RP955 v1
Public Disclosure Authorized
World Bank Financed Liuzhou Integrated Environmental
Management Project (Phase 2)
Social Assessment Report
Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized
Client: Liuzhou Environment Management Project PMO . Prepared by: National Research Center for Resettlement, Hohai University
May, 25 2010 Public Disclosure Authorized Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Contents
LIST OF TABLES...... 1 ABSTRACT...... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 P SA SA S 2. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE AFFECTED AREAS...... 5 O P C G 2.2.1 Population composition 2.2.2 Economic development
3. STAKEHOLDERS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ...... 11 I 3.1.1 Government agencies 3.1.2 Employer/construction agency 3.1.3 Affected enterprises 3.1.4 Affected population P 3.2.1 Participation at the design stage 3.2.2 Public participation mechanism and strategy
4. SOCIAL IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT...... 16 S D P 4.1.1 Positive impacts 4.1.2 Negative impacts S D P 4.2.1 Positive impacts 4.2.2 Negative impacts S T P 4.3.1 Positive impacts 4.3.2 Negative impacts A P I W 4.4.1 Positive impacts 4.4.2 Potential risks
5. WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO PAY OF THE AFFECTED POPULATION...... 26 W
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
5.1.1 Model and data source 5.1.2 Willingness to pay analysis M A 5.3.1 Ability to pay of ordinary residential households 5.3.2 Ability to pay of minimum living security households
6. PROJECT AND POVERTY ...... 36 6.1 Poverty of Guangxi, Liuzhou and affected districts/counties 6.2 Minimum living security of affected districts/counties 6.3 Poverty reduction role of the Project
7. PROJECT AND ETHNIC MINORITIES ...... 40 O 7.1.1 Composition of ethnic minorities in affected districts/counties 7.1.2 Composition of ethnic minorities of beneficiary population 7.1.3 Key features of ethnic minorities P P A C
8. PROJECT RISKS AND ACTION PLAN...... 48 P 8.1.1 Suburb Drainage Project 8.1.2 Sludge Disposal Project 8.1.3 Sewage Treatment Project P 8.2.1 Suburb Drainage Project 8.2.2 Sludge Disposal Project 8.2.3 Sewage Treatment Project APPENDIX 1: AGENDA OF THE TASK FORCE...... 52 APPENDIX 2: RESIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECT ...... 53 APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW OUTLINE FOR ENTERPRISES/STORES ...... 59 APPENDIX 4: STRUCTURED INTERVIEW OUTLINE FOR THE PUBLIC...... 60
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 0-1 SCHEDULE OF PROJECT IMPACTS, SOCIAL RISKS, AND RISK-RELIEVING MEASURES AND ACTIONS ...... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. TABLE 1-1 SCHEDULE OF SA METHODS ...... 3 TABLE 2-1 SCHEDULE OF THE PROJECT...... 6 TABLE 2-2 AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL POPULATION OF AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES (2007) ...... 8 TABLE 2-3 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES (2007)...... 9 TABLE 2-4 NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES ABOVE DESIGNATED SIZE OF AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES AND GROSS INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT VALUE...... 10 TABLE 3-1 SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ...... 13 TABLE 3-2 ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MECHANISM ...... 14 TABLE 4-1 CONSTRUCTION SITES, PRESENT SITUATION AND TREATMENT RATIO OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECT ...... 19 TABLE 4-2 SOCIAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ...... 24 TABLE 5-1 DISTRIBUTION OF QUESTIONNAIRE IN DIFFERENT AFFECTED AREAS ...... 27 TABLE 5-2 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF RESIDENTS IN DIFFERENT AFFECTED AREAS...... 27 TABLE 5-3 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF HOUSEHOLDS OF DIFFERENT ANNUAL INCOME...... 28 TABLE 5-4 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF RESIDENTS OF DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL LEVELS ...... 28 TABLE 5-5 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF RESIDENTS OF DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS...... 29 TABLE 5-6 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF RESIDENTS RECEIVING/NOT RECEIVING GOVERNMENT GRANTS...... 30 TABLE 5-7 WILLINGNESS TO PAY SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES (MONTHLY) OF RESIDENTS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS ...... 30 TABLE 5-8 STATISTICS OF DESIRED MODE OF COLLECTION OF SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES ...... 31 TABLE 5-9 RATES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER OF AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES IN 2008 .. 31 TABLE 5-10 ABILITY TO PAY OF ORDINARY RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLDS ...... 32 TABLE 5-11 SCHEDULE OF SUPPORTING MEASURES ON SEWAGE TREATMENT FEES FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS OF AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES...... 33 TABLE 5-12 STATISTICS OF ABILITY TO PAY OF AFFECTED MINIMUM LIVING SECURITY POPULATION 34 TABLE 6-1 POVERTY OF GUANGXI, LIUZHOU AND AFFECTED DISTRICTS/COUNTIES (2007) ...... 36 TABLE 6-2 MINIMUM LIVING SECURITY OF URBAN AREA AND 4 COUNTIES (2009) ...... 38 TABLE 7-1 MINORITY POPULATION OF LIUZHOU/4 COUNTIES AND WITHIN PROJECT SERVICE RANGE (2007) ...... 41 TABLE 7-2 DISTRIBUTION OF MINORITY POPULATION IN THE AFFECTED AREAS (2007)...... 42 TABLE 7-3 IDENTIFICATION OF FEATURES OF ETHNIC MINORITIES INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT...... 43 TABLE 7-4 SCHEDULE OF PARTICIPATION OF MINORITY GROUPS...... 45
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
TABLE 8-1 SCHEDULE OF PROJECT RISKS AND ACTION PLAN ...... 51
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Abbreviations
FGD - Focus group discussion FS - Feasibility study MLS - Minimum living security PMO - Project Management Office SA - Social assessment WB - World Bank
Units
Currency unit = Yuan (RMB) 1.00 yuan = $0.15 1 hectare = 15 mu
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
ABSTRACT
Entrusted by the Management Office of the World Bank Financed Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) (PMO), the social assessment (SA) Task Force of Hohai University went to Liuzhou City in July 2009 for a 15-day field SA survey of the 8 components of the World Bank Financed Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) (the “Project”), and discussed the survey findings with the Employer and design agency of the Project repeatedly, which resulted in the Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2). The Project consists of 8 components, which are the Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Plant Sludge Disposal Project, Liuzhou Suburb Drainage Project, and Guantang, Shatang, and Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subprojects. The Sludge Disposal Project involves the construction of sludge disposal facilities mainly; the Suburb Drainage Project involves the construction of a sewer network and pump stations; and the 6 sewage treatment subprojects involve the construction of sewage treatment plants and supporting sewer networks and pump stations. The Project serves the urban area and 4 county towns governed by Liuzhou Municipality mainly. The Sludge Disposal Project is designed to dispose of dried sludge produced by the whole urban area and 5 nearby sewage treatment plants (Longquanshan, Baisha, Yanghe, Labao and Guantang). The Guantang and Shatang Sewage Treatment Subprojects are located in Luorong Town, Liudong New District and Shatang Town, Liubei District, and planned to serve the Liudong Hi-tech Development Zone, Guantang area and Shatang area. The Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subprojects are aimed mainly at the urban population of the county towns mainly. The SA of the Project was conducted through a combination of literature study and fieldwork mainly. During the fieldwork, 15 focus group discussions (FGD) and 20 in-depth interviews were conducted, and 425 copies of questionnaire handed out, and a field survey was performed for every component. According to the World Bank requirements and SA outline, this report is concerned about the following five aspects mainly: (1) positive and negative social impacts of the Project on the affected population (especially vulnerable groups, etc.); (2) willingness and ability to pay of the population served by the Project; (3) Project and poverty; (4) Project and ethnic minorities; (5) potential risks of the Project, and risk-relieving measures and actions. Positive and negative impacts of the Project (see Table 0-1) (1) Suburb Drainage Project: Positive impacts: The Suburb Drainage Project will increase the sewage collection ratio of Liuzhou City, reduce the pollution of effluents to the Liujiang River, improve the flood protection and drainage standards of the urban area, strengthen the flood resistance of the city effectively, and also improve drinking water quality and the living environment of residents, and provide necessary conditions for local social and economic development. Negative impacts: Construction will damage part of the road surface and cause a traffic jam in some sections, which is adverse to the passage of personnel and
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) vehicles, and will affect the short-term production and business operation of enterprises and stores. (2) Sludge Disposal Project: Positive impacts: The Sludge Disposal Project will reduce the load of urban waste disposal, maximize the role of the completed sewage treatment plant in reducing environmental pollution, reduce the threat of sludge to water bodies and soil, and improve environmental quality. Negative impacts: Although enclosed tanker trucks are used to collect and transport sludge, there is the risk of odor spreading during sludge disposal. If sludge cannot be deodorized effectively, there will still be the risk of secondary pollution; flying ash and temporarily stored sludge during construction will affect the working environment of the cement mill adversely for the moment, and make roads obstructed in rainy days. (3) Sewage Treatment Project: Positive impacts: This project will improve the flood protection and drainage, sewage treatment and integrated water resource management capacities of the urban area and 4 counties, expand the coverage of environmental infrastructure, reduce the treatment cost of tap water, ensure the safe use of water by residents, improve the water quality of the affected areas, meet the needs of different groups in the affected areas, improve the social and economic aspects of the affected areas, ensure that vulnerable groups can also benefit from the Project, and minimize the adverse impacts of the Project, thereby promoting the stable, sustained and balanced economic, social and environmental development of the urban area and 4 counties. Negative impacts: The construction of the sewage treatment plants and pump stations under the Sewage Treatment Project involves the permanent acquisition of 455.749 mu of collective land, affecting 1,121 farmers out of 215 households. The income and livelihoods of these households will be affected to varying degrees; Guangxi Dongsanjiang Food Co., Ltd., Dazhu Village Oil Mill and Dazhu Village Sand Plant in Sanjiang County will be relocated, whose productive and operating activities will be affected to varying degrees; the Sewage Treatment Project will alter the discharge pattern of domestic sewage of local residents and wastewater of some stores and enterprises (including guesthouses and hotels). If the sewer network malfunctions, the sewage and wastewater discharge of local residents and some stores and enterprises, causing inconvenience to residents’ daily life, and having a negative impact on the normal operation of stores and enterprises. In addition, the collection of sewage treatment fees will add to the financial burden of poor households. Willingness and ability to pay of residents Willingness to pay: 1) The average amount of sewage treatment fees that local residents are willing to pay is 25.14 yuan/month; 2) The ability to pay of the affected residents is correlated with living area, household income, age, educational level, occupation and entitlement to government grants, in which age, educational level and occupation affect on the willingness of residents to pay sewage treatment fees significantly. Ability to pay: 1) Since people’s income will rise with the economic growth of the urban area and 4 counties in the next few years, and there will be additional investment in environmental protection, sewage treatment fees are affordable for ordinary residents; 2) The collection of sewage treatment fees has a greater impact on the poor than ordinary residents, and may impose a certain financial pressure on the living of the poor. Project and poverty
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
The Project will be constructed in the urban area or county towns, and serve urban residents, so the Project will not have any negative impact on the rural poor population. The Project has the following poverty reduction effects: 1) About 4,500 unskilled job opportunities will be offered during the construction and operation of the Project, providing in the short term more nonagricultural job opportunities to the population in the affected areas. 2) It is good to improving the water quality of the affected areas, avoid waterborne diseases, and reduce household medical expenses. 3) The Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects will improve urban appearance, protect the natural landscape of the Liujiang, Xunjiang and Rongjiang Rivers, and promote the development of local tourism; in addition, the Project will also improve infrastructure, strengthen urban service functions, improve the investment environment of the urban area and 4 counties, protect industrial enterprises from the impact of water pollution and attract more enterprises to invest here, thereby promoting urban economic development. These measures will surely bring more job opportunities to local residents, and increase the income of residents, especially poor households. 4) The Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects will relieve damages to the ecological environment of the city and county towns by flood and water logging disasters, and reduce people’s property losses. Project and ethnic minorities Liuzhou is an area inhabited by multiple ethnic minorities, where ethnic minorities account for 54.34% of total population. The total beneficiary population in the affected areas is 1.275 million, in which minority population is 331,900 or 26.03% of total population. Zhuang is the largest ethnic minority in the affected areas, and Zhuang people live together with Han people. There is no ethnic minority that lives in a compact community. According to the identification results by the World Bank social expert, the Project doesn’t triggered the World Bank safeguard policy on Indigenous Peoples (OP4.10). As for those ethnic minority households who affected by land acquisition , since there are a few minority households in affected areas, and almost no any difference with local Han people, they enjoy the same rights and interests in resettlement restoration options as that of local Han affected persons . Social risks and suggested measures (see Table 0-1) (1) Suburb Drainage Project. The potential social risks of the Suburb Drainage Project mainly include productive and operating activities of enterprises and stores beside roads will be affected in the short term during construction, and borrow soil, dust and noise produced during construction will make nearby residents’ life inconvenient and pose health hazards, and would lead to a conflict between the construction agency and local residents if not handled properly. The corresponding measures and actions are as follows: 1) The Employer has promised to give publicity before commencement of construction, and minimize the impact on operating activities of enterprises and stores beside roads by means of segmental construction, etc. 2) The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to minimize the impact on residents’ daily life. (2) Sludge Disposal Project. The potential social risks of the Sludge Disposal Project mainly include there is the risk of secondary pollution to the local environment arising from
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) sludge disposal and treatment, and flying dust and the temporary storage of sludge during construction will affect the working environment of the cement mill adversely for the moment and make roads obstructed in rainy days. The corresponding measures and actions are as follows: 1) The Employer has promised to take measures during cement transport and production to avoid secondary pollution; 2) The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to minimize the impact on residents’ daily life. (3) Sewage Treatment Project. The potential social risks of the Sewage Treatment Project mainly include: 1) The risk of low ability to pay of minimum living security (MLS) population and other vulnerable groups; 2) The risk of non-collection of part of sewage treatment fees; 3) Risks arising from resettlement, land acquisition and house demolition; 4) Risks arising from sewer network destruction; and 5) Risk of sewage discharge. On the basis of communication and consultation with the Employer and affected people, the following measures and actions have been proposed: 1) The needs and willingness of the affected vulnerable groups will be learned on the basis of consultation with them, and the government should enact or pursue reduction and exemption policies for sewage treatment fees; it is advised that the relevant preferential policies continue to be enforced in the urban area and Rongshui County, and the government agencies concerned of Sanjiang, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties enact relevant policies on the basis of hearing. 2) The Employer is advised to assist the water supply company to find out the reasons for not using tap water among these residents, and collect sewage treatment fees from them properly. 3) The Employer is advised to prepare a detailed resettlement plan based on the resettlement survey results, and comply with the state and local regulations and the resettlement plan strictly, so that residents suffering losses are compensated and resettled as stipulated. 4) The Employer is advised to establish an emergency service mechanism, and publish the service hotline of the water supply network to citizens in order to handle emergencies timely. 5) The Employer is advised to strengthen its own management, establish a self-check system for conforming discharge, inspect the effluent quality of the sewage treatment plants regularly and irregular, and ensure that sewage treated by the plants are emitted up to standards.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Table 0 1 Schedule of Project Impacts, Social Risks, and Risk-relieving Measures and Actions Projec No Component Positive impacts Negative impacts Social risks Risk-relieving measures/actions t . 1) Improving sewage 1) Urban road traffic will be 1) The inconvenience to traffic 1) The Employer has promised to give publicity collection capacity and adversely affected during cannot be avoided or relieved before commencement of construction, and
Suburb Drainage Project Project Drainage Suburb urban environment; 2) construction, affecting the during construction, which is likely minimize the impact on operating activities of Improving urban flood production and operation of to result in a conflict between enterprises and stores beside roads by means of protection capacity; 3) enterprises and stores enterprises/stores and the segmental construction, etc; Improving the quality of along roads; 2) Borrow soil, implementing agencies, thereby 2) The Employer has promised to urge the Suburb Drainage 1 drinking water; 4) Providing dust and noise produced affecting the progress of construction agency to adopt noise eliminating Project more job opportunities during construction will construction. 2) If borrow soil, dust techniques, dust control and staggered make nearby residents’ trip and noise produced during construction measures to minimize the impact on inconvenient and pose construction are not handled residents’ daily life. health hazards. properly, residents will become dissatisfied, impeding the progress of construction. 1) Reducing the load of 1) There is the risk of 1) There is the risk of secondary 1) The Employer has promised to take measures urban waste disposal; 2) secondary pollution arising heavy metal or air pollution if during cement transport and production to avoid Sludge Disposal Project Project Disposal Sludge Reducing the threat of from sludge disposal and sludge is not handled properly secondary pollution; sludge to water bodies and treatment; 2) Flying dust during transport and disposal; 2) If 2) The Employer has promised to urge the soil, and improve and the temporary storage borrow soil, dust and noise construction agency to adopt noise eliminating Sludge Disposal environmental quality of sludge during produced during construction are techniques, dust control and staggered 2 Project construction will affect the not handled properly, residents will construction measures to minimize the impact on working environment of the become dissatisfied, impeding the residents’ daily life. cement mill adversely for progress of construction. the moment and make roads obstructed in rainy days.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Guantang County 1) Improving the sewage 1) Land acquisition and 1) The risk of low ability to pay of 1) It is advised that the relevant preferential 3 Sewage Treatment treatment capacity of the house demolition; 2) MLS population and other policies continue to be enforced in the urban area Subproject urban area and 4 counties; Potential management risks vulnerable groups; 2) The risk of and Rongshui County, and the government Shatang County 2) Reducing the treatment of sewer network; 3) Impact non-collection of part of sewage agencies concerned of Sanjiang, Rong’an and 4 Sewage Treatment cost of tap water, and of increased water costs on treatment fees; 3) Risks arising Liucheng Counties enact relevant policies on the Subproject Sanjiang County ensuring the safe use of vulnerable groups from resettlement, land acquisition basis of hearing. 2) The Employer is advised to 5 Sewage Treatment water by residents; 3) and house demolition; assist the water supply company to find out the Subproject
Sewage Treatment Project Project Treatment Sewage Improving the water quality 4) Risks arising from sewer reasons for not using tap water among these Rongshui County of the affected areas, and network destruction; 5) Risk of residents, and collect sewage treatment fees from 6 Sewage Treatment Subproject avoiding waterborne sewage discharge them properly. 3) The Employer is advised to Rong’an County diseases; 4) Improving the prepare a detailed resettlement plan based on the 7 Sewage Treatment environment of the affected resettlement survey results, and comply with the Subproject districts/counties; 5) state and local regulations and the resettlement Reducing production costs plan strictly, so that residents suffering losses are of enterprises, and realizing compensated and resettled as stipulated. 4) The orderly management of Employer is advised to establish an emergency wastewater discharge; 6) service mechanism to ensure the normal operation Liucheng County Providing more job of sewage treatment facilities. 5) The Employer is 8 Sewage Treatment opportunities; 7) Tail water advised to strengthen its own management and Subproject irrigation can improve the establish a self-check system for conforming agricultural production discharge. conditions in the affected areas, and increase farmers’ income
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project overview and SA task
In view of the water quality deterioration resulting from the industrial pollution and domestic sewage discharge with the rapid urbanization of the 4 county towns in the upper Liujiang River, the Project is important for not only improving the water quality of the Liujiang River, but also maintaining the water quality of the urban area of Liuzhou City resulting from the ongoing first phase. The Project aims to improve the water quality of the Liujiang River by investing in the sewage systems of the 4 county towns in the upper Liujiang River and the urban area of Liuzhou City, and the institutional development and capacity building of Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., Ltd. The Project consists of the Suburb Drainage Project, Sludge Disposal Project and the 6 sewage treatment subprojects in Guantang, Shatang, and Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties1. The SA task is to identify, analyze and assess the positive and negative impacts, and potential social risks of the Project, promote the effective involvement of stakeholders in construction activities, optimize the project planning design and construction implementation plan, and avoid the social risks of the Project through field survey, FGD, in-depth interview and other participatory methods on the basis of adequate consultation with all stakeholders.
