Expertise: Water Sector Expert
Expertise Group: Engineering
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: Climate Change, Energy, Agriculture, Water Resources Management
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
The CAREC Institute (CI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are engaging the services of International
Consultant (individual), with expertise and experience in water sector, water resources management,
water sector financing.
In 2022, the CAREC Institute conducted a research project on the theme “Water Infrastructure in Central
Asia: Promoting Sustainable Financing and Private Capital Participation”. The research helped to
highlight sector-based, ill coordinated planning and investment in Central Asian countries in the water
sector will not provide alternative solutions on infrastructure financing. Rather economic frameworks
that promote cooperation and integrated planning among sectors could be a solution. The approach should
help to leverage possible synergies for decreasing costs, assessing trade-offs, demand-side
interventions, and decentralized services to ensure sustainability of infrastructure. In this context,
the state could play a role of social regulator, ensuring that each water user receives a fair share of
water resources.
Privatization, concessions, or any other private engagement in the water sector is not common in Central
Asian countries. Both ownership and investment in the water sector by private players have rarely been
observed in the region. This is impeded mainly by high level of regulatory and unclear ownership of
water infrastructure, unclear and weak water governance system. Although water agencies operate and
maintain the water infrastructure, ownership rights are not clearly defined. In some cases, ownership is
with municipality, in other cases, infrastructure belongs to different line ministries or agencies (e.
g., energy, water supply, so forth). This also makes challenging to trace the sources of financing
streams.
The service fees charged by state water organizations are not fully collected, water users are reluctant
to pay for unreliable water supply. However, lately household water supply fee collection has been
improved. This is due to better metering and infrastructure improvements in this area. In irrigation
water supply, service fee collection rights are still far below to be sensible part of at least O&M
costs. The countries are trying to increase service collection rates, by introducing water metering
(Uzbekistan), giving more role to user organizations (Kyrgyzstan) and management organizations
(Tajikistan) a right to keep part of the fees and more of commercial model of water supply (Kazakhstan).
None of these schemes alone can help to solve water financing problems in the water sector.
Hence, by identifying water financing governance gaps in each country of focus, the project will shape
priority actions that will facilitate the provision of right finance to the right infrastructure.
Scope of Work
Proposed consultancy should deliver following important outputs and related activities:
I. Water financing gaps report:
a. Conducting a review of critical financial needs of the water sector, concentrating on mostly major
infrastructure
b. Understanding major water infrastructure priorities of the member states (with regional significance)
c. Developing water financing gap report for regional and national water infrastructure in Central Asia
II. Water sector financing improvement action plan:
a. Systematizing the current water sector financing schemes from the region and international “best
practices” for developing water sector financing options
b. Finding major water financing problems and obstacles in countries of the region
c. Preparation of the water infrastructure financing plan for selected regional and national
infrastructure.
III. Policy paper and dialogue series:
a. Developing and conducting a series of policy paper and policy dialogues for initiation of
partnerships, potential agreements
b. Initiation of the regional working group on water sector financing under CAREC Program
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
Key deliverables:
1-Report of water financing gaps in the water sector of 5 Central Asian states with highlighting water
infrastructure priorities
2-Water sector financing improvement action plan for efficient water sector financing – water sector
financing improvement action plan
3-Policy paper and policy dialogue series to develop implementation agreements, financing schemes and
ownership processes
The overall duration of the assignment is 5 months. Concrete deadlines for deliverables will be
identified in the first inception meeting of the project team.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
- MSc /PHD degree (preferably) in a relevant field (Climate Change, Energy, Agriculture, Water
Resources Management). - At least 10 years research experience on climate change and inter-sectoral analysis of climate impact.
- Strong analytical skills with demonstrated research experience on climate sector topics;
- Publication record related to areas of expertise including climate change, climate cooperation,
agriculture, food security, energy and water resources. - Working experience in international organizations such as the UN, World Bank or ADB would be an
advantage. - Working experience in Central Asia regarding climate change related issues would be an advantage.
Minimum General Experience: 10 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 10 Years
