along with customer satisfaction surveys have shown that system performance characteristics range significantly. In Ikongo, fifteen months of data collection has revealed that this system is functioning at a high level 96.2% under the current PPP management. In Tolongonia with six months of data that was collected prior to PPP management, the system was functioning at 38.6% and with two months of data after PPP management it was functioning at 100% in terms of reliability. Water quality results suggest that microbial contamination is the primary concern in that physical and chemical constituents largely comply with international standards. Sanitary inspections and surveys with local water managers has revealed that additional external support is needed for quality assurance and oversight during construction and to increase the capacity of the local management teams. Table 1: Summary of System Performance Characteristics System Reliability Per-Capita Customer (1-PE25) Consumption Satisfaction Site Location (%) (l/p/d) (%) Mananara 70.8 21.5 60 Manompana 63.3 NT 47.2 Tolongonia 100 13.5 66.3 Ikongo 96.2 18.9 63.5 Anivorano 88.2 22.7 NT Ademaka 89.5 5.8 NT One of the primary challenges being faced by the water sector in Madagascar is the profitability of the water utility operations. Whereas metering and billing of water services are slowly being accepted by the household customers, it appears that access to secondary water resources is keeping per-capita water consumption low (15 to 25 liters/person/day) which is ultimately impacting revenue. In addition to this, the projected growth of the systems as outlined in the original business plans have not been realized. As a result, the financial sustainability of the PPPs is being threatened and ultimately, the long-term sustainability of water delivery services may be compromised. Please contact [email protected] if you would like additional information about any of the details provided in this study. This work has included a collaboration with multiple research teams at Villanova University in the US, with Catholic Relief Services in Madagascar and as a part of an independent PhD study at Loughborough University. The principal investigators for this work include Jordan Ermilio and Dr. Gerard Jones from Villanova with major contributions provided by Joshua Poole, James Hazen and HeryLanto Rosaonina from CRS, Madagascar as well as Benjamin Bogardus, the Graduate Research Assistant during this study from Villanova University. Villanova University VESL – CRS Madagascar Tolongoina Executive Brief CRS/VU Water System Sustainability Research Partnership Site Background Tolongoina is a town of ~9,000 people in the Ikongo district of Madagascar's Vatovavy Fitovinany region. The gravity-fed piped water system in Tolongoina was rehabilitated in 2014 by the CRS Rano HP team using the public-private partnership approach. The design study and construction were done by the BushProof® company and included a break-pressure tank, a 50m3 storage tank, and 107 private, 13 social and 76 CRS-subsidized connections. BushProof® was also selected as manager but did not officially begin until mid-2015. Water Delivery Reported monthly water consumption increased gradually from ~800m3 in April 2015 to >1,000 m3 at the start of 2016 (Fig.1) but was still much less than the >3,000m3 predicted for this time in the design study. Other sites with similar characteristics appeared to level out at between 1,400 and 1,600m3 average consumption per month. Based on results of a household survey in June 2016, 54% of users reported using at least one other water source and only an estimated 27% of the population of the zone served use water from the system as their main source of drinking water. The storage tank was overflowing during a visit in June 2015 and a pressure transducer installed to continuously monitor water levels showed that the tank was overflowing continuously from Apr. 10 - June 7, 2016. However, local management reported water shortages at higher connections during the drier season from Oct. - Dec. 2015. Installing more durable taps was a local management priority since those currently installed are reportedly too fragile