1.2 SA methodology
During July 5-17, 2009, the Task Force collected information using such methods as literature study, key informant interview, door-to-door interview, participatory observation and questionnaire survey in the affected areas to learn the potential positive and negative impacts of the Project, the willingness to pay of local people (including the poor, ethnic minorities and women, etc.) and their needs and suggestions (see Table 1-1 for the SA methods). 1. Literature study z Collecting municipal and county annals presenting a general picture of the affected areas, and literatures on local customs; literatures on the social survey of local minority areas; and statistical yearbooks that reflect the economic and social conditions of the affected areas, etc.; z Collecting regulations, policies and other literatures on environmental protection and sewage control in the affected areas; z Collecting literatures on different types of water charges and collection; and
1 According to the FS Report, the construction period of each component is as follows: Suburb Drainage Project: Jan. 2010-Jul. 2019, Shatang County Sewage Treatment Subproject: Jun. 2010-Jul. 2015, Guantang County Sewage Treatment Subproject: Apr. 2010-Dec. 2015, Sanjiang County Sewage Treatment Subproject: Apr. 2010-Dec. 2011, Rongshui County Sewage Treatment Subproject: Apr. 2010-Jul. 2014, Rong’an County Sewage Treatment Subproject: May 2009-Aug. 2012, Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subproject: Oct. 2010-May 2014, Sludge Disposal Project: Jan. 2010-Dec. 2011.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
z Collecting literatures on the use of water sources and sewage treatment measures of enterprises involved in the Project 2. Key informant interview Aiming at relatively intensive issues, SA was conducted by means of FGD. In the affected areas of the sewage treatment subprojects, different agencies and departments were interviewed on the present situation of local environmental protection, the use of water sources and sewage discharge by different groups, and the impact of water source pollution on the physical health of local people; department heads concerned of different enterprises were interviewed on their water use and sewage treatment; heads of the municipal/county environmental protection bureaus, ethnic affairs committees, civil affairs bureaus, poverty reduction offices, water resources bureaus, women’s associations, personnel, labor and social security bureaus, agriculture bureaus, land and resources bureaus, statistics bureaus, construction bureaus and other relevant agencies, town governments and village committees concerned were interviewed in depth on the positive and negative impacts of the Project, the conditions of ethnic minorities, the poor and women in the affected areas, and relevant policies. 3. Door-to-door interview The construction of sewage treatment plants in Guantang, Shatang, Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng involves the acquisition of land of a few rural households and the relocation of some enterprises in the affected areas. During the survey, the Task Force interviewed affected rural households and enterprises to learn their attitudes toward and expectations for the Project, and the possible changes in their production and living patterns due to land acquisition and house demolition. 4. Participatory observation Participatory observation helped establish a visual understanding of the social and economic profile of the affected areas, and project construction, sewage discharge in the affected county towns, the proposed sites of the sewage treatment plants and pump stations, the planned routes of sewer networks, and the social and economic conditions of local people for the SA staff. 5. Questionnaire survey Aiming at the important issue of sewage treatment fees in the Sewage Treatment Project, the Task Force has prepared the Survey Questionnaire of Willingness and Ability to Pay of the World Bank Financed Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Project (see Appendix 2). In the survey, the purposeful sampling method was used to select affected people of different age groups, occupations, household income levels, sexes and ethnic groups to fully reflect the attitudes toward and expectations for the Project, and willingness and ability to pay of different groups. In the questionnaire survey, the questionnaire was answered and recovered on spot, where the surveyors answered inquiries, and directed and supervised the respondents to answer the questions during the whole process. 500 copies of questionnaire were handed out and 425 valid copies recovered, with a valid recovery ratio of 85%. In the survey sample, men account for 59.1%, higher than women (40.9%). Average age is 40.41 years, with a standard deviation of 14.45 years, ranging from 16 to 90 years. In terms of ethnic composition, Han people account for 67.3%, and Zhuang people 13.7%. Since Rongshui and Sanjiang are a
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Miao and Dong autonomous county respectively, Miao and Dong people account for 4.5% and 12.1% respectively. In terms of educational level, 74.2% of the respondents have received junior high school or above education, in which 20.3% have received junior college or above education, and those having receiving primary school or below education account for 25.8%.
Table 1-1 Schedule of SA Methods
Research Duration Project Participants Scope of survey method Suburb Drainage Literature 10 members of the Task July 5-30 Project, Sewage Project-related literatures study Force Treatment Project 15 group interviews Local environmental Suburb Drainage 10 people from the Task protection, use of water Project, Sewage Force, 6 people from the sources by different FGD July 7-14 Treatment Project, PMO, 50 men-times of groups, and sewage Sludge Disposal government department treatment and discharge, Project heads, 16 of enterprise/store etc. owners 10 people from the Task Livelihoods of local Suburb Drainage Door-to-door Force, 4 people from the people, possible impacts July 6-16 Project, Sewage interview PMO, 20 residential of the Project and their Treatment Project households needs Social life conditions of affected people; sewage Suburb Drainage discharge in the affected Project, Sewage 10 people from the Task areas; proposed sites of Participatory July 6-16 Treatment Project, Force, 4 people from the sewage treatment plants observation Sludge Disposal PMO and pump stations, Project direction of sewer networks; sludge disposal plants Willingness and ability to Suburb Drainage Questionnaire 10 people from the Task pay and environmental July 6-20 Project, Sewage survey Force, 425 affected people awareness, etc. of Treatment Project different ethnic groups
1.3 Scope of this report
The Task Force has identified the following social concerns for the SA according to the FS Report of the Project and field survey: (1) The Project is located in the urban area of the urban area and 4 counties of Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in which Sanjiang is a Dong autonomous county and Rongshui a Miao autonomous county. The SA is concerned about the impacts of the Project on ethnic minorities, their attitudes toward the Project, and if their wishes and suggestions have been included in the project design. (2) Collection of sewage treatment fees after the completion of the sewage treatment plants, such as the willingness and ability of the affected people to pay sewage treatment fees, and ways of collection, etc.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
According to the terms of reference for consulting services, this report will describe the social and economic conditions of the affected areas, analyze the key social factors affecting project implementation, identify the key stakeholders and analyze their needs and impacts, analyze poverty in the affected areas and if the Project will increase or reduce the possibility of poverty, identify the potential positive and negative of the Project, analyze the possible social risks of the Project, include social factors related to the fulfillment of the project objectives in the project design, and propose measures to avoid or reduce negative impacts with focus on the above issues. This report is structured to address: 1) the social and economic profile of the affected areas; 2) the stakeholders of the Project and public participation; 3) the social impacts of the Project; 4) the Project and poverty; 5) the willingness and ability to pay of the public; 6) the Project and ethnic minorities; 7) the social risks of the Project and policy suggestions; 8) appendixes, including the survey questionnaire and interview outline, plan to hold FGDs and main contents, etc.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
2. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE AFFECTED AREAS
2.1 Overview of the Project and Components
The Project consists of 8 components, which are the Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Plant Sludge Disposal Project, Liuzhou Suburb Drainage Project, and Guantang, Shatang, and Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subprojects. The Sludge Disposal Project involves the construction of sludge disposal facilities mainly; the Suburb Drainage Project involves the construction of a sewer network and pump stations; and the 6 sewage treatment subprojects involve the construction of sewage treatment plants and supporting sewer networks and pump stations (See Table 2-1 for details). The Project serves the urban area and 4 county towns governed by Liuzhou Municipality mainly. The Sludge Disposal Project is designed to dispose of dried sludge produced by the whole of the urban area and 5 nearby sewage treatment plants (Longquanshan, Baisha, Yanghe, Labao and Guantang). The Guantang and Shatang Sewage Treatment Subprojects are located in Luorong Town, Liudong New District and Shatang Town, Liubei District, and planned to serve the Liudong Hi-tech Development Zone, Guantang area and Shatang area. The Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subprojects are aimed mainly at the urban population of the county towns mainly.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Table 2-1 Schedule of the Project
No. Component Scope and size County/ State/ Scope of service Beneficiary Planned district province population beneficiary level poor (10,000) population in county? 2013 (10,000) 1 Suburb Drainage A separate discharge system will be applied to Suburb and No The service range of the project is the suburb and / 12.7 Project the new urban area and planned reconstructed some parts some parts of the urban area of Liuzhou, with the urban area, and an interception combined of urban following drainage systems: a. Baisha sewage drainage system to the old urban area, with a area with treatment plant drainage system: Huilongchong drain total pipe ditch length of 349.4Km and one water ditch (Que’er Mountain Park-riverside segment); b. sewage lifting pump station. logging Longquanshan sewage treatment plant drainage system: management of the upper Zhu’e Rivulet, interception works of the upper segment of the Liuzhou Motor Base 2 main drain canal, outlet segment of the refrigerated cabinet factory main canal, riverside of Shuinan Road, upper segment of the Liushi main canal, riverside from the Lianhua main canal to Longquanshan sewage treatment plant, Motan branch canal, southwest Taohua area, upper segment of the north branch of the Hexi main canal, upper segment of the Lianhua main canal, and west of the east area of the south segment of Liushi Road; c. Yanghe sewage treatment plant drainage system: Jianpan main canal, Futoushan drain ditch, Guting pump station and main sewer pipeline, Yanghe sewer network, north area of Hedong Road, east of Donghuan Road, and east of the east area of Liushi Road; d. Labao sewage treatment plant drainage system: Jiuqu riverside interception work; e. Zhu’e Rivulet south branch drainage system; f. Zhu’e Rivulet north branch drainage system; and g. Jianpanshan drainage system 2 Sludge Disposal Sludge from the 6 sewage treatment plants in Urban area No Sludge from the Guantang sewage treatment plant in 101.84 125 Project Liuzhou will be delivered to the sludge disposal the urban area, and the Longquanshan, Baisha, site of the Liuzhou sewage treatment plant for Yanghe and Labao sewage treatment plants
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) No. Component Scope and size County/ State/ Scope of service Beneficiary Planned district province population beneficiary level poor (10,000) population in county? 2013 (10,000) centralized disposal; the semi-drying + incineration process is recommended. The size will be 300t/d in 2013. 3 Shatang County Construction of a 2.0×104m3/d sewage Liubei No From North Ring Expressway in the south to Laibin 5.4 6.29 Sewage Treatment treatment plant in Shatang area, sewage District Agricultural Science Institute and Guangxi Ecological Subproject collecting pipes of 48.29Km, and 2 intermediate Engineering Vocational Polytechnic in the north; from lifting pump stations the Sanhe Reservoir and Jiangwan Village to Yangliu Village and Junwu Forest Park in the east 4 Guantang County Construction of a 4.0×104m3/d sewage Liudong No Guantang core area, Luorong Town, Jiangdong area / 10 Sewage Treatment treatment plant, sewage collecting pipes New District (riverside of the Liujiang River), Hualing area (space Subproject 51.67Km, and 6 intermediate lifting pump between Xianggui Railway and Guihai Expressway) stations 5 Sanjiang County Construction of a 1.0×104m3/d sewage Sanjiang State level Old town central complex zone, Hexi old town complex 4.7 6.0 Sewage Treatment treatment plant, sewage collecting pipes of County zone, Hedong commercial and residential area, and Subproject 6.73Km, 2 intermediate lifting pump stations Baishi central administrative area 6 Rongan County Construction of a 3.0×104m3/d sewage Rong’an Province Zone between the Hexi old urban area and Rongjiang 9.24 14 Sewage Treatment treatment plant, sewage collecting pipes of County level River and the railway Subproject 10.66Km, 2 intermediate lifting pump stations 7 Rongshui County Construction of a 2.0×104m3/d sewage Rongshui State level North urban area, from Yang’an in the east to 7.2 9.6 Sewage Treatment treatment plant, sewage collecting pipes of County Liugongzhai in the west, from Donghua Chemical Subproject 16Km, 2 intermediate lifting pump stations Plant in the south to the dependent area of the 309 Geology Brigade in the north 8 Liucheng County Construction of a 2.0×104m3/d sewage Liucheng No Main urban district of Hedong 4.52 8 Sewage Treatment treatment plant, sewage collecting pipes of County Subproject 7.9Km, 3 intermediate lifting pump stations in the near term Total 127 162.6 Note: Since the beneficiary population of the Suburb Drainage Project, Sludge Disposal Project and Sewage Treatment Project overlaps, the overlaps are excluded from this summary, and the data is based on the component that serves the largest population. Source: FS Report
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
2.2 General social and economic situation of the affected areas
Generally, the affected areas vary greatly in social and economic profile. The Guantang and Shatang sewage treatment plants are located in Liudong and Liubei Districts respectively, the Suburb Drainage Project is located in the urban area mainly; the urban area is developed, while the counties where the Sewage Treatment Project is located is relatively backward. In particular, Rongshui and Sanjiang Counties are state-level poor county, and Rong’an is an autonomous region level poor county.
2.2.1 Population composition
Liuzhou City is affiliated to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and an area inhabited by 47 ethnic minorities, including Zhuang, Miao, Dong, Yao, Hui and Gelao. The 10 ethnic minorities of Zhuang, Dong, Miao, Yao, Gelao, Hui, Shui, Manchu, Tujia and Maonan have a population of over 1,000. In 2007, the city’s total population was 3.625 million, in which minority population accounted for 54.34% and Zhuang population 35.37%. In the 4 affected counties, ethnic minorities take up a certain proportion. Sanjiang County is a Dong autonomous county, where ethnic minorities account for 84.96% of total population, in which Zhuang people account for 6% and Dong people 57.57%; in Rong’an County, ethnic minorities account for 43.63% of total population, in which Zhuang people account for 35.65%; Rongshui is a Miao autonomous county, where ethnic minorities account for 73.88% of total population, in which Zhuang people account for 13.24% and Miao people 41.29%; in Liucheng county, ethnic minorities account for 56.68% of total population, in which Zhuang people account for 51.32% (see Table 2-2). Generally, the urbanization level of Liuzhou is low, where nonagricultural population accounts for 34.87% of total population only. Except that there is a high percentage of nonagricultural population in the urban area, the percentage does not exceed 20% in the 4 counties, 8.36% only Sanjiang County and less than 15% in Rongshui and Liucheng Counties. Relative to the percentage of nonagricultural population to total population in the 4 counties, there is a high percentage of nonagricultural population in the county towns served by the sewage treatment facilities, but the nonagricultural population of the county towns of Sanjiang and Rongshui is less than agricultural population (see Table 2-2).
Table 2-2 Agricultural and Nonagricultural Population of Affected Districts/Counties (2007)
Percentage Percentage Percentage County Percentage Total of Percentage of Affected of minority of Zhuang town total of minority population agricultural nonagricultural area population population population population (10,000) population population (%) (%) (%) (10,000) (%) (%) Total of 362.5 54.34 35.37 65.13 34.87 / / Liuzhou Urban area 101.84 23.97 15.96 11.56 88.44 / / Sanjiang 36.55 84.96 6 91.64 8.36 4.7 32.13 County Rong’an 32.62 43.63 35.65 84.22 15.78 9.24 36.47 County Rongshui 48.98 73.88 13.24 88.62 11.38 7.2 34.17 County Liucheng 40.91 56.58 31.86 85.96 14.04 4.52 31.86
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
County Source: 2008 Liuzhou Economic Statistical Yearbook, county statistics
2.2.2 Economic development
Liuzhou City is an industrial base in western China and a strategic industrial town of Guangxi, ranking second only to the provincial capital Nanning in terms of economic volume. In 2007, the city’s GDP was 75.512 billion yuan, and per capita GDP 20,737, higher than Guangxi average (12,408 yuan). In 2007, the city’s per capita disposable income of urban residents was 12,866 yuan, lower than national average (13,786 yuan/capita) but higher than Guangxi average (12,200 yuan/capita). Among the affected districts/counties, the urban area is more developed than the 4 counties. The per capita disposable income of urban residents of the urban area is 13,198 yuan/capita, while that of Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties 10,293 yuan/capita, 11,390 yuan/capita, 10,360 yuan/capita and 10,505 yuan/capita respectively (see Table 2-3). In terms of consumption expenditure, the per capita consumption expenditure of urban residents of the urban area is 8,750 yuan/capita, higher than city average (7,910 yuan) and that of the 4 counties. The per capita consumption expenditure of Sanjiang County is the lowest at 5,916/ yuan. Differences in water expenses are shown in the affected areas in a pattern similar to overall consumption expenditure, and the water expenses of the urban area are higher than city average, and the water expenses of Sanjiang County are the lowest at 62.57 yuan (see Table 2-3).
