Portuguese Experience in Regionalization and Regulation of Water and Sanitation Services Study Tour, October, 8-12, 2018 FINAL REPORT
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Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro Portuguese experience in regionalization and regulation of water and sanitation services Study Tour, October, 8-12, 2018 FINAL REPORT Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro Table of contents 1. Objective of the Study Tour ....................................................................................................................... 3 2. Summary of Portuguese sector evolution ................................................................................................. 3 3. The Study Tour ........................................................................................................................................... 6 4. Contact List .............................................................................................................................................. 11 5. Further Information on visited institutions ............................................................................................. 12 Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro 1. Objective of the Study Tour The objective of the study tour was to present lessons learned from the Portuguese experience in the regionalization and regulation of water and sanitation services and promote knowledge exchange in this topic among counterparts of Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Specifically, participants should have developed a better understanding of the following topics as applied to the Portuguese context: • Institutional and legal framework to enable regulation • Coordination mechanisms among water sector institutions for effective regulation • Tariff setting methodology, ensuring full cost-recovery and transparency • Asset management considerations and licensing of water operators • Service delivery through different water and sanitation management models • Regulation of informal service providers • Affordability considerations, including subsidies, pro-poor tariffs, and other • Regulation of wastewater services, including on-site sanitation (septic tanks, latrine sludge management) • Setting minimum service standards and performance indicators • Utility benchmarking • Aggregation of water and wastewater utilities (how it came about, process, outcomes and lessons learned) The company Defining Future Options’ supported the World Bank in organizing the study tour and coordinating with Portuguese counterparts to allow the representatives from Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro to explore the changes in the WSS sector in Portugal leading to its sustainable development. 2. Summary of Portuguese sector evolution Considering the objective of the Study Tour, the visit was organized in order to present the development of the WSS sector in the past 25 years and its current status in five main perspectives: • Legal developments • Regulatory developments • Organizational evolution • Technical approach • Financing of the WSS sector Portugal was chosen as a case study because the evolution of its water and wastewater sector since 1993, provides many lessons learned in terms of structural reforms, regulation and aggregation of services in the context of EU accession, with experiences that are highly applicable to the countries that participated in the study tour. With the entry of Portugal into the EEC (1986), Portugal accessed to Community funding, under the structural policies, for building public Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro infrastructure (particularly the ERDF -Regional Development Fund). The Environment sector, from the first time became one of the main recipients of these funds. However, until 1992 the EU funding to the water and wastewater sector were dispersed by the various municipalities, reducing their effectiveness. The following figure shows the evolution of key indicators in Portugal since 1993: The sustained progress in these key indicators were a result of a combination of structural reforms that were taken since 1993 which focused on four areas: • A change in the legal framework: Until 1993, municipalities were exclusively responsible for water and sanitation systems. In 1993, two concession models were created, public multi-municipal systems (100% public, 51% owned by the government and 49% by the municipalities) and private concessions through international public tenders. The purpose of the legal reform was to encourage a true water industry, professionalizing the sector, accelerating the rate of capital investment and accessing private investment. • Introduction of the multi-municipal system management model for bulk-water services: Creation of 100% public concessions from 20-50 years for large scale systems. Responsible for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of the systems for bulk services, including water treatment and supply to municipalities and wastewater collection and treatment. Municipalities were still responsible for the distribution networks to consumers. EU Cohesion funds play an important role by supporting capital investment up to 85%. Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro • Fixing of tariffs for sustainability: Tariffs were fixed to include multi-municipal tariff (bulk service) and water distribution and sewerage collection tariff. The multi- municipal systems would practice full cost recovery assuring sustainability and efficient asset management. Municipalities are responsible to fix consumer’s tariffs and may subsidize service to practice lower tariffs although “full cost recovery” is encouraged. • Requirement of technical and economic solutions with strategic planning: Master Plans were developed to solve low performance in large urban areas. At a later stage, focus shifted to a “second generation” of multi-municipal systems servicing less populated areas. The advantages of this approach included a capacity to enlarge systems, introduce a high degree of automation and control procurement processes for careful selection of materials in terms of quality and price. In addition, national strategic plans needed to be developed and approved every seven years, concomitant with EU Funding under the Cohesion Funds and other programs. Again, important financial support was received from the European Union and the European Investment bank. Since 1995, several water utility management models have been introduced, with municipalities being free to choose the model that would better suit their needs. PUBLIC Municipal The most common model in Portugal for “retail” services. WSS Management P&L is merged within the municipal budget. Political driven decision-making. Autonomous Model used mostly by large municipalities with skilled staff and Municipal WSS operational break even. Water distribution is delegated in Services (SMAS) an autonomous municipal service. This autonomous municipal Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro services has its own P&L. Bank debt concurs for total municipal debt. Municipal WSS company is created by one or more municipality(ies). Company (EM) Business Plan must prove sustainability. Bank debt concurs for total municipal debt. Also, this model is used mostly by large municipalities with skilled staff. Multi-municipal Portuguese state through AdP (state owned operator) create concessions concessions by government act. Municipalities are minority or shareholders of the new concession. The concession has a fixed Public-public capital return rate and tariffs are reviewed every year in order partnerships to achieve the contracted IRR. Concessions used exclusively for “bulk” systems; Partnerships can be made to “retail” services. PRIVATE Concessions Asset property remain public while water distribution (retail) management is delegated to a private company through a tender process. Concessions awarded for a period of 20 to 30 years. Public-Private Similar to Municipal Companies, but private sector can hold up partnership to 49% of the Utility’s shares. Shareholder’s agreement may [Joint Ownership] delegate operation in the private partner. From 1993 to 2015, Portugal has invested EUR 13 238 million euro for both water and sanitation capital investments. EU grants represented the main source of funding (EUR 6390 million), followed by the European Investment Bank (EUR 1900 million), PPPs (EUR 950 million) and Bonds or private placements (EUR 600 million). The presentations, study tour report and other material can be found at http://www.danube- water-program.org/pages/events/2018/wb-regulator-study-tour.php 3. The Study Tour The tour plan started with a presentation made by each of the four countries: Albania, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro. These presentations aimed to understand the water sector baseline of each country as well as its challenges and objectives. As for the Portuguese water sector, the tour plan started with a macro view of the sector in the Ministry of Environment, followed by a presentation delivered by the National Regulator. After having the “big picture”, more detailed and technical discussions were held in the Portuguese Water Partnership. Then the tour “zoomed” its focus on the utilities: first a visit to the state-owned company, AdP- Águas de Portugal; secondly a visit to a regional utility, Águas do Ribatejo and; thirdly, a visit to a municipal utility, Serviços Municipalizados de Abrantes. Portugal Albania | Croatia | Macedonia | Montenegro The tour ended with a visit to the main Wastewater Treatment Plant of Lisbon. This WWTP has some innovative system of flood control and of wastewater reuse. Individual