Table 2-3 Social and Economic Indicators of Affected Districts/Counties (2007)
Per capita Per capita Per Per capita Per Financial disposable consumption GDP capita Water net capita revenue income of expenditure Affected area (10,000 Industry structure financial expenses income of GDP (10,000 urban of urban yuan) revenue (yuan) farmers (yuan) yuan) residents residents (yuan) (yuan) (yuan) (yuan) Total of Liuzhou 7,551,234 20,737 11.02: 54.74: 34.24 1,163,796 9,775 12,866 7,901 126.1 3,497 Urban area 5,105,070 50,128 8.62: 78.96: 12.42 174,306 1,711 13,198 8,750 130.5 4,078 Sanjiang County 134,138 3,670 35.82: 23.82: 40.37 8,029 220 10,293 5,916 62.57 2,391 Rong’an County 232,598 7,163 29.11: 33.75: 37.13 16,019 493 11,390 7,496 64.6 3,616 Rongshui County 245,482 5,047 31.37: 32.19: 36.44 18,408 378 10,360 6,251 67.87 2,265 Liucheng County 430,175 10,535 17.91: 55.86: 26.23% 28,000 686 10,505 6,509 70.71 3,954 Source: 2008 Liuzhou Economic Statistical Yearbook, county statistics; water expenses are based on the results of the willingness and ability to pay questionnaire survey.
Except domestic sewage, the Sewage Treatment Project will also collect part of industrial wastewater that can be admitted to sewage treatment plants. Liuzhou’s industrial production is concentrated in the urban area, whose gross industrial output value is 78.96% of that of the city. Among the affected counties, there are many enterprises in the areas served by the Guantang and Shatang Sewage Treatment Subprojects, which are located in the urban area, in which the Guantang sewage treatment plant will be built in the enterprise-intensive Liudong Hi-tech Development Zone. Of the 4 affected counties, Liucheng has a developed industry and many enterprises, with a gross industrial output value of 3.25836 billion yuan. In the affected districts/counties, enterprises involving wastewater discharge are paper mills,
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
chemical plants, steelworks, silk mills and sugar refineries, etc. As introduced by environmental protection authorities, all enterprises for which sewage treatment facilities are to be built already have appropriate sewage treatment facilities, which have passed the environmental assessment by the local environmental protection authorities for discharge up to standards. In addition, such enterprises are provided with a wastewater recycling system to save water costs.
Table 2-4 Number of Industrial Enterprises above Designated Size of Affected Districts/Counties and Gross Industrial Output Value
Gross output value of industrial enterprises above designated Number of industrial enterprises above designated size size (10,000 yuan) By industry By size of enterprise By industry sector By size of enterprise sector Total Small and Total Small and Light Heavy Large Medium Light Heavy Large Medium individual individual industry industry enterprises enterprises industry industry enterprises enterprises enterprises enterprises Total 620 134 486 10 77 533 11,498,137 1,356,773 10,141,364 6,390,809 3,050,641 2,056,687 Urban 59 302 9 47 305 726,625 9,115,913 6,289,321 2,265,160 1,288,054 area 361 9,842,538 Sanjiang 8 0 8 0 1 7 36,378 0 36,378 0 11,523 24,855 Rongshui 21 3 18 0 1 21 78,285 30,010 48,275 0 28,735 49,551 Rong’an 23 4 19 0 2 20 108,047 12,444 95,603 0 22,984 85,063 Liucheng 28 10 18 0 5 23 247,241 166,057 81,184 0 176,358 70,884 Source: 2008 Liuzhou Economic Statistical Yearbook
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
3. STAKEHOLDERS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
3.1 Identification of stakeholders
Depending on the mode of participation, the stakeholders of the Project can be divided into government agencies, employer/construction agency and affected residents. Depending on the degree of interest in the Project, stakeholders can be divided into close, relative close and ordinary stakeholders. Depending on nature, stakeholders can be divided into interest- damaged and interest-benefited ones.
3.1.1 Government agencies
Liuzhou World Bank PMO: The Liuzhou World Bank PMO led directly by the leading group headed by the deputy mayor in charge for project construction. Its main responsibilities are to negotiate with World Bank officials and the consulting agency, coordinate relevant work, act as a contact for project identification and evaluation, etc., implement resolutions of the Liuzhou Municipal Government and the Leading Group of the Project, and organize, contact, direct, coordinate and supervise the preparatory work and implementation of the Project. Municipal and county environmental protection bureaus: The environmental protection bureaus shall evaluate industrial wastewater treatment capacity, ensure conforming wastewater discharge through environmental assessment, and collect industrial wastewater discharge fees. The environmental protection bureaus have specific provisions on the wastewater discharge standards for enterprises. Enterprises that pay sewage treatment fees according to the applicable laws will be exempt from wastewater discharge fees. Therefore, the identification of industrial wastewater by the environmental protection bureaus will further affect the sewage collection of the sewage treatment plants, which is crucial for the Sewage Treatment Project. Since the Project is expected to improve sewage treatment capacity and ensure conforming discharge, the environmental protection bureaus will supervise the operation of the Project after its completion. Municipal and county water resources bureaus: The Project is an integrated environmental management project, and the municipal and county water resources bureaus are administrative departments in charge of water, responsible mainly for dividing water functional zones, controlling sewage discharge, monitoring the water volume and quality rivers, lakes and reservoirs, reviewing sewage receiving capacity, and giving opinions on sewage discharge limits. Municipal and county ethnic affairs committees and civil affairs bureaus: The city’s minority management work is the responsibility of the Liuzhou Municipal Ethnic Affairs Committees and county/district ethnic affairs bureaus. It can be confirmed through the institutional interview with the ethnic affairs committee and county/district ethnic affairs bureaus that the municipal ethnic affairs committee is not closely associated with the Project (the reason will be discussed later). In addition, the management of urban and rural MLS population involved in the project is the responsibility of the county/district civil affairs
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) bureaus, which are not directly involved in the Project; instead, MLS qualification by the civil affairs bureaus is required for the collection of sewage treatment fees and water charges of urban MLS households.
3.1.2 Employer/construction agency
The Employer of the Project is Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., Ltd., which is responsible for coordinating relations of all parties concerned, and organizing and managing project construction, and is a close stakeholder of the Project. Construction, operating agencies and workers: The Project has a large quantity of work and a construction period of 5 years. During the long construction period, the construction agency will affect nearby residents to some extent. The construction agency is connected to the Project via the Employer, and is also a relatively close stakeholder. For the sewage treatment plants, project operation is essential, because it will affect their output water quality. As a close stakeholder, the operating agency of the Project will keep the sewage treatment plants operating properly and collect sewage treatment fees.
3.1.3 Affected enterprises
Before project implementation, some enterprises and residents discharge industrial wastewater and domestic sewage into the Liujiang River and its branches, resulting in river pollution. One of the objectives of the Project is to prevent sewage from being drained into rivers and improve urban aquatic environment. After project completion, these enterprises will be incorporated into the sewage treatment system to pay sewage treatment fees, which will add to their production costs and lead to short-term profit losses.
3.1.4 Affected population
The Sewage Treatment Project will improve the environment greatly, generate interests for the affected residents, and of course, cause losses to some ordinary residents. After the completion of the sewage treatment plants, households connected to the sewer network will have to pay sewage treatment fees, which will add to their daily household expenditure, especially for poor households. Therefore, these households are interest- damaged stakeholders. The sewer networks must be located in the urban area or a county town. Despite the pipe jacking technique, traffic and air quality will be affected for residents during the construction period. The construction of the sewage treatment plants and pump stations will involve the acquisition of collective land, and reduce the agricultural income of the affected households. At the same time, the construction of the sewage treatment plants involves the relocation of a few enterprises. The sewer networks will go through some roads and community gates, which will affect residents’ traffic and daily life to some extent. Some pipelines are close to stores, and will have minor impact on their operation.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
After the completion of the Project, urban domestic sewage will be treated, improving urban water quality and drinking water hygiene for ordinary residents, and eliminating sources of waterborne diseases. These residents will benefit from the Project.
3.2 Public participation
3.2.1 Participation at the design stage
In order to involve all stakeholders well in the Project, the Task Force implemented a number of participatory processes. For example, the social and economic survey was conducted during July 5-17, 2009, with 425 copies of questionnaire collected. In addition, 15 FGDs were held to discuss topics related to the Project, involving representatives of the PMO, the government agencies and agencies concerned of Liuzhou Municipality and the 4 counties, township and village committee heads, and representatives of affected enterprises and residents. In addition, some residents were subject to in-depth interview on the positive and negative impacts of the Project, and their needs and suggestions for the Project (see Table 3-1).
Table 3-1 Schedule of Public Participation
Item Qty. Participants Description Duration Remarks Residents within the service range of the Impacts of the Project on Questionnaire Project, including low- 425 residents, their attitudes, July 6-16 survey income households, The Task Force needs and willingness to pay female-headed households provided an and ethnic minorities, etc. opportunity of Government agencies and participating in agencies concerned of the Project and Attitudes toward, needs and Liuzhou Municipality and sharing expectations for, and issues the 4 counties, township information to all FGD 15 of the Project, women’s July 7-14 and village committee stakeholders, development, setup of water heads, and representatives and also user associations of affected enterprises and surveyed the residents interests and Affected population and Attitudes toward the Projects, needs of door-to-door 20 residents within the service and opinions about and July 6-16 different interview range suggestions for project design stakeholders Social life conditions of (including affected people; sewage women, the poor discharge in the affected and minority participatory areas; proposed sites of households 16 Task Force, PMO July 5-17 observation sewage treatment plants and etc.). pump stations, direction of sewer networks; sludge disposal plants
3.2.2 Public participation mechanism and strategy
Since the role of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 1) in
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
improving the local living environment has been shown, there are generally positive comments on the Project among the public. Furthermore, the social survey reveals that the public in the affected areas have a high level of awareness of the Project and a support ratio of 96%. Since the PMO and design agency introduced the Project, the relevant components and other integral parts of the Project to all stakeholders at the preparatory stage, solicited their comments on the Project and investigated potential impacts, most stakeholders are already well aware of the Project. A detailed public participation plan has been developed under the resettlement and environmental management plans. A public participation procedure will also be performed in project monitoring and evaluation.
It is very necessary to establish a sound public participation mechanism throughout the project lifecycle, including the upcoming implementation, monitoring and subsequent project management stages, including information disclosure and complaint channels. The public participation plan includes participatory activities, methods and participants at different stages of the Project, and is shown in Table 3-2. The source of funds is the annual government fiscal budget involved in the resettlement plan, environmental management plan and components.
Table 3-2 Establishment of Public Participation Mechanism
Agencies Stage Activity Description Method Participants Remarks responsible z Coordinating relations of different parties, and The Those involved reporting residents’ assistance of in project comments the ethnic and construction, z Establishing the criteria for Collecting residents’ religious including construction worker selection, comments through PMO affairs women, the Participation in including the poor, women neighborhood Implementing bureaus, Implement poor, ethnic project and ethnic minorities committees, or agencies women’s ation minorities, construction z Supervising the payment of villagers’ comments Competent associations, displaced land and house through affected authorities social security persons, PMO compensation fees village committees bureaus and and z Training and publicity on relevant town implementing environmental awareness governments agencies z Participating in project is required. construction Printing the “Project Project Comment” brochure PMO monitoring and and handing it out Neighborhood Implementing feedback: Establishing a resident comment to residents so that Operation committees agencies establishment feedback system their feedback can PMO Competent of complaint be received, setting authorities channel up an appeal hotline at the PMO
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., z Subsequent management by Making publicity to Ltd., Liuzhou Sewage Treatment residents through Implementing Project construction Project Co., Ltd. and the Rongshui, brochures, agencies maintenance bureaus of the 4 manageme Sanjiang, Rong’an, Liucheng broadcast, TV, Municipal and counties, water nt County Construction newspaper, Internet planning participation resources Bureaus; assistance by the and neighborhood commission bureau; Liuzhou water resources bureaus committees Municipal Planning Commission
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
4. SOCIAL IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT
4.1 Suburb Drainage Project
4.1.1 Positive impacts
The suburb of Liuzhou is an extension of outward development of the city, and enjoys an extensive prospect of development. Presently, much suburban sewage is drained directly into the Liujiang River without treatment, aggravating the water pollution of the river year by year. The condition of the suburban drainage systems is pessimistic, as indicated by: 1) The urban drainage systems are unsophisticated, where rainwater and sewage are drained into canals and the Liujiang River separately, threatening the urban water supply source and affecting people’s quality of life and sustainable economic development; 2) There are many flood canals in the urban area, many of which are blocked or silted up due to absence of repair, collapse or insufficient sectional area; in the flood season, some urban flood canals cannot discharge water smoothly, resulting in frequent flood and water logging disasters in some areas2. The Suburb Drainage Project will increase the sewage collection ratio of Liuzhou City, reduce the pollution of effluents to the Liujiang River, improve the flood protection and drainage standards of the urban area, strengthen the flood resistance of the city effectively, and also improve drinking water quality and the living environment of residents, and provide necessary conditions for local social and economic development. The social objectives of project construction are shown in Table 4-2. Improving sewage collection capacity and urban environment: Taohua southwest area, the east of Donghuan Road, the north area of Hedong Road and the east area of the south Liushi Road have not been fully developed to date, and do not have a municipal drainage, where much rainwater and sewage flow into the Liujiang River without treatment through natural canals; in some areas, pipeline coverage is limited, and some canals have a small sectional area and a significantly insufficient flow capacity, resulting in water logging in these area, such as the valley of the Hedong main canal of the east of Donghuan Road. More, some existing canals are still earth open canals, and the drainage systems can no longer meet the demand for urban development. Liuzhou’s industrial wastewater is mostly drained directly into rivers, in which about 80% is drained up to standards. The Liuzhou Municipal CPC Committee and Government have rolled out the “Green Water and Blue Sky” action fully, under which it is planned that the conforming discharge ratio of industrial wastewater will be >99% and the central treatment ratio of urban sewage 85% by 2010 (GZF [2008] No.27). The Suburb Drainage Project will improve Liuzhou’s sewage collection capacity greatly, reduce the pollution of drainage to the Liujiang River effectively, improve the suburban environment and thereby residents’ living environment significantly, and allow for local social and economic development. Improving urban flood protection capacity: Presently, rainwater and sewage in Taohua southwest area gather in water ponds and natural gullies and are drained into the south main stream of the Zhu’e
2The highest level of the Liuzhou segment of the Liujiang River is mostly below 84.00m; years in which the level is above 84.00m account for about 28.1%, which means this occurs every 3.5 years on average. Floods are usually violent and rise and fall sharply; there was once a rise of 12.1m within 24 hours, and rise rate is up to 1.28m and is usually 0.3-0.5m. The maximum level variation in a single flood is about 18m. The flood period is from mid June to mid July, mostly occurring in mid June. A peak course may range from 25 to 3 days.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Rivulet, and finally into the Liujiang River. Many retaining dams have been set up on the south branch of the Zhu’e Rivulet (Shilan River) by villagers for irrigation and fish farming, resulting in unsmooth flood flow. In addition, the existing watercourses in the area have a small water-carrying section, so that the area is often hit by mountain floods during rainstorms. The Suburb Drainage Project will broaden the coverage of the drainage pipeline, reduce the damage of flood and water logging disasters to the urban environment, and improve the security for people’s lives and properties in the urban area and traffic conditions. Improving the quality of drinking water: Drinking water for urban residents is from the Liujiang River, which is also the receiving body of urban sewage and rainwater. Presently, since no drainage system is available for some suburban areas, part of domestic sewage and industrial wastewater is drained into the Liujiang River without treatment, threatening the drinking safety of urban residents. The Suburb Drainage Project will alter this situation, supply safe drinking water to urban residents and improve their living environment. Providing more job opportunities: This project will involve civil and other works, which will provide about 1,500 unskilled job opportunities to local residents3, especially laid-off workers and surplus rural labor. In addition, Liuzhou is rated as one of the best commercial cities of Mainland China by the world- famous magazine Forbes in 2004. This project will further improve the investment environment of Liuzhou, and attract more enterprises to settle here, thereby providing more job opportunities. Liuzhou is a famous historical and cultural city and excellent tourist city of China. The Suburb Drainage Project will improve urban appearance, beautify the environment, improve the water quality of the Liujiang River, allow for the development of rich tourist resources along the “Hundred-mile Liujiang River”, and provide additional revenue to the local government. It will then be possible for citizens to benefit from improved finance.
4.1.2 Negative impacts
According to the FS Report, the Suburb Drainage Project will be constructed along roads mainly, which will affect urban road traffic, and the production and business operation of enterprises and stores along roads adversely during the construction period. According to the field survey of the Task Force, the operators of these enterprises and stores support the Suburb Drainage Project but are also worried that construction will damage part of the road surface and cause a traffic jam in some sections, which is adverse to the passage of personnel and vehicles, and will affect the short-term production and business operation of enterprises and stores. In addition, borrow soil, dust and noise produced during construction will make nearby residents’ trip inconvenient and pose health hazards. The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to take a series of measures, such as performing construction in sections and avoiding traffic peaks, in order to minimize negative impacts.
4.2 Sludge Disposal Project
4.2.1 Positive impacts
With the expansion of a sewage treatment plant, the amount of sludge produced by it will increase, and it will be a sharper problem how to dispose of a large amount of sludge properly. If no effective
3 Estimated by the SA Task Force based on the FS Report
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) measures could be taken, the urban environment will be affected seriously. The Sludge Disposal Project will dispose of dried sludge produced by the Longquanshan, Baisha, Yanghe, Labao and Guantang sewage treatment plants in Liuzhou and the surrounding area. This project will reduce the load of urban waste disposal, reduce the threat of sludge to water bodies and soil, and improve environmental quality. Presently, all sewage treatment plants of Liuzhou produce nearly 55 tons of sludge per day, which is dried mechanically and transported directly to the local garbage disposal plants for landfill. However, since sludge has a moisture content of up to 60%, mechanical compaction is difficult to operate, and the vent and leachate holes of the disposal plants are likely to be blocked, so that the required moisture content of 40% cannot be met. Therefore, sludge produced by the sewage treatment plants will be piled up nearby, polluting the plant areas and surrounding environment. In the Sludge Disposal Project, the rotary kilns of the cement mill under Yufeng Group will be used for incineration on the basis of sludge concentration and drying, so as to realize “innocent, reduced, stable and re-cyclic” sludge disposal. This project will maximize the role of reducing environmental pollution of the completed sewage treatment plants, reduce the risk of secondary pollution from sludge greatly, and improve local environmental quality. In addition, the final disposal of incineration by the cement rotary kilns is adopted, where sludge is converted into cement clinker and finally into finished cement, realizing the innocent treatment and recycling of sludge, and promoting local economic development. The combination of sludge disposal and recycling is the best way out for urban sludge. The social objectives of project construction are shown in Table 4-2.
4.2.2 Negative impacts
Sewage treatment and sludge disposal projects are municipal infrastructure projects of low profitability that call for fiscal support from the government. Techniques selected should be suited to the local social and economic level, and construction costs controlled strictly to avoid any considerable rise in sewage treatment fees that may increase the burden of urban residents. Although enclosed tanker trucks are used to collect and transport sludge, there is the risk of odor spreading during sludge disposal. If sludge cannot be deodorized effectively, there will still be the risk of secondary pollution. Flying ash and temporarily stored sludge during construction will affect the working environment of the cement mill adversely for the moment, and make roads obstructed in rainy days.
4.3 Sewage Treatment Project
The Sewage Treatment Project consists mainly of the Shatang County, Guantang, Sanjiang County, Rong’an County, Rongshui County and Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subprojects. Presently, there is no sewage treatment plant in these areas, where untreated domestic sewage is finally drained into the Liujiang River, resulting in water pollution (see Table 4-1). This project will improve the flood protection and drainage, sewage treatment and integrated water resource management capacities of the urban area and 4 counties, expand the coverage of environmental infrastructure, meet the needs of different groups in the affected areas, improve the social and economic aspects of the affected areas, ensure that vulnerable groups can also benefit from the Project, and minimize the adverse impacts of the Project, thereby promoting the stable, sustained and balanced economic, social and environmental development of the urban area and 4 counties.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
The social objectives of the Sewage Treatment Project are shown in Table 4-2.
Table 4-1 Construction Sites, Present Situation and Treatment Ratio of Sewage Treatment Project
Long-term Near-term sewage Construction sewage Component Present situation of sewage treatment treatment site treatment ratio (2020- ratio (2013) 2025) Most of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage in the Shatang Shatang area is mostly drained into the Huilong ditch via the Shatang River County Shatang area, without treatment, and finally into the Liujiang River. Since the Sewage 85% 100% Liubei District Huilong ditch receives a large amount of industrial wastewater and Treatment domestic sewage from Liubei District, resulting in a long Subproject nonconforming pollution zone in the lower part of the Huilong ditch. The Guantang area is mostly covered by farmland, where artificial drainage facilities are irrigation earth canals, and there are almost no Guantang drainage facilities for rains, floods and sewage, so that rains and County floods flow into lakes and ponds in an unorganized manner, and are Liudong New Sewage drained into waters via natural gullies. The drainage facilities have to 85% 100% District Treatment be improved in advance together with the road system, and a Subproject rainwater and sewage collection system, flood drainage and sewage lifting pump stations, and sewage central treatment facilities constructed in an organized manner. A combined drainage system is used in the county town, and no Sanjiang sewage treatment plant has been built. The drainage facilities here County Guyi Town, are crude, and there is no uniform means of rain and sewage Sewage Sanjiang 60% 100% separation, so that sewage is largely drained directly into the Treatment County Xunjiang River, subjecting the natural water to pollution by domestic Subproject sewage and industrial wastewater. A combined drainage system is used in the county town, and no sewage treatment plant has been built. The existing drainage pipe Rong’an Chang’an canals include cement pipes, reinforced concrete pipes and covered County Town, open ditches, where domestic sewage is drained directly into the Sewage 70% 100% Rong’an Rongjiang River. Sewage drainage is also restricted by fluctuations Treatment County in topographic gradient, and there is almost no drainpipe in some Subproject segments, resulting in difficult drainage. Moreover, the sewer network is laid disorderly. A combined drainage system is used in the county town, and no sewage treatment plant has been built. The existing drainage system Rongshui Rongshui has a low construction standard, and there are few combined County Town, drainage canals only, most of which are earth or masonry ditches. Sewage 65% 100% Rongshui Sewage from the old urban area flows into the Rongjiang River via Treatment County four sewage ports. Since no sewage treatment plant has been built, Subproject domestic sewage and industrial wastewater are drained directly, resulting in serious river pollution. A combined drainage system is used in the county town, and no Liucheng sewage treatment plant has been built. The Hexi area of the county County Dapu Town, town is still at initial stage of development, with a small discharge of Sewage Liucheng 70% 100% domestic sewage and industrial wastewater. Domestic sewage from Treatment County the Hedong area is drained into lowlands, ponds and rivulets via Subproject natural drainage canals, and finally into the Rongjiang River. Source: Feasibility Study (FS) Report of the Project
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
4.3.1 Positive impacts
Improving the sewage treatment capacity of the urban area and 4 counties: The Sewage Treatment Project in the urban area and 4 counties will improve the sewage treatment capacity of the urban area, provide a sewage treatment plant for the 4 counties, and improve the sewage treatment ratio of Liuzhou City. In 2007, Liuzhou’s overall sewage treatment ratio attained 52.92%, and that of the urban area 56.88%. According to the FS Report, when the Sewage Treatment Project is competed, it will improve the sewage treatment capacity of the urban area and 4 counties greatly, and sewage treatment ratio will attain 80.68% in 2013 (see Table 4-1). In addition, this project will be an important measure to realize the 11th Five-year Plan of the Liuzhou Municipal Government – doing well in environmental protection, preventing industrial and urban pollution comprehensively, and facilitating the construction of domestic waste and urban sewage treatment facilities. Reducing the treatment cost of tap water, and ensuring the safe use of water by residents: The Liujiang River is the source of drinking water for the urban area, the Xunjiang River for the Sanjiang County town, and the Rongjiang River for the Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng County towns. Moreover, these waters are also the receiving bodies of domestic sewage and industrial wastewater of the corresponding areas/counties. Domestic sewage and treated industrial wastewater from the urban area are drained into the Liujiang River; domestic sewage of residents of the Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng County towns is drained into the Xunjiang and Rongjiang Rivers without treatment, and industrial wastewater from some industrial enterprises is also drained into these waters, resulting in urban aquatic environmental pollution. In addition, the Xunjiang and Rongjiang Rivers are also located upstream the Liujiang River. Accordingly, the water quality of the Rongjiang, Xunjiang and Liujiang Rivers not only affects public health in the affected areas, but also affects the availability of safe drinking water for downstream residents. The construction of sewage treatment plants in the urban area and 4 counties can reduce the pollution of domestic sewage and industrial wastewater to the Rongjiang, Xunjiang and Liujiang Rivers, thereby reducing the treatment cost of tap water, and ensuring the safe use of water by residents. Improving the water quality of the affected areas, and avoiding waterborne diseases: Presently, domestic sewage of the 4 county towns is treated biologically via secondary or tertiary septic tanks by sedimentation. In the rainy season, sewage in the septic tanks would be flushed away by heavy rains, so that they cannot function as intended and may cause relevant diseases. Once such diseases break out intensively, people’s work and life will be affected seriously and extra household medical expenses will be incurred. The Sewage Treatment Project will reduce the probability of exposure of sewage to clean water, ensure hygienic and safe water use by the affected residents, improve their physical health, and reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases. Improving the environment of the affected districts/counties: In the Shatang and Guantang areas and the 4 county towns, a combined drainage system is used, and there are few combined drainage canals only, which are mostly earth or masonry canals. Since there is no sewage treatment plant, there is no clear drainage zoning in the existing drainage systems, and the drainage ports are scattered, most of sewage is drained directly into nearby waters via tertiary septic tanks, and some of domestic sewage is even drained directly without treatment, resulting in water pollution and affecting people’s regular life greatly. The Sewage Treatment Project will eliminate disorderly sewage drainage in the affected districts/counties and reduce pollutant discharge greatly, thereby reducing the organic load on
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) the aquatic environment in these areas and improve the environment of these areas. Reducing production costs of enterprises: After the Sewage Treatment Project is completed, domestic sewage and industrial wastewater within the service range will be collected and treated. Enterprises without a sewage treatment facility will not have to invest heavily in sewage treatment, so that these enterprises can reduce sewage treatment costs and use cost savings for expanded reproduction, and orderly wastewater drainage management can be realized. However, enterprises with a sewage treatment facility may recalculate costs to determine which mode of treatment is more rational. Providing more job opportunities: This project has been planned to 2013 in the near term and 2020- in the long term, and has a long construction period. During this period, about 3,000 unskilled job opportunities will be created; during the operating period, 200 job opportunities for maintenance and management of the sewage treatment plants will be created. Through consultation with the Employer, the PMO will urge the implementing agencies to make these job opportunities available to surplus labor in the affected and surrounding areas, giving priority to vulnerable groups, including the poor, ethnic minorities and women. Tail water irrigation can improve the agricultural production conditions in the affected areas, and increase farmers’ income: The Task Force has found in the interview at Xiakuo Village, Rongshui Town, Rongshui County that since this village and several nearby villages are elevated, crops cannot be irrigated in the non-rainy season, so there can be only one harvest per year; the existing irrigation canals in the village are available, but the villagers are unwilling to use them because the high water head adds to irrigation costs. The survey reveals that the villagers support this project greatly, and expect that treated tail water can be directed to the existing canals so that crops can be irrigated to increase their income. Through consultation, the Employer has agreed to direct tail water to the existing irrigation canals for farmland irrigation. The Sewage Treatment Project will improve urban appearance, protect the natural landscape of the Liujiang, Xunjiang and Rongjiang Rivers, and promote the development of local tourism; in addition, this projects will also improve infrastructure, strengthen urban service functions, improve the investment environment of the urban area and 4 counties, protect industrial enterprises from the impact of water pollution and attract more enterprises to invest here, thereby promoting urban economic development.
4.3.2 Negative impacts
Risk of land acquisition and house demolition: The construction of the sewage treatment plants and pump stations under the Sewage Treatment Project involves the permanent acquisition of 455.749 mu of collective land, affecting 1,121 farmers out of 215 households. The income and livelihoods of these households will be affected to varying degrees; Guangxi Dongsanjiang Food Co., Ltd., Dazhu Village Oil Mill and Dazhu Village Sand Plant in Sanjiang County will be relocated, whose productive and operating activities will be affected to varying degrees. The implementing agencies shall assist authorities and departments at all levels to conduct land acquisition and house demolition properly, restore livelihoods of the affected people and the production and business operation of the affected enterprises and stores, and pay compensation fees to the affected people fully and timely. Management risks of sewer network: When completed and put into operation, the Sewage Treatment Project will change the sewage treatment pattern of local residents, which will be the greatest change for the local society. This project will alter the discharge pattern of domestic sewage of local residents and wastewater of some stores and enterprises (including guesthouses and hotels). If the sewer network malfunctions, the sewage and wastewater discharge of local residents and some stores
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) and enterprises, causing inconvenience to residents’ daily life, and having a negative impact on the normal operation of stores and enterprises. Impact of increased water costs on vulnerable groups: For residents, sewage treatment fees will be collected to keep the sewage treatment facilities running properly. Based on the above social and economic analysis, urban residents in the urban area and especially the 4 counties, have low per capita disposable income that is lower than national average. For low-income households, sewage treatment fees will be a big burden. According to the information provided by the civil affairs bureaus concerned, the population covered by MLS in the second quarter of 2009 was 21,451, 23,115, 12,746, 22,880 and 16,743 in the urban area and Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties respectively (see Table 6-2). For this MLS population, the proportion of sewage treatment fees levied to household expenditure is much higher than that of an average household. This project may pauperize vulnerable groups, so the government agencies concerned should promulgate and implement subsidization or exemption policies for vulnerable groups.
4.4 Analysis of Project Impact on Women
4.4.1 Positive impacts
Generally, men and women will benefit from the Project equally. However, since women do most housework (e.g., cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, taking care of children and old people), they are more closely associated with domestic water and sewage, and the Project may benefit women more. The interviews indicate that the affected women can benefit more from the Project in the following ways: 1) With the improvement of the living environment, safe drinking water will be available and women will have less chances of exposure to contaminated water, reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases. 2) Job opportunities: During the construction period of the Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects, nearly 4,500 unskilled job opportunities will be made available first to vulnerable groups including women. These unskilled jobs will increase women’s income and improve their family status. 3) The improvement of sewage treatment facilities will not only improve the living environment, but also reduce the burden of housework on women through orderly sewage management and drainage.
4.4.2 Potential risks
According to the FGDs and in-depth interviews for individual women, though the Project will benefit women, it has potential risks of reducing or excluding women’s benefits from the Project if sensitivity to social gender lacks in project design, implementation and operation management. The main risks include: 1) Women’s needs are neglected. In the affected areas, women have a lower educational level than men due to the traditional culture and economic condition. As a result, people (including women themselves) often think women are poorly educated and have a lower ability to participate in significant household affairs and public affairs. This understanding often leads to the neglect of women’s needs and suggestions at the design, implementation and operation management stages of the Project. For example, their needs are neglected in the project design, though they play an important role in housework closely related to water; some women are unable to sign for land compensation fees because they are not regarded as householders; female workers are excluded or their rights cannot be protected during the construction period. 2) Women have weak environmental awareness and sense of water conservation. Since women are important in water-related housework, their environmental awareness and sense of
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) water conservation determine the water-use pattern and sewage treatment mode of the family to some extent, thereby affecting the proper functioning of the Project.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Table 4-2 Social Objectives of the Project
Project No. Component Scope of service Social objectives of project construction The service range of the project is the suburb and some parts of the urban area of Liuzhou, with the Solving the sewage collection problem in the following drainage systems: a. Baisha sewage treatment plant drainage system: Huilongchong suburb effectively, reducing pollutants drained drain ditch (Que’er Mountain Park-riverside segment); b. Longquanshan sewage treatment plant into the Liujiang River significantly; improving drainage system: management of the upper Zhu’e Rivulet, interception works of the upper segment urban appearance and hygiene, protecting of the Liuzhou Motor Base 2 main drain canal, outlet segment of the refrigerated cabinet factory people’s physical health; protecting the natural main canal, riverside of Shuinan Road, upper segment of the Liushi main canal, riverside from the landscape of the Liujiang River, and promoting Suburb Suburb Drainage Lianhua main canal to Longquanshan sewage treatment plant, Motan branch canal, southwest the development of urban tourism 1 Drainage Project Taohua area, upper segment of the north branch of the Hexi main canal, upper segment of the Lianhua main canal, and west of the east area of the south segment of Liushi Road; c. Yanghe sewage treatment plant drainage system: Jianpan main canal, Futoushan drain ditch, Guting pump station and main sewer pipeline, Yanghe sewer network, north area of Hedong Road, east of Donghuan Road, and east of the east area of Liushi Road; d. Labao sewage treatment plant drainage system: Jiuqu riverside interception work. Planned population is 1.25 million in 2013, and 1.6 million in 2020-2025. Removing the sludge recycling bottleneck; Liuzhou Sewage Serving the urban area (including the Longquanshan, Baisha, Yanghe, Labao and Guantang avoiding the pollution of sludge to groundwater Sludge Treatment Plant 2 sewage treatment plants) mainly, with a planned population of 1.25 million in 2013 and 1.6 million in and other waters; conserving drinking water Disposal Sludge Disposal 2020-2025, and a total planned area of 168km2 sources, reducing diseases and improving Project citizens’ health Shatang County Serving the Shatang area mainly, with a planned population of 62,900 and a planned construction Improving the city’s sewage treatment capacity Sewage 3 Sewage Treatment land area of 6.38 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 125,000 and a planned construction and environment, the flood protection and Treatment Subproject land area of 15.87 km2 in 2020-2025 drainage capacity of the main urban Guantang County Serving the Guantang area (Guantang area) mainly, with a planned population of 100,000 and a watercourses and the treatment capacity of the 4 Sewage Treatment planned construction land area of 12.0 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 500,000 and a sewage treatment plants through effective flood Subproject planned construction land area of 51.08 km2 in 2020-2025 management and sewage treatment;
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Sanjiang County Serving the Sanjiang County town mainly, with a planned population of 60,000 and a planned accelerating the restoration of riverside 5 Sewage Treatment construction land area of 5.52 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 100,000 and a planned landscape and ecology; improving the quality of Subproject construction land area of 9.5 km2 in 2020-2025 domestic water and living environment of Rong’an County Serving the Rong’an County town mainly, with a planned population of 140,000 and a planned residents; reducing production costs of 6 Sewage Treatment construction land area of 12.26 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 200,000 and a planned enterprises; relieving the intensifying shortage Subproject construction land area of 21.0 km2 in 2020-2025 of irrigation water due to water pollution in Rongshui County Serving the Rongjiang County town mainly, with a planned population of 95,900 and a planned some areas effectively through tail water 7 Sewage Treatment construction land area of 11.42 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 150,000 and a planned irrigation; providing more job and investment Subproject construction land area of 18.87 km2 in 2020-2025 opportunities, etc. Liucheng County Serving the Liucheng County town mainly, with a planned population of 80,000 and a planned 8 Sewage Treatment construction land area of 8.14 km2 in 2013; and a planned population of 150,000 and a planned Subproject construction land area of 15.15 km2 in 2020-2025
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
5. WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO PAY OF THE AFFECTED POPULATION
The sewer networks of the Project will be connected to the existing drainpipe networks of the suburb and Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng county towns so that sewage collected from nearby residents, entities and enterprises will be directed to the new sewer networks by connection or interception. The costs of these works will be borne by the Employer, and the nearby residents, entities and enterprises do not have to pay a connection fee4. Therefore, sewage treatment fees are the most crucial for the Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects in the Project, and whether such fees will be levied and their amount will affect the Project’s social and economic benefits and determine if the Project is sustainable directly. For this reason, the willingness and ability to pay sewage treatment fees of the affected people, and the mode of collection have been analyzed according to the results of the survey of the willingness and ability to pay, interviews and FGDs of residents in the affected areas. Specifically, a probability payment model is used to calculate the willingness to pay of residents, and their ability to pay is judged based on an analysis of the proportion of water expenses to disposable income and the rationality level of sewage treatment fees. According to international standards, the ability to pay level of urban residents in this SA is fixed at 3%.
5.1 Willingness to pay
5.1.1 Model and data source
1. Modeling In order to reflect the dynamism and uncertainty of residents’ willingness to pay, the methodology of fuzzy mathematics is used here to establish a probability model, which assigns different probabilities to different levels of willingness. “Very willing”, “fairly willing”, “willing”, “not quite willing” and “very unwilling” correspond to the payment probabilities (Ci) of 0.99, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.01 respectively. The final amount that the respondents is willing to pay reflects their decision based on a comprehensive consideration of different price ranges, so we call such payment the integrated probability-based amount of willingness to pay Pm, and Vi is the amount of willingness to pay of Level i5. The formula is as follows:
4 Enterprises and residents far away from the main pipelines are less willing to connect for the sewer networks if they are to pay a connection fee. Through consultation with the Employer, sewage collected from nearby residents, entities and enterprises will be directed to the new sewer networks by connection or interception. The costs of these works will be borne by the Employer, and the nearby residents, entities and enterprises do not have to pay any expense. 5 According to the current water rates in the affected areas, the following rate ranges are used in the questionnaire at the option of the respondents: >61 yuan, 41-60 yuan, 31-40 yuan, 25-30 yuan, 21-25 yuan, 16-20 yuan, 11-15 yuan, 6-10 yuan, 5-1 yuan and 1-0 yuan. When data is substituted into the model for calculation, the medians of these rate ranges are used, with the medians of the highest and lowest ranges being 70 yuan and 0.5 yuan.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
5 = pCVmii∑ (1) i=1
2. Data source The data used in the willingness to pay model comes from the Survey of Willingness and Ability to Pay of the World Bank Financed Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Project, in which 425 copies of questionnaire were recovered. In different affected areas, the percentage of valid copies of questionnaire recovered ranges from 14% to 24% (see Table 5-1).
Table 5-1 Distribution of Questionnaire in Different Affected Areas
Valid Sample size in the Affected area N Percentage percentage probability model Urban area 91 21.4 21.4 91 Sanjiang 93 21.9 21.9 93 County Rong’an 99 23.3 23.3 99 County Rongshui 61 14.4 14.4 61 County Liucheng 81 19.1 19.1 81 County Total 425 100.0 100.0 425 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 425 valid samples
5.1.2 Willingness to pay analysis
1. Willingness to pay of residents in different affected areas According to the survey of willingness and ability to pay, monthly sewage treatment fees that residents are willing to pay average 25.14 yuan. There are significant differences in the willingness to pay sewage treatment fees among different affected areas. The average amount of sewage treatment fees that residents in the urban area are willing to pay is the highest, being 39.00 yuan; Rongshui County is a state-level poor county, where the amount willing to be paid is 15.66 yuan only; there is little difference among Sanjiang, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties. The willingness to pay of the affected people in Rongshui County is the most concentrated, because the span of the 95% confidence interval is 7.52 yuan only (see Table 5-2).
Table 5-2 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Residents in Different Affected Areas
Affected Standard 95% confidence interval N Average Span area deviation Upper limit Lower limit Urban area 83 39.0010 38.06821 47.190917 30.811083 16.379833 Sanjiang 79 23.1589 19.51248 27.461738 18.856062 8.605676 County Rong’an 92 22.4941 18.86830 26.349726 18.638474 7.7112525 County Rongshui 58 15.6548 14.60492 19.413531 11.896069 7.5174622 County
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Liucheng 80 22.6388 18.09023 26.602996 18.674604 7.9283929 County Total 392 25.1408 24.85555 27.601374 22.680226 4.9211478 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 392 valid samples
2. Household income and willingness to pay Household income affects the willingness to pay sewage treatment fees to some extent. According to the survey of willingness and ability to pay, households with annual income of 20,001-30,000 yuan are the most concentrated in the willingness to pay sewage treatment fees, with a span of 8.09 yuan in the confidence interval (see Table 5-3). In addition, it can be seen from Table 5-3 that there is no significant correlation between the willingness to pay of residents in the affected areas and their income, which is probably because sewage treatment fees are small in amount and take up a low proportion in their living expenses.
Table 5-3 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Households of Different Annual Income
95% confidence Annual household Standard N Average interval Span income deviation Upper limit Lower limit <5,000 yuan 6 23.0275 23.49162 41.824711 4.2302891 37.594422 5001-10,000 yuan 31 33.1137 21.05888 40.526982 25.700418 14.826563 10001-20,000 yuan 106 31.1757 25.61145 36.051404 26.299996 9.7514074 20001-30,000 yuan 113 23.5158 21.93010 27.5593 19.4723 8.0870003 >30,000 yuan 67 19.1860 22.63012 24.60483 13.76717 10.83766 Don’t know 66 19.7219 28.60139 26.622252 12.821548 13.800704 Total 389 24.9710 24.67487 27.423089 22.518911 4.904177 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 389 valid samples
3. Educational level and willingness to pay According to the questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay, residents’ educational level is positively correlated with their willingness to pay sewage treatment fees generally; the higher the educational level, the stronger the willingness to pay sewage treatment fees. Residents having received junior college or above education are willing to pay the highest amount of sewage treatment fees, averaging 30.44 yuan; and those having received junior high school education are willing to pay the lowest amount of sewage treatment fees, averaging 22.26 yuan. Residents that are the most concentrated in willingness to pay are those having received primary school or below education, with a span of 7.14 yuan in the confidence interval. It is noteworthy that those having received junior college education are slightly more willing to pay than those having received undergraduate education; in addition, those having received primary school education is slightly more willing to pay than those having received junior and senior high school education (see Table 5-4).
Table 5-4 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Residents of Different Educational Levels
Standard 95% confidence interval Educational level N Average Span deviation Upper limit Lower limit
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Undergraduate or 30 29.6227 42.47705 44.822917 14.422483 30.400434 above Junior college 41 30.4417 31.92680 40.214512 20.668888 19.545624 Senior high school 70 23.8066 22.38830 29.051391 18.561809 10.489582 Junior high school 140 22.2605 22.53867 25.994036 18.526964 7.4670719 Primary school or 105 25.2219 18.66148 28.791401 21.652399 7.139002 below Total 386 24.7876 24.83739 27.265412 22.309788 4.9556243 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 386 valid samples
4. Occupation and willingness to pay According to the questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay, occupation affects residents’ willingness to pay sewage treatment fees significantly. Except students, those more willing to pay sewage treatment fees are corporate executives, specialized technicians, commercial or service staff, heads of state organs, Party organizations, NGOs or public institutions, and those less willing to pay are housewives and operators of production or transport equipment. Housewives have the smallest span in the willingness to pay sewage treatment fees (see Table 5-5).
Table 5-5 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Residents of Different Occupations
95% confidence Standard Occupation N Average interval Span deviation Upper limit Lower limit Head of state organ, Party organization, NGO or public 12 28.0862 35.01689 29.898871 -11.72647 41.62534 institution Corporate executive 5 36.4450 54.57216 84.279607 -11.38961 95.66922 Specialized technician or 44 31.9572 44.847336 19.067064 assistant 43.62423 25.78027 Clerk or similar 35 26.0949 39.34314 39.129301 13.060499 26.0688 Commercial or service 40 22.1988 34.463257 9.9343432 enterprise owner 39.57512 24.52891 Commercial or service staff 61 28.5917 43.36154 39.473378 17.710022 21.76336 Operator of production or 37 16.3470 30.875733 1.8182671 transport equipment 45.0892 29.05747 Unemployed 48 20.7084 46.52074 38.869193 12.547607 26.32159 Retiree 36 25.0274 52.24358 42.093636 7.9611639 34.13247 Housewife 46 20.2985 33.05438 29.850761 10.746239 19.10452 Student 26 31.5771 50.26123 50.896895 12.257305 38.63959 Total 390 24.9367 44.5968 29.362864 20.510536 8.852328 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 390 valid samples
5. Age and willingness to pay According to the questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay, age is also strongly correlated with residents’ willingness to pay sewage treatment fees. In the population aged 16 years or above surveyed, the lower the age is, the higher the willingness to pay. This is partly attributed to young people’s stronger environmental awareness; more importantly, they have higher ability and more opportunities to earn money, so sewage treatment fees have a low proportion to their expenditure.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
6. Entitlement to government grants and willingness to pay Identifying the willingness to pay of those entitled to government grants will help take the interests of some vulnerable groups, especially MLS households, well into account during project implementation. Statistics show that those entitled to government grants are willing to pay 20.41 yuan, lower by the amount that those not entitled are willing to pay by 3.84 yuan (see Table 5-6).
Table 5-6 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Residents Receiving/Not Receiving Government Grants
Entitlement to government grants N Average Standard deviation Entitled 28 20.4070 19.55158 Not entitled 362 24.2494 23.59066 Total 390 23.97 22.69157 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 390 valid samples Note: Government grants include: 1) MLS benefits; and 2) five guarantees.
It can be seen from the above analysis that the ability to pay of the affected residents is correlated with living area, household income, age, educational level, occupation and entitlement to government grants, in which age, educational level and occupation affect on the willingness of residents to pay sewage treatment fees significantly. The average amount of sewage treatment fees that local residents are willing to pay (25.14 yuan/month) is taken as the median value, with 3 yuan above and below this value as the boundary points of high, medium and low willingness to pay. More than 28.14 yuan corresponds to high willingness to pay, less than 22.14 yuan to low willingness to pay, and any amount between the two points to medium willingness to pay. A summary is shown in Table 5-7.
Table 5-7 Willingness to Pay Sewage Treatment Fees (Monthly) of Residents of Different Social and Economic Backgrounds
Social and economic High willingness to pay Medium willingness to Low willingness to pay background (>28 yuan) pay (22-28 yuan) (<22 yuan) Affected area Urban area Sanjiang, Liucheng, Rongshui Rong’an Educational level Junior college, Senior high school Junior high school, undergraduate or above Primary school or below Annual household income 5,001-10,000 yuan, <5,000 yuan, 20,001- >30,000 yuan (yuan) 10,001-20,000 30,000 yuan Entitlement to government Not entitled Entitled grants Occupation Corporate executive, Clerk or similar, Operator of production or head of public institution, commercial or service transport equipment, specialized technician or enterprise owner, unemployed, housewife assistant, commercial or unemployed, retiree service staff, student
5.2 Modes of fee collection
An appropriate mode of collection of sewage treatment fees will not only facilitate the collection of sewage treatment fees, but also affect people’s way of using water and sense of
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) water conservation. Under the prevailing system, there are 3 modes of collection: 1) based on actual water consumption, 2) based on household population, and 3) sharing among households. According to the questionnaire survey, the most residents in the affected areas choose Mode 1, accounting for 76.0% of all respondents; Modes 2 and 3 account for 1.4% and 3.5% respectively (see Table 5-8). In a comprehensive consideration of people’s willingness and the local prevailing modes of collection, the mode of collection based on actual water consumption is feasible and reasonable.
Table 5-8 Statistics of Desired Mode of Collection of Sewage Treatment Fees
Valid Accumulated Mode of collection N Percentage percentage percentage Based on household 6 1.4 1.4 1.4 population Based on actual water 323 76.0 76.0 77.4 consumption Equal sharing among 15 3.5 3.5 80.9 households Don’t know/never thought 81 19.1 19.1 100.0 of Total 425 100.0 100.0 Source: questionnaire survey of willingness and ability to pay of residents, with 425 valid samples
5.3 Ability to pay
According to research findings of the World Bank and some international lending organizations, it is feasible that household water expenses account for 3-5% of household income. The Study Report on Urban Water Shortage 1995 issued by the Ministry of Construction thinks a proportion of 2.5-3% of domestic water expenses to household income is appropriate for our country’s urban residents. In view of the economic and social conditions of Liuzhou, the ability to pay level of urban residents is fixed at 3% in this SA. According to the Circular of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People’s Government on Issuing the Plan of the Region for Driving the Construction of Urban Sewage and Domestic Waste Treatment Facilities (GZF [2008] No.26) and the pertinent provisions of Document GJG [2008] No.377 by the regional price bureau, sewage and waste treatment fees were to be levied in all municipalities and counties of the region from October 1, 2008, where the average standard of sewage treatment fees was 0.8 yuan/m3, to be collected by water supply agencies/enterprises together with water charges. All funds collected will be used for the construction, operation and maintenance of sewage and waste treatment facilities. According to the guidelines of the above documents, the prevailing water charging policy of Liuzhou is a sewage treatment fee of 0.8 yuan will be collected per ton of water consumed. The water rates of the affected county towns differ slightly from that of the urban area, as shown in Table 5-9.
Table 5-9 Rates of Different Types of Water of Affected Districts/Counties in 2008 Unit: yuan/m3
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Domestic Industrial Commercial Are sewage Affected water/sewage waster/sewage water/sewage treatment fees area treatment fees treatment fees treatment fees levied? Urban area 1.2/0.8 1.5/0.8 1.5/0.8 Yes Sanjiang 1.23/0.8 1.7/0.8 1.7/0.8 Yes County Rong’an 1.6/0.77 1.86/0.95 1.6/0.83 Yes County Rongshui 1.53/0.8 2.03/0.8 1.83/0.8 Yes County Liucheng 1.43/0.8 1.53/0.8 1.48/0.8 Yes County Source: PMO
5.3.1 Ability to pay of ordinary residential households
Based on calculations, the proportion of water expenses to annual household income is the highest in Liucheng County, being 1.16%, and the lowest in Rongshui and Sanjiang Counties, both being 1.01%, 1.08% in Rong’an County, and 1.03 in the urban area (see Table 5-10). It can be judged from the data given that the ability to pay of Liuzhou residents is within the international warning line, indicating that the water rates in the affected areas are affordable for residential households. The proportion of sewage treatment fees to annual household income of the urban area and 4 counties is about 0.4%, ranging from 0.41% (the urban area and Liucheng County) to 0.35% (Rong’an and Rongshui Counties) (see Table 5-10). These figures indicate that sewage treatment fees account for a low proportion to household income of residents in the urban area and 4 counties. Residents can generally afford the sewage treatment fee of about 0.8 yuan/ton.
Table 5-10 Ability to Pay of Ordinary Residential Households
Percentage Water rate of water / water Annual water Per Average expenses / Monthly rate expenses / Annual water capita Average annual sewage Affected water including sewage consumption annual household household treatment area consumption sewage treatment (ton) income population income expenses (ton) treatment expenses (yuan) (yuan) to annual fees (yuan) household (yuan/ton) income (%) Urban 17.5 210 1.2/0.8 420/168 13,198 3.09 40,781.82 1.03/0.41 area Sanjiang 15.27 183.24 1.23/0.8 371.98/146.59 10,293 3.58 36,848.94 1.01/0.40 County Rong’an 13.99 167.88 1.6/0.77 397.88/129.27 11,390 3.24 36,903.6 1.08/0.35 County Rongshui 14.58 174.96 1.53/0.8 407.66/139.97 10,360 3.9 40,404 1.01/0.35 County Liucheng 16.41 196.92 1.43/0.8 439.13/168 10,505 3.6 40,781.82 1.16/0.41 County Source: 1) The monthly average water consumption and average household population data is from the willingness and
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
ability to pay survey; 2) The water rates including sewage treatment fees are from the PMO; 3) the annual income data of residents is from the Liuzhou Statistical Yearbook (2008). Note: 1) Water rates include sewage treatment fee rates; 2) The calculation formula of the percentage of water expenses / sewage treatment expenses to annual household income is: annual household water expenses or annual sewage treatment expenses / average annual household income * 100%; 3) Since the survey was conducted in summer, the water consumption values in this table may be higher than the actual annual average water consumption; 4) The product of annual water consumption and water rate or sewage treatment fee rate is annual water expenses.
5.3.2 Ability to pay of minimum living security households
According to the results of the relevant institutional interviews, reduction and exemption policies of sewage treatment fees are being applied to MLS households in the urban area and Rongshui County. Sanjiang, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties have not enacted relevant reduction and exemption policies yet (see Table 5-11).
Table 5-11 Schedule of Supporting Measures on Sewage Treatment Fees for Vulnerable Groups of Affected Districts/Counties
Affected Promulgated Year of Supporting policy for vulnerable groups Suggestion area by promulgation Article 10 of the Measures for the Management of the Collection of Sewage Treatment Fees of Liuzhou Municipality (LZB [2007] No.149): Residents below the MLS line shall apply for Liuzhou reduction of urban sewage treatment fees with Municipal August 22, Urban area the water company with the certificate of relief People’s 2007 issued by the municipal (or district) civil affairs Government authority based on our municipality’s per capita domestic water consumption (4m3/capita- month). Circular of the Rongshui Miao Autonomous County People’s Government on Issuing the Implementation Plan for the Management of the Carried on Collection of Urban Sewage and Domestic Waste Treatment Fees (RZF [2008] No.49): “five guarantees” households and disabled soldiers (with a valid certificate, and reported to the Rongshui Rongshui construction bureau of the autonomous county County September 23, County for reference) shall be exempt from sewage People’s 2008 treatment fees for 3 tons (m3) per capita-month, Government and the uniform charging standard shall apply to any excess; MLS households will be entitled to the preferential rate of 0.50 yuan/ton (m3) for 10 tons (m3) per household-month with a MLS certificate, and uniform charging standard shall apply to any excess. The government agencies of Sanjiang None None None the affected areas are County advised to enact and
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Affected Promulgated Year of Supporting policy for vulnerable groups Suggestion area by promulgation implement reduction and Rong’an None None None exemption policies by taking County the actual affordability of residents, especially low- income households fully into Liucheng None None None account to ensure that the County poor can benefit from the Project.
The ability to pay of MLS households that are financially vulnerable differs from that of ordinary households. It can be seen that the impact of sewage treatment fees on MLS households is higher than that on ordinary households. According to the prevailing MLS policies of the urban area and 4 counties, the per capita monthly MLS compensation rate of the urban area is 260 yuan, that of Sanjiang, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties 200 yuan and that of Rong’an County 210 yuan. The per capita annual income of the MLS population of the urban area and counties can be calculated accordingly. Without respect to reduction and exemption policies, the proportion of annual water expenses to the annual income of MLS households is the highest in the urban area, being 2.86%, then in Sanjiang County, being 2.63%, and the lowest in Liucheng County, being 2.47%. Data reveals that the water expenses of MLS households are slightly lower than the international warning line, but generally higher than that of ordinary households. If the reduction and exemption policies for MLS households of the urban area and Rongshui County are taken into account, the proportion of MLS households in the urban area is 2.12, down 0.74 percentage point as compared to the case without reduction and exemption policies; similarly, the proportion of MLS households in Rongshui County is down 0.33 percentage point (see Table 5-12). Likewise, in the absence of reduction and exemption policies, the proportion of sewage treatment fees to household income is the highest in the urban area, being 1.15%, then in Sanjiang County, being 1.04%, and the lowest in Rong’an County, being 0.84%. If the reduction and exemption policies for MLS households of the urban area and Rongshui County are taken into account, the proportion of MLS households in the urban area is 0.75, down 1.37 percentage points as compared to the case without reduction and exemption policies, and that of Rongshui County is 0.55, down 0.33 percentage point. The details are shown in Table 5-12.
Table 5-12 Statistics of Ability to Pay of Affected Minimum Living Security Population
Annual water Proportion Proportion of Annual expenses / Annual of water water expenses / Per capita water sewage average expenses / sewage treatment annual Monthly water expenses / treatment Average household sewage expenses to Affected Annual water income of consumption sewage expenses household income of treatment annual area consumption MLS (ton) treatment under population MLS expenses household population expenses reduction and population to annual income under (yuan) (yuan) exemption (yuan) household reduction and policies (yuan) income (%) exemption
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
policies (%)
Urban 11.5 138 276/110.4 204/72 3120 3.09 9,640.8 2.86/1.15 2.12/0.75 area Sanjiang 9.27 111.24 225.82/88.99 / 2400 3.58 8,592 2.63/1.04 / County Rong’an 7.41 88.92 210.74/68.47 / 2520 3.24 8,164.8 2.58/0.84 / County Rongshui 209.01 8.58 102.96 239.90/82.37 2400 3.9 9,360 2.56/0.88 2.23/0.55 County /51.48 Liucheng 7.99 95.88 213.81/76.7 / 2400 3.6 8,640 2.47/0.89 / County Source: 1) The monthly water consumption data is from the willingness and ability to pay survey; 2) The annual per capita income of the MLS population is calculated based on the MLS standards of different areas, and is from the civil affairs authorities of the urban area and 4 counties. Note: 1) Water expenses already include sewage treatment fees; 2) Presently, only the urban area and Rongshui County have enacted reduction and exemption policies for the MLS population (see Table 5- 11). 3) Water expenses/sewage treatment fees under reduction and exemption policies in the urban area = annual water expenses or sewage treatment expenses – 48 tons*0.8 yuan/ton 4) Water expenses/sewage treatment fees under reduction and exemption policies in Rongshui County = annual water expenses or sewage treatment expenses – actual water consumption *0.3 yuan/ton. The difference between the prevailing water rate and that under reduction and exemption policies is 0.3 yuan/ton.
It can be seen from the above analysis: 1) Since people’s income will rise with the economic growth of the urban area and 4 counties in the next few years, and there will be additional investment in environmental protection, sewage treatment fees are affordable for ordinary residents; 2) The collection of sewage treatment fees has a greater impact on the poor than ordinary residents, and may impose a certain financial pressure on the living of the poor; 3) The reduction and exemption policies for low-income households help relieve the financial burden of these households; 4) The urban area and Rongshui County are advised to carry on the reduction and exemption policies of sewage treatment fees for vulnerable groups; hearings should be held during water rate reform, in which the subsidy rates for vulnerable groups may be increased appropriately; 5) The Sanjiang, Rong’an and Liucheng County Governments are advised to enact and implement reduction and exemption policies of water charges for vulnerable groups as soon as possible to relieve the burden on these households and ensure that they benefit from the Project.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
6. PROJECT AND POVERTY
6.1 Poverty of Guangxi, Liuzhou and affected districts/counties
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Since the beginning of reform and opening up, especially the implementation of the Seven-Year Priority Poverty Alleviation Program, the poverty of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been alleviated significantly, and the poor population reduced greatly. In 2002, 28 counties of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were listed as state-level key counties for development-oriented poverty alleviation6, 4,060 villages as key villages for development- oriented poverty alleviation, and 17 counties as autonomous region level key counties for development-oriented poverty alleviation. It can be seen from Table 6-1 that the poverty incidence of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is 5.8%, higher than that of the PRC (4.6%). Since all levels of government have been increasing the effort and financial investment in development-oriented poverty alleviation, and enforcing “farmer-benefiting” policies seriously, including reservoir resettlement, returning farmland to forestry, agricultural machinery and grain subsidization policies, the poverty incidence of the autonomous region has been dropping. In 2007, the per capita net income of farmers of the 28 state-level key counties for development-oriented poverty alleviation was up 1,253 yuan from 2000, with an annual average growth of 10.9%, faster than regional average by 2.8 percentage point; and that of the 4,060 poor villages was 2,044 yuan, up 986 yuan from 2000, with an annual average growth of 11%, faster than regional average by 2.9 percentage point. Absolute poor population was down from 1.5 million in 2000 to 650,000 in 2007 by 850,000; low-income poor population was down from 6.5 million to 2.58 million by 3.92 million7 (see Table 6-1).
Table 6-1 Poverty of Guangxi, Liuzhou and Affected Districts/Counties (2007)
Number of poor Poor population Poverty incidence Area villages (10,000) (%)
PRC / 1479 4.6 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 4,060 323 5.8 Liuzhou City (Total) 297 24.46 11.7 Urban area 5 0.31 2.63 Sanjiang County 96 7.34 21.98 Rong’an County 45 5.32 19.36 Rongshui County 117 10.57 24.35
6 According to the Development-oriented Poverty Alleviation Program for Rural China (2001-2010), the main criteria for identifying a key county include poor population size, farmers’ income level, basic production and living conditions, progress of development-oriented poverty alleviation, as well as per capita GDP, per capita fiscal revenue and other composite indicators. 7 In 2007, the poverty line of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was per capita net income of farmers of below 667 yuan for absolute poverty or below 925 yuan for relative poverty.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Liucheng County 13 1.89 5.37 Source: Development-oriented Poverty Alleviation Program of Liuzhou Municipality (2003-2010); Liuzhou Statistical Yearbook (2008)
Liuzhou Municipality Liuzhou Municipality governs 2 state-level key counties for development-oriented poverty alleviation and one autonomous region level key county for development-oriented poverty alleviation. Of the 933 administrative villages of the municipality, 297 have been identified as poor villages. As at the end of 2007, the municipality had a poor population of 244,600 and a poverty incidence of 11.7%, higher than the averages of Guangxi (5.8%) and the PRC (4.6%). The causes of the large poor population in Liuzhou include: 1) Great expanse and depth of poverty, and high resilience of pauperization: The poor population of Liuzhou is located mainly in rocky and remote mountain areas feature harsh natural, climatic and resource conditions, and minority communities, where land is infertile and scattered, natural disasters such as droughts, floods and frosts are frequent, and there is a low ability of disaster relief and a prevalent of return to poverty in disastrous years. 2) Backward infrastructure: Some natural villages are not connected by a village-level road, and rural people still suffer great traffic difficulties; farmland irrigation facilities cannot meet the demand for irrigation; rural power transmission lines are low rated; farmers’ housing conditions and quality level are low; in particular, most of residential houses in Rong’an, Rongshui and Sanjiang Counties are in a timber structure and are susceptible to fires. 3) Bad ecological environment: For historical reasons, excess felling has ruined the native vegetation of the counties gravely, and led to severe water loss and soil erosion. 4) Backward social programs and low population quality: Of the 297 poor villages, about 110 do not have a telephone line; the level of medical care of all townships and villages is low due to crude equipment and the shortage of drugs; the enrollment ratio of children of junior high school age of the municipality is 96%, the illiterate rural workforce is 124,600, and the labor is poorly educated and has limited abilities to apply technologies and develop themselves. Poverty of the affected districts/counties The Project will be constructed in the suburb of Liuzhou City, Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties, in which Sanjiang and Rongshui County are state-level key counties for development-oriented poverty alleviation, and Rong’an County is an autonomous region level key county for development-oriented poverty alleviation. According to statistics, by the end of 2007, there were 5 poor villages in the suburb, with a poor population of 3,100 and a poverty incidence of 2.63%; Sanjiang County had 96 poor villages, with a poor population of 73,400 and a poverty incidence of 21.98%; Rong’an County had 45 poor villages, with a poor population of 53,200 and a poverty incidence of 19.36%; Rongshui County had 117 poor villages, with a poor population of 105,700 and a poverty incidence of 24.35%; Liucheng County had 13 poor villages, with a poor population of 18,900 and a poverty incidence of 5.37% (see Table 6-1). It can be seen that the poverty incidence of the suburb is the lowest and lower than the averages of the PRC and Guangxi, that of Liucheng County is higher than national average but lower than Guangxi average, and that of Sanjiang, Rongshui and Rong’an Counties is much higher than the averages of Liuzhou, Guangxi and the PRC.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
6.2 Minimum living security of affected districts/counties
Residents of Liuzhou with per capita monthly income below the MLS line are entitled to MLS. About 3.5% of the city’s nonagricultural population is entitled to MLS. The MLS population of the urban area receives a MLS benefit of 260 yuan per month. The urban MLS standards of the 4 counties are: 200 yuan/month for Liucheng County, 200 yuan/month for Rongshui County, 210 yuan/month for Rong’an County and 200 yuan/month for Sanjiang County. From the second half of 2009, the rural MLS standard of Liuzhou has been raised to 1,200 yuan/year, and that of Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties 1,000 yuan/year. The details are shown in Table 6-2.
Table 6-2 Minimum Living Security of Urban Area and 4 Counties (2009)
Urban area Sanjiang County Rongshui County Rong’an County Liucheng County Item Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ (yuan/ month) year) month) year) month) year) month) year) month) year) Standard 260 1,200 200 1,000 200 1,000 210 1,000 200 1,000 Population entitled to 21,451 10,781 4,112 23,115 4,068 22,880 3,866 12,746 4,234 16,743 MLS Source: civil affairs bureaus of Liuzhou Municipality and Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties
6.3 Poverty reduction role of the Project
The Project consists of 3 components, namely the Suburb Drainage Project, Sludge Disposal Project and Sewage Treatment Project, which will be constructed in the urban area or county towns, and serve urban residents, so the Project will not have any negative impact on the rural poor population. Through the Task Force’s consultation with the PMO, municipal/county poverty reduction offices and civil affairs bureaus, the greatest impact of the Project on the urban poor population within the service range is sewage treatment fees. The above analysis of the ability to pay of the affected people indicates (see Table 5-10 and Table 5-12) that sewage treatment fees levied are affordable for ordinary residents, but have greater impact on the poor than ordinary residents. Therefore, the government agencies concerned are advised to enact and implement reduction and exemption policies for low-income households as soon as possible to relieve the burden on these households and ensure that they benefit from the Project. The Project has the following poverty reduction effects: 1) About 4,500 unskilled job opportunities will be offered during the construction and operation of the Project, providing in the short term more nonagricultural job opportunities to the population in the affected areas, which will be first made available to women and the poor. 2) It is good to improving the water quality of the affected areas, avoid waterborne diseases, and reduce household medical expenses. 3) The Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects will improve urban appearance, protect the natural landscape of the Liujiang, Xunjiang and Rongjiang Rivers, and promote the development of local tourism; in addition, the Project will also improve infrastructure, strengthen urban service functions, improve the investment environment of the
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) urban area and 4 counties, protect industrial enterprises from the impact of water pollution and attract more enterprises to invest here, thereby promoting urban economic development. These measures will surely bring more job opportunities to local residents, and increase the income of residents, especially poor households. 4) The Suburb Drainage and Sewage Treatment Projects will relieve damages to the ecological environment of the city and county towns by flood and water logging disasters, and reduce people’s property losses.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
7. PROJECT AND ETHNIC MINORITIES
According to the identification results by the World Bank social expert, the Project doesn’t triggered the World Bank safeguard policy on Indigenous Peoples (OP4.10). Since there are a few scattered ethnic minority households in the project areas, ,to promote the participation of ethnic minorities, and ensure they are also beneficiaries , The social assessment team focuses on the following aspects: i) the overview of ethnic minorities in the affected areas; ii) the participation of ethnic minorities in the Project; and iii) impacts of the Project on ethnic minorities.
7.1 Overview of ethnic minorities in the affected areas
7.1.1 Composition of ethnic minorities in affected districts/counties
As a central city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Liuzhou is a famous historical and cultural city with a history of over 2,000 years and unique geographic conditions. It is located strategically on the edge of the central-western underdeveloped region of China and the eastern coastal developed region. Liuzhou is also the largest industrial and commercial base of Guangxi, known as the “commercial port in central Guangxi”. Liuzhou is an area inhabited by 48 ethnic minorities, including Zhuang, Han, Miao, Dong, Yao, Hui and Gelao, etc., where ethnic minorities account for 54.34% of total population. The total beneficiary population in the affected areas is 1.275 million, in which minority population is 331,900 or 26.03% of total population. Of all ethnic groups, Han people have the largest population that accounts for 45.66% of total population, followed by Zhuang people that account for 35.37%, Dong people 7.97%, Miao people 7.86% and Yao people 1.97%. There are some ethnic minority households scattered in the 4 counties governed by Liuzhou Municipality:1) Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County is one of the 5 Dong autonomous counties of China with the largest Dong population that accounts for 57.57% of total population, and also a county inhabited by multiple ethnic groups, such as Han, Zhuang, Yao and Miao. 2) Rong’an County is scenic, enjoys convenient land and water traffic, and significant geographic advantages, and has been the central area and distributing center of Hunan Province, Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; its county town Chang’an Town is one of the 4 well-known towns of Guangxi and renowned as “small Liuzhou”; this county is inhabited by 19 ethnic groups, including Han, Zhuang, Miao, Yao and Dong, in which Zhuang population accounts for 35.65% of the county’s total population. 3) Rongshui Miao Autonomous County is located in northern Guangxi and is the only Miao autonomous county in Guangxi, where Miao population accounts for 41.29% of total population. 4) Liucheng County is located in northern Guangxi and inhabited by 17 ethnic groups, including Han, Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Dong and Gelao, where minority population accounts for 56.58% of the county’s total population and Zhuang population accounts for 51.32% (see Table 7-1).
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
7.1.2 Composition of ethnic minorities of beneficiary population
Based on the composition of ethnic minorities in the affected areas, the proportion of minority population in the urban area is lower than that of the 4 county towns. In the urban area, the proportion of minority population is 23.97%, in which Zhuang people have the largest population that accounts for 15.95% of total population; Dong, Miao, Yao and Gelao people account for 0.65%, 0.45%, 0.98% and 0.78% respectively; Hui, Shui, Manchu, Tujia and Maonan people are scattered in Liuzhou City (see Table 7-1). The proportion of minority population within the service range of the sewage treatment subprojects in the 4 county towns is lower than county average: 1) The Sanjiang County Sewage Treatment Subproject serves the population of Guyi Town mainly, where minority population accounts for 32.13%, in which Dong population is the largest and accounts for 19.3%; followed by Zhuang population that accounts for 5.68% and Miao population that accounts for 5.56%. 2) Rong’an County Sewage Treatment Subproject serves the population of Chang’an Town mainly, where minority population accounts for 36.47%, in which Zhuang population is the largest and accounts for 18.59%; followed by Dong population that accounts for 5.7%. 3) Rongshui County Sewage Treatment Subproject serves the population of Rongshui Town mainly, where minority population accounts for 34.17%, in which Miao population is the largest and accounts for 10.91%; followed by Zhuang population that accounts for 10.32% and Dong population that accounts for 4.2%. 4) Liucheng County Sewage Treatment Subproject serves the population of Dapu Town mainly, where minority population accounts for 31.86%, in which Zhuang population is the largest and accounts for 26.62% (see Table 7-1).
Table 7-1 Minority Population of Liuzhou/4 Counties and within Project Service Range (2007)
Sanjiang Dong Rongshui Miao Autonomous Rong’an County Autonomous Liucheng County County County Ethnic Whole Urban County County County County composition city area Whole town Whole town Whole town Whole town county (Guyi county (Chang’an county (Rongshui county (Dapu Town) Town) Town) Town) Year-end Total 362.5 101.84 36.55 4.7 32.62 9.24 48.98 7.2 40.91 4.52 population Percentage of minority 54.34 23.97 84.96 32.13 43.63 36.47 73.88 34.17 56.58 31.86 population (%)
Where: Zhuang 35.37 15.95 6 5.68 35.65 18.59 13.24 10.32 51.32 26.62
Dong 7.97 0.65 57.57 19.3 3.02 5.7 11.64 4.2 0.51 0.81 Miao 7.86 0.45 17.94 5.56 2.58 1.26 41.29 10.91 0.42 0.76 Yao 1.97 0.98 3.4 1.3 1.94 1.24 6.23 0.99 0.32 0.62 Gelao 0.66 0.78 0.01 0.06 0.29 4.5 0.48 0.89 2.18 2.78
Other 0.52 5.51 0.95 0.23 0.16 5.18 1 0.33 1.83 0.27
Source: Liuzhou Statistical Yearbook (2008) and ethnic affairs committees of Liuzhou Municipality, and Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
In terms of ethnic composition, the population within the service range of the urban subprojects is composed mainly of Han and Zhuang people (91.98%), the Sanjiang subproject serves Han and Dong people mainly (87.17%), the Rong’an subproject serves Han and Zhuang people mainly (82.12%), the Rongshui subproject serves Han, Zhuang and Miao people mainly (87.06%), and Liucheng subproject serves Han and Zhuang people mainly (94.76%). According to the institutional and door-to-door interviews conducted by the Task Force, the affected minority population is scattered mainly in the county towns and lives together with other ethnic groups. Most of minority residents have moved into the county towns by marriage, relocation or employment mainly. The total beneficiary population in the affected areas is 1.275 million, in which minority population is 331,900 or 26.03% of total population (see Table 7-2).
Table 7-2 Distribution of Minority Population in the Affected Areas (2007)
State Where, Townships/ Beneficiary County/ level minority Is it a minority Project neighborhoods population district poor population community served (10,000) county? (10,000) Suburb Drainage Project Urban area No Suburb / /
Sludge Disposal Project Urban area No Whole city 101.84 24.41
Planned Shatang County Sewage enterprises and No Urban area No 5.4 / Treatment Subproject residents of Shatang area Planned Guantang County Sewage enterprises and Urban area No / / Treatment Subproject residents of Guantang area Sanjiang County Sewage Sanjiang Yes Guyi Town 4.7 1.51 No Treatment Subproject County Rong’an County Sewage Rong’an No Chang’an Town 9.24 3.37 No Treatment Subproject County Rongshui County Sewage Rongshui Yes Rongshui Town 7.2 2.46 No Treatment Subproject County Liucheng County Sewage Liucheng No Dapu Town 4.52 1.44 No Treatment Subproject County Total 127.5 33.19
7.1.3 Key features of ethnic minorities
The Task Force has identified the conditions of ethnic minorities in each affected area. Although Sanjiang is a Dong autonomous county and Rongshui a Miao autonomous county, most of the Dong and Miao people of these two counties live out of the county towns, especially in rural compact communities. Therefore, the beneficiary ethnic minorities in the affected areas live together with the local dominant ethnic groups (Han and Zhuang). There is no ethnic boundary in the social intercourse and intermarriage of residents. Since different ethnic minorities live together in the county towns, they have no collective habitat or ancestral domain, and the ethnic minorities there deal with the same social and economic activities as
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
those of the dominant ethnic groups, with slight economic, social and political differences. Moreover, all ethnic groups have kept their own traditional cultures, and interact and mingle with one another in social intercourse. A key feature of the fusion of all ethnic groups is they speak the Guiliu dialect or Mandarin in day-to-day communications. The local Zhuang, Dong, Miao and Gelao people use Chinese as the written language. Another key feature is all ethnic groups would celebrate some local major festivals together, such as the Spring Festival of the Han people. The third key feature is in the affected areas, all ethnic groups have close contacts and do not mind their ethnic identity, and inter-ethnic marriage is prevalent. The Zhuang, Dong and Miao are the ethnic minorities affected most by the Project, whose key features are shown in Table 7-3.
Table 7-3 Identification of Features of Ethnic Minorities Involved in the Project
Ethnic No. Key features group History: Zhuang people originated from and Luoyue and Xi’ou people in the ancient Baiyue ethnic group. Overseas Zhuang people and other ethnic groups have moved into China by reason of war, frontier stationing, flee from famine, business and marriage, etc. over history. Language: Mandarin, Cantonese and Zhuang language. The Zhuang language belongs to the Zhuang-Dai branch of the Zhuang-Dong group of the Chinese-Tibetan family. The written Zhuang language was created with the assistance of Soviet Union experts after the foundation of the PRC and based on Latin letters. In history, Chinese-like Zhuang characters were created, also known as “native characters”, which were used to record songs mainly and are unknown to young Zhuang people today. Religion: nature, ancestral and multi-god worship. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Buddhism was introduced to some Zhuang areas in Liuzhou. Taoism is also popular with 1 Zhuang the influence of Han people. Social organization: The Zhuang people in the affected areas have no special social organization. Intermarriage between Zhuang and Han people is prevalent. Economy: Zhuang people were known as a “farming” or “rice cropping” ethnic group in history. They pay attention to the development of agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, stockbreeding, fishery and handicrafts. The affected Zhuang people have no economic difference from Han people. Other: Festivals include March 3, Hungry Ghost Festival, Zhuang New Year, Huajie Festival, Longdong Festival, Dragon Worship Festival, Emperor Aunt Festival, Ox King Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, June Festival, Ancestral Worship Festival, River Lantern Festival, Unity Festival, New Food Festival and Glutinous Rice Festival, in which many are identical with those of the Han people. History: During the Qin and Han dynasties, there were many tribes in today’s Guangdong and Guangxi, collectively known as “Luoyue” (a branch of “Baiyue”). After the Wei and Jing dynasties, these tribes were generally called “Liao”. Today’s Dong people live close to Zhuang, Shui and Maonan people. All of their languages fall into the Zhuang-Dong group, and there are many similarities in their customs. 2 Dong Language: The Dong people use the Dong language, which belongs to the Chinese- Tibetan family, and is divided into a south and a north dialect. There was formerly no written language and Chinese was used. In 1958, a Latin-style written Dong language proposal was designed. Most Dong people use Chinese today. Religion: They believe in multiple gods and worship natural objects, such as ancient trees, boulders, wells and bridges.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Ethnic No. Key features group Economy: They deal mainly with agriculture and also with forestry. Their forestry is known for fir. They produce Japonica rice mainly and are good at fishing in paddy fields. They have their own folk opera—Dong opera. Drum tower, wind-rain bridge and wind-rain pavilion are the main symbols of the Dong people. Other: Their festivals include the Spring Festival, Ox God Worship Festival (lunar April 8 or June 6) and New Food Festival (in lunar July) mainly. Thanks to inter-ethnic intercourse, the Dong people also celebrate the Tomb-sweeping Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid- autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival, etc. History: In ancient Chinese classics, records of Miao ancestors of over 5,000 years ago can be found. Their ancestors can be dated back to the Chi-You tribes active in the central plains in the primitive society age. They immigrated south after the unification of China by Emperors Yan and Huang, and settled in today’s Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou. Language: The Miao people have their own language, which belongs to the Miao branch of the Miao-Yao group of the Chinese-Tibetan family. The Latin-style alphabetic written Miao language was created in the late 1950s. Most Miao people use Chinese today. Religion: The Miao people’s believes include nature, totem and ancestral worship. Ghosts, gods and witcheries are popular in the traditional Miao society. Some Miao people believe 3 Miao in Christianity and Catholicism. Few Miao people believe in Buddhism and Taoism. Economy: The Miaoling and Wuling mountain ranges where Miao people live in compact communities are mild in climate, surrounded by waters and dotted by fields and dams, where paddy field, corn, millet, wheat, cotton, fire cured tobacco, rape and tung are produced. In addition, there are also rich timber and mineral resources. The affected Zhuang people have no economic difference from the Han people. Other: Miao is an ethnic group with ancient civilization, good etiquette and distinctive festivals. Their traditional festivals can be divided into: 1) farming festivals; 2) material exchange festivals; 3) love and spouse selection festivals; 4) worship festivals; and 5) memorial and ceremonious festivals. There is at least one festival in every month. Source: Institutional interview
7.2 Participation of ethnic minorities in the Project
The Task Force conducted participation among the affected ethnic minorities using the following approaches: 1) Collecting information on the ethnic minorities in the affected areas, such as the population, distribution, history, culture, economic and social development of the affected ethnic minorities; 2) FGD: 15 FGDs were conducted with the agencies concerned of the urban area and 4 counties, with most participants being the heads of these agencies, to learn their demographic, social and cultural features, define the possible impacts of the Project on the local ethnic minorities, and solicit comments on or suggestions for the Project. The participant agencies include the ethnic affairs committees, land and resources bureaus, civil affairs bureaus, environmental protection bureaus, statistics bureaus, and labor and social security bureaus of Liuzhou Municipality and Sanjiang, Rongshui, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties. FGDs were also held with heads of the affected townships to learn the social and economic conditions and inter-ethnic fusion of the affected ethnic minorities, positive and negative impacts of the Project on the ethnic minorities, and their suggestions for the Project.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
3) In-depth interview: In-depth interview was conducted with residents (for different income levels, genders and ethnic groups) to learn their perception of and demand for the Project, the positive and negative impacts of the Project on them, and their comments or suggestions; some enterprises and stores were also subject to in-depth interview to learn their willingness and ability to pay sewage treatment fees, the possible impacts of the Project on them, their use of water resources and mode of sewage treatment, and their comments on or suggestions for the Project. 4) Door-to-door survey: 500 copies of questionnaire were handed out and 425 valid copies recovered. The questionnaire survey was conducted to learn the environmental awareness of the affected ethnic minorities, with focus on the sense of participation and willingness and ability to pay of the ethnic minorities; The participation of the affected ethnic minorities is detailed as follows:
Table 7-4 Schedule of Participation of Minorities
Participatory Project Component Participants Objectives activities Affected residents Project information sharing 2 FGDs (including households with Project demand analysis In-depth difficulty, minority Evaluation of project design and interview Suburb Suburb Drainage households, women and practice participatory Drainage Project displaced persons), Project impact analysis observation government officials, Project issue analysis Literature Employer, members of the Proposal of expectations and collection Task Force suggestions Affected residents Project information sharing 3 FGDs (including households with Project demand analysis In-depth difficulty, minority Evaluation of project design and interview Sludge Sludge Disposal households, women and practice participatory Disposal Project displaced persons), Project impact analysis observation government officials, Project issue analysis Literature Employer, members of the Proposal of expectations and collection Task Force suggestions Project information sharing 10 FGDs Affected residents Project demand analysis In-depth Guantang, Shatang, (including households with Evaluation of project design and interview and Sanjiang, difficulty, minority practice participatory Sewage Rongshui, Rong’an households, women and Project impact analysis observation Treatment and Liucheng County displaced persons), Project issue analysis questionnaire Sewage Treatment government officials, Proposal of expectations and survey Subprojects Employer, members of the suggestions Literature Task Force Expression of willingness to pay, collection and analysis of ability to pay
The consultation with the affected minority communities reveals that the local minority residents and officials interviewed have strong willingness for sewage treatment, and the Project is widely supported by minority residents. 142 minority residents are involved in the questionnaire survey, and all of them support the Project.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
7.3 Analysis of project impact on ethnic minorities
The Task Force learned the willingness of the ethnic minorities fully, and analyzed the possible social impacts on them. Generally, the Project will affect the ethnic minorities both positively and negatively. Positive impacts: 1) Improving sewers in minority communities in the affected areas, and the urban environment; 2) increasing the coverage of drainpipes, reducing damages of flood and water logging disasters to the urban environment, and improving the protection for urban residents’ lives and properties; 3) discharging domestic sewage and industrial wastewater up to standards, purifying waters, reducing the adverse impact of sewage on ethnic minorities, and improving the drinking water quality of minority residents in lower rivers; 4) reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases; 5) using tail water treated by sewage treatment plants for agricultural irrigation to increase local minority farmers’ income; and 6) The construction and operation of the Project will provide nonagricultural job opportunities to minority residents, and increase their household income. Negative impacts: 1) The land of 8 minority households will be acquired for the construction of the Shatang, Guantang and Sanjiang sewage treatment plants, but no house demolition is involved. Land acquisition will affect the income sources and livelihoods of these households, for which the Employer has to compensate according to the applicable regulations of Liuzhou Municipality; 2) The collection of sewage treatment fees will add to household expenditure slightly, which may mean a greater financial burden for poor households; and 3) The construction of the Project may also produce noise and safety issues to the areas around the plant sites, and may affect the traffic and agricultural production of some minority residents. In general, the positive impacts of the Project on minority people are much more than the negative ones. The negative impacts can be avoided by local laws, regulations and the Employer’s alternative measures. In the free, prior and informed participation, most minority people think that the Project can improve their living environment. Therefore, the Project is positive for minority people in general. Aiming at the negative impacts of land acquisition on minority groups, a resettlement plan has been prepared for the Project and livelihood restoration measures designed, since there are a few ethnic minority population in affected areas, and almost no any difference with local Han people, they enjoy the same rights and interests in resettlement restoration options as that of local Han affected persons .; water charge reduction and exemption policies have been incorporated into the project design so that people in difficulty can benefit from the Project; the measures for the noise and safety issues for minority groups have been incorporated into the environmental management plan.
7.4 Conclusion
The Task Force has identified the conditions of the ethnic minorities in the affected areas and the impacts of the Project on minority households, mainly including: 1) The results of free, prior and informed consultation indicate that 100% of the minority population supports the Project;
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
2) Of the beneficiary population of the Project, minority population amounts to one fifth. By affected area, the proportion of minority population to beneficiary population is 23.97%, 32.13%, 36.46%, 34.17% and 31.96% in the urban area, Sanjiang, Rong’an, Rongshui and Liucheng Counties respectively. It can be seen that ethnic minorities are direct beneficiaries of the Project; Equal benefits for the ethnic minorities in the affected areas will be ensured during project implementation; the Project will not affect the languages and religious believes of the ethnic minorities in the affected areas; the minority population has no special need. A restoration plan has been proposed in the resettlement plan and environmental management plan for the negative impacts of land acquisition and house demolition on them, the increased financial burden on some low-income households, and the negative impacts in noise, safety and traffic.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
8. PROJECT RISKS AND ACTION PLAN
Through the rational design at the pre-FS and FS stages, and with the support of the environmental assessment report, the Project will improve the living environment of the urban area and 4 counties positively, and undoubtedly produce great social and economic benefits; however, the potential social risks of the Project have to be addressed in order to live up to the World Bank policy of zero negative impact.
8.1 Project risks
8.1.1 Suburb Drainage Project
(1) The Suburb Drainage Project will be constructed along roads mainly. During construction, it is inconvenient for personnel and vehicles to travel, so productive and operating activities of enterprises and stores beside roads will be affected, and their short- term operating revenue reduced. If these impacts cannot be avoided or relieved during construction, a conflict is likely to occur between enterprises/stores and the implementing agencies, thereby affecting the progress of construction. (2) Borrow soil, dust and noise produced during construction will make nearby residents’ life inconvenient and pose health hazards. If this is not handled properly, residents will become dissatisfied, impeding the progress of construction.
8.1.2 Sludge Disposal Project
(1) Risk of secondary pollution: The rotary cement kiln sludge treatment technique is new at home. If the cement production process is technically irrational or sludge cannot be deodorized effectively during transport or the means of transport used are not enclosed, odor will spread, posing the risk of secondary pollution to the local environment. (2) Flying dust and the temporary storage of sludge during construction will affect the working environment of the cement mill adversely for the moment and make roads obstructed in rainy days.
8.1.3 Sewage Treatment Project
(1) The risk of low ability to pay of MLS population and other vulnerable groups: The survey shows that the affected people are very willing to pay. However, for some MLS households, the levy of sewage treatment fees means a greater financial burden. (2) The risk of non-collection of part of sewage treatment fees: According to the FS and local customs, it is feasible to collect sewage treatment fees based on water charges. However, in the questionnaire survey, 9.9% of the respondents (128) choose mountain spring or well water as the source of domestic water. Thus, the treatment fees of such domestic sewage will not be counted in, and cannot be collected. This will add to the operating costs of the sewage treatment plants to some extent, and putting the plants in the risk of running in losses.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
(3) Risks arising from resettlement, land acquisition and house demolition: Some collective land will be acquired, and some enterprises relocated for the construction of the sewage treatment plants and pump stations. As a result, some enterprises and stores may stop production or even go bankrupt. If their needs and willingness are not taken into account adequately, and their losses are not assessed and compensated for reasonably according to policies, they may interfere with the construction progress of this project, and damage the sewage treatment facilities after the completion of this project. (4) Risks arising from sewer network destruction: After the sewer network of the Sewage Treatment Project is damaged, the regular life of residents will be affected, especially for- profit restaurants and guesthouses. If an emergency service mechanism is not in place, these residents may refuse to pay sewage treatment fees, thereby affecting the proper operation of the sewage treatment facilities. (5) Risk of sewage discharge: The sewage port of the Liuzhou sewage treatment plant is the Liujiang River, that of the Sanjiang sewage treatment plant the Xunjiang River, and that of the Rong’an, Rongshui, Liucheng sewage treatment plants the Rongjiang River. These waters are also the water sources of the corresponding urban area and counties. If sewage treated by the sewage treatment plants does not comply with standards, it may result in secondary pollution and raise an objection among downstream residents, thereby affecting project implementation adversely.
8.2 Policy suggestions and action plan
Engineering risks can be avoided in two ways: First, the Project is optimized without adding to the quantity of work; and second, the Employer consults with the stakeholders before, during and after construction to learn their needs and willingness, and communicates with the agencies concerned. In this respect, the Task Force has proposed the following pertinent policy suggestions:
8.2.1 Suburb Drainage Project
(1) The Employer has promised to give publicity before commencement of construction, and minimize the impact on operating activities of enterprises and stores beside roads by means of segmental construction, etc. (2) The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to minimize the impact on residents’ daily life.
8.2.2 Sludge Disposal Project
(1) The Employer has promised to take measures during cement transport and production to avoid secondary pollution. (2) The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to minimize the impact on residents’ daily life.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
8.2.3 Sewage Treatment Project
(1) The needs and willingness of the affected vulnerable groups will be learned on the basis of consultation with them, and the government should enact or pursue reduction and exemption policies for sewage treatment fees, and develop detailed and operable plans and a timetable for addressing the problem of the low ability of MLS population to pay sewage treatment fees. Specifically, the relevant preferential policies continue to be enforced in the urban area and Rongshui County, and the government agencies concerned of Sanjiang, Rong’an and Liucheng Counties enact relevant policies on the basis of hearing. (2) The Employer is advised to assist the water supply company to find out the reasons for not using tap water among these residents, and collect sewage treatment fees from them properly. (3) The Employer is advised to prepare a detailed resettlement plan based on the resettlement survey results, and comply with the state and local regulations and the resettlement plan strictly, so that residents suffering losses are compensated and resettled as stipulated. The Employer should also change the mind of the residents and enterprises affected by land acquisition and house demolition, so that they support the Sewage Treatment Project positively. (4) The Employer is advised to establish an emergency service mechanism, and publish the service hotline of the water supply network to citizens in order to handle emergencies timely, minimize users’ losses, and ensure the normal operation of sewage treatment facilities. (5) The Employer is advised to strengthen its own management, establish a self-check system for conforming discharge, inspect the effluent quality of the sewage treatment plants regularly and irregular, and ensure that sewage treated by the plants are emitted up to standards. The Task Force has developed a feasible social action plan in consultation with the PMO, the Employer, the implementing agencies and the design agency, as shown below:
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Table 8-1 Schedule of Project Risks and Action Plan Project Component Risk Action Time frame The Employer has promised to give publicity before commencement of During construction, productive and operating construction, and minimize the impact on operating activities of enterprises Initial construction Suburb activities of enterprises and stores along roads will be Suburb and stores beside roads by means of segmental construction, etc. period and construction Drainage affected; Drainage The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise period Project During construction, residents’ daily life will be eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to Construction period affected. minimize the impact on residents’ daily life. If the cement production process is technically irrational or sludge cannot be deodorized effectively Liuzhou during transport or the means of transport used are The Employer has promised to take measures during cement transport and Sewage not enclosed, odor will spread, posing the risk of production to avoid secondary pollution; Sludge Treatment Construction period secondary pollution to the local environment. The Employer has promised to urge the construction agency to adopt noise Disposal Plant Sludge Construction period Flying dust and the temporary storage of sludge eliminating techniques, dust control and staggered construction measures to Disposal during construction will affect the working minimize the impact on residents’ daily life. Project environment of the cement mill adversely for the moment and make roads obstructed in rainy days. The Employer and the government agencies concerned have promised to enact reduction and exemption policies of water charges for or grant Guantang, subsidies to the MLS population before this project is put into operation; Shatang, and specifically, the urban area and Rongshui County will carry out the reduction Construction period Risk of low ability to pay of MLS population; Sanjiang, and exemption policies of sewage treatment fees, and Sanjiang, Rong’an Construction and The risk of non-collection of part of sewage Rongshui, and Liucheng County governments should enact and implement relevant operating periods treatment fees; Sewage Rong’an and reduction and exemption policies as soon as possible. Construction and Risks arising from resettlement, land acquisition and Treatment Liucheng Collect sewage treatment fees from residents that do not use tap water as operating periods house demolition; County the source of domestic water properly; Construction and Risks arising from sewer network destruction; Sewage Prepare a resettlement plan; operating periods Risk of sewage discharge Treatment Establish an emergency repair mechanism, and publish the water network Operating period Subprojects service hotline; and Establish a conforming discharge self-inspection system to check the output quality of the sewage treatment plants regularly and irregularly.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
APPENDIX 1: AGENDA OF THE TASK FORCE Date Activity June 25-July 5, 2009 The Task Force prepared the preliminary survey questionnaire and interview outline. July 6, 2009 The Task Force arrived in Liuzhou. July 6, 2009 Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., Ltd. was interviewed, the affected area of the Guantang sewage treatment plant subproject investigated on spot, and a trial questionnaire survey conducted. July 7, 2009 The survey questionnaire and interview outline were revised based on the trial survey. July 8-16, 2009 The Task Force was divided into two teams to collect information on the sewage treatment subprojects of the urban area and 4 counties respectively, and conduct institutional interview, field survey and door-to-door survey, etc. July 17-23, 2009 Database building and data entry of survey questionnaire July 24-August 25, Writing, revision and improvement of the SA Report 2009 September 21-25, WB experts were escorted to investigate the sites of the Sludge 2009 Disposal Project and the Guantang, Sanjiang and Rongshui County sewage treatment plants, and a FGD held with the Sanjiang and Rongshui County poverty reduction offices. October-November, The SA Report was revised and improved based on WB experts’ 2009 inputs.
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
APPENDIX 2: RESIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECT No. (id): ______Surveyor’s signature: ______
World Bank Financed Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) Survey Questionnaire of Willingness and Ability to Pay
Dear citizen: Hello! The SA Task Force of Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) is entrusted by Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., Ltd. and the World Bank to conduct a survey of willingness and ability to pay in this project. Your reply is very important for us, because the results of survey will be taken as a basis of government decision-making for this project. Therefore, please answer the questions patiently and express your true will. Your reply will be kept strictly confidential, and the duration of interview is about 20 minutes. This questionnaire consists of Parts A, B, C and D. Please fill in this questionnaire patiently according to facts. Please tick appropriate options of the choice questions (including a few multiple choice questions) directly, and give your answer to the blank-filling questions in “______”. Thank you for your support and cooperation!
Liuzhou Sewage Treatment Co., Ltd. Task Force of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2) July 2009
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
Part A Environmental Situation and Awareness [A1] How serious are the following environmental problems in your area? (Please tick in the appropriate box.) Environmental problem Very serious Serious Not serious No problem Don’t know
1. Vegetation destruction
2. Solid waste
3. Air pollution
4. Water loss and soil erosion
5. Domestic sewage
6. Industrial wastewater
7. River/lake pollution
8. Groundwater pollution
9. Rain/flood drainage
10. Flood and water logging disaster 11. Noise pollution
[A2] How much do the following factors contribute to the above problems? Influencing factor Little impact Minor impact Much impact Major impact 1. The state pays attention to economic development and neglects environmental protection. 2. The laws and regulations on environmental protection are unsound. 3. The government support for environmental protection law enforcement is insufficient. 4. The government investment in pollution control is insufficient. 5. Social and economic development is too fast. 6. Consumption growth is too fast. 7. Enterprises have a single-minded focus on profit growth and neglect environmental protection. 8. The public environmental awareness is too poor. 9. The public is not involved sufficiently in environmental protection activities. 10. Natural factors, such as intensive rainfall in summer 11. Excessively fast population growth 12. Environmental pollution or ecological destruction in surrounding areas
[A3] How much does environmental pollution affect physical health? 1. Major impact 2. Much impact 3. Minor impact 4. Little impact 5. No impact 6. Not clear [A4] As far as you know, which local diseases are waterborne? 1. Dermatosis 2. Intestinal tract disease (e.g., dysentery) 3. Gynecopathy 4. Typhoid fever 5. Hepatitis A 6. Leptospirosis 7. Calculi 8. None 9. Don’t know
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
[A5] What should be the relationship between economic development and the environment? 1. The economy can be developed at the cost of environmental destruction. 2. The environment can be destroyed to an appropriate degree. 3. Protect the environment and stop economic development. 4. Environmental protection should be balanced with economic growth. 5. Develop the economy before managing the environment. 6. Not clear [A6] Is it necessary to improve the surrounding environment? 1. Yes 2. No [A7] Should people’s environmental protection behavior be regulated / restrained? 1. Yes 2. Don’t care 3. No [A8] Is the government capable of improving wastewater and sewage treatment capacity? 1. Yes 2. No [A9] Should the government increase investment in environmental protection? 1. Yes 2. Don’t care 3. No [A10] Have you discussed environmental protection with your relatives and friends? 1. Often 2. Occasionally 3. Never [A11] Should environmental protection organizations be set up voluntarily in order to protect the environment? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Don’t care [A12] As far as you know, has the government carried out any environmental protection campaign? 1. Yes 2. No [A13] Have you joined in any environmental protection campaign? 1. Yes 2. No [A14] What will you do if anyone spits on the road? 1. Stop him 2. Blame other than stopping him 3. Never mind 4. Don’t care, because I would also do that [A15] If there is a factory near your home discharging odorous wastewater into that river, what will you do? 1. Tolerate it 2. Try to move 3. Bargain with the factory management 4. Turn to the environmental protection department 5. File a complaint with mass media 6. Leave it to the future 7. Other [A16] What’s your understanding of your future local environment? 1. Better and better 2. Almost the same as the present 3. Worse than the present 4. Don’t know
Part B Household Water Use [B1] Where are the sources of your domestic water (drinking water, washing water, etc.)? [Multiple choices] 1. Bottled water 2. Tap water 3. Self-provided well 4. Pond 5. Other [B2] Is there a water meter in your home? 1. Yes 2. No [B3] If yes, is it running and reading properly? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Don’t know [B4] How much water does your family use per month? ___ tons/month (Leave it blank if you don’t know.) [B5] Does your family pay for water? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Don’t know [B6] How much does your family spend on water per month? ___ yuan/month [B7] For your family, the prevailing water rate is:
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
1. Too high to be afforded 2. High but affordable 3. Moderate 4. Low and completely affordable 5. Little 6. Don’t know [B8] When sewage is drained out of your home, will it be treated by a sewage treatment facility in the county town? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Not clear [B9] Does your family pay sewage treatment fees? 1. Yes 2. No (Go to B11) 3. Don’t know (Go to Part C) [B9. 1] If yes, how much does your family pay per month? ___ yuan/month
Part C Public Participation and Willingness to Pay [C1] Are you satisfied with the existing sewage treatment facilities? 1. Always satisfied 2. Satisfied most of the time 3. Sometimes satisfied 4. Never satisfied 5. Don’t know [C2] A sewage treatment system can purify sewage and prevent pollutants from being discharged into the river. Do you expect a sewage treatment facility in the county/district? 1. Very much 2. Somewhat 3. Not quite 4. No 5. Don’t know [C3] What means do you expect to acquire information on the construction of sewage treatment facilities? 1. TV, broadcast, newspaper or Internet 2. Government (including neighborhood / village committee) 3. Relative or friend 4. Neighbor 5. This survey 6. Other, specify ___ [C4] Is a sewage treatment facility important for your family? 1. Unimportant 2. Somewhat important 3. Quite important 4. Very important 5. Don’t know [C5] Do you support the construction of sewage treatment facilities? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Don’t care [C6] If you have any suggestion for or comment about this project, to whom will you report? 1. Government 2. Sub-district office/neighborhood committee 3. Neighbor 4. Construction agency 5. Other, specify ___ [C7] If a meeting on this project is held, who in your family will attend it? 1. Elder member 2. Junior member 3. Myself 4. Spouse 5. Other, specify ___ [C8] According to the pertinent provisions of the state, sewage treatment fees have to be paid. How much are you willing to pay per month? Please tick the corresponding box. Not quite Amount paid monthly Very willing Fairly willing Willing Very unwilling willing >61 yuan 41-60 yuan 31-40 yuan 25-30 yuan 21-25 yuan 16-20 yuan 11-15 yuan 6-10 yuan <5 yuan
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
[C9] How you think sewage treatment fees should be collected? 1. Based on household population 2. Based on actual water consumption 3. Equal sharing among households 4. Don’t know 5. Other, specify ___ [C10] Is your home connected to a combined drainage system? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Don’t know [C10. 1] If yes, who has paid the connection fee (for connection from your home to the sewer network)? 1. Government 2. My family 3. No need to pay (e.g., corporate living quarter or commercial housing) [C10. 2] If no, how much is acceptable for you? Connection fees Very willing Fairly willing Willing Not quite willing Very unwilling >1,500 yuan 1,200-1,500 yuan 900-1,200 yuan 600-900 yuan 300-600 yuan <300 yuan
Part D Personal and Household Information of Respondent [D1] Sex: 1. Male 2. Female [D2] Age: ___ years [D3] Ethnic group: 1. Zhuang 2. Han 3. Yao 4. Hui 5. Miao 6. Dong 7. Gelao [D4] Educational level: 1. Undergraduate or above 2. Junior college 3. Senior high school 4. Junior high school 5. Primary school or below [D5] Your present residence: _____ Xiang (town, sub-district), _____ county (district) [D6] Occupation: 1. Head of state organ, Party organization, NGO or public institution 2. Corporate executive 3. Specialized technician or assistant 4. Clerk or similar 5. Commercial or service enterprise owner 6. Commercial or service staff 7. Operator of production or transport equipment 8. Unemployed 9. Retiree 10. Housewife 11. Student [D7] Are you the householder? 1. Yes 2. No [D8] How many adults are there in your family ( 1 8 years)? ___ [D9] How many minors are there in your family (<18 years)? ___ [D10] What was the gross income of your family in 2007? 1. <5,000 yuan 2. 5,001-10,000 yuan 3. 10,001-20,000 yuan 4. 20,001-30,000 yuan 5. >30,000 yuan 6. Don’t know (or don’t know how to answer) [D11] What’s the income of your family as compared to other families nearby? 1. Very good 2. Fairly good 3. Ordinary 4. Not good 5. Very bad [D12] Is your family entitled to any government grant, such as the MLS policy of the civil affairs bureau or the subsidy for households in difficulty? 1. Yes 2. No [D12. 1] If yes, do you know any preferential policy related to water charges or sewage treatment fees?
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
1. There are such policies 2. There aren’t such policies 3. Don’t know if there are such policies [D12. 1] Then, is your family entitled to such policies? 1. yes 2. No [D13] What’s your family’s gross living expenditure last year? ___ yuan/year (excluding unconventional expenses, such as housing or house purchase) [D14] What was the spending on food (including cigarettes and drinks, etc.)? ___ yuan/month [D15] Do you have a house of your own or are you renting a house? 1. Own 2. Rented [D15. 1] In the latter case, water charges are paid by you or the owner? 1. Me 2. Owner [D16] What’s your family’s annual spending on medicine? ___ yuan/year [D17] What’s your family’s annual spending on education? ___ yuan/year [D18] Is your home close to a sewage port? 1. Very close 2. Quite close 3. Not very close 4. Very far 5. Don’t know [D19] Please give you valuable comments on this sewage treatment project with a view to improving environmental quality: ______To ensure the integrity of this questionnaire, please check if any question is omitted again. Thank you again for your support and cooperation. Wish you success and luck!
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW OUTLINE FOR ENTERPRISES/STORES
Introduce the Project briefly so that the respondent understands the scope of interview before beginning.
Present environment 1. What do you feel about the local environment in the past few years? 2. In your memories, has there been any major pollution event nearby? 3. What’s your opinion about the local water quality? 4. Is this location often attacked by floods? What’s the reason for that?
Enterprise sewage treatment 5. Have you built any sewage treatment facilities? 6. How are these facilities running? 7. How much it takes to treat one ton of water? 8. Are you willing to connect to the sewage treatment network of the county town? Why?
Participation 9. What’s your opinion about this project? 10. How will you participate in this project? 11. Are you willing to pay a little for this project? 12. What are your requirements for the launch and operation of this project?
Enterprise information 13. What are your main products? 14. What are your annual sales? 15. How much sewage treatment fees are affordable for you?
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)
APPENDIX 4: STRUCTURED INTERVIEW OUTLINE FOR THE PUBLIC Introduce the Project briefly so that the respondent understands the scope of interview before beginning.
Present environment 1. What do you feel about the local environment in the past few years? 2. In your memories, has there been any major pollution event nearby? 3. How do you get drinking water? 4. What’s your opinion about the local water quality? 5. Is this location often attacked by floods? What’s the reason for that?
Ethnic minorities 6. Will this project affect your life? 7. How? 8. What measures should be taken to make your life unaffected?
Women 9. Who is usually in charge of your family’s major events? 10. When a major family event occurs, what would you do? 11. If a focus group discussion is held, will you participate? 12. How will you participate in the urban and rural integrated environmental management project? 13. Which advantages or disadvantages will this project bring to you? 14. In which aspects should this project be strengthened?
Poverty 15. What about your life? 16. Can this project provide a job opportunity to you and increase your income? 17. What measures will you take after the completion of this project?
Resettlement 18. What is your main source of income? 19. Is your house built by yourselves or rent? What’s your annual spending on it? 20. How do you get along with your neighbors? 21. Will this project improve or ruin your life? 22. After relocation, what measures will you take to restore your life?
Participation 23. What’s your opinion about this project? 24. How will you participate in this project? 25. Are you willing to pay a little for this project? 26. What are your requirements for the launch and operation of this project?
Social Assessment Report of the Liuzhou Integrated Environmental Management Project (Phase 2)