Local recruitment: Consultant - Condition Assessment of Lagos Water Corporations Mini and Micro Waterworks

Terms of Reference for The Condition Assessment of Lagos Water Corporations Mini and Micro Waterworks Including Financial Viability

1. Background and Context

Lagos State is a coastal state in southwestern Nigeria, with a population of about 22 million people according to the 2022 estimate by the state’s bureau of statistic. It is the smallest state in terms of land area, but arguably the most economically important state of the country. It is a major financial center and would be the fifth-largest economy in Africa if it were a country. Established in 1967 from the former Western Region and the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos State served as the federal capital of Nigeria until 1991. It is administratively divided into 20 local government areas and 31 Local Development Authorities, with its capital situated in Ikeja.

Addressing the crucial task of providing adequate and safe water supply to its residents falls under the purview of the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC). The LWC has an installed capacity of 6.61 million metric tons {210 million gallons per day. However, one of the pressing challenges faced by Lagos State is ensuring sufficient access to safe water. According to the Lagos State 2013 household survey, only 11 percent of households in Lagos State had access to piped water supply from LWC.

The WaterAid Nigeria has secured funding from Aqua for Life, Armani towards the Urban Water and Sanitation Access Project (UWASAP). The project period is 2 years, spanning from October 2023 to August 2025. The project is targeted towards improving water supply to the residents of Ifako Ijaiye LCDA with the following objectives;

• Improve universal access to sustainable, resilient and affordable WASH services for users.
• Intensify hygiene and sanitation behavioural change campaigns to maximize the benefits of good WASH services.
• Strengthen governance and institutional arrangements to deliver improved WASH services.

The LWC has a total of fifty-two (52) water production plants, which includes four (4) major waterworks (4MGD – 70MGD), twenty-nine (29) mini waterworks (3MGD-2.5MGD), and eighteen (18) micro waterworks (1MGD and below) strategically positioned across the state and contributing to the total installed water production plant capacity of 210 MGD. The larger waterworks account for a combined capacity of 123 MGD, followed by the mini waterworks with 71 MGD, and the micro waterworks with 16 MGD.

Operational efficiency presents a significant challenge. Out of the 48 mini and micro waterworks, only 12 are presently operational, working at an average capacity of 20 percent. The remaining waterworks face various issues; three have been decommissioned, one serves as a booster station. These facilities vary in size, design, age, and condition, ranging from those commissioned as far back as 1975 to others as recently as 2015. Unfortunately, many of them grapple with operational and maintenance difficulties that significantly impact their performance and reliability. Resolving these challenges is crucial for enhancing water supply services in Lagos State.

The Akilo Waterworks is one of the 18 micro waterworks located in Ifako Ijaiye LCDA within the North region service area of Lagos Water Corporation. The treatment plant was constructed in 2012 with a capacity of 4,500m3/day, at inception, the waterworks had five boreholes, 3 are not functional while only 2 are currently working sub optimally and has an underground storage tank of 10,000 gallons. The waterworks services the following areas

• Ifako Ijaiye (Orimolade,Fagba and county area)
• Aguda area (between excellency hotel and the market area)
• Ajegunle area (LSDPC housing estate, stadium etc)
• Mosalasi Alhaji

1. Objectives and Scope of assessment

Objectives

• Evaluate current functionality and condition of water treatment infrastructure
• Identify gaps in meeting quality, capacity and efficiency
• Assess coverage gaps and condition of distribution network
• Provide data-driven recommendations for rehabilitation and expansion
• Conduct market viability assessment

Scope of Work

1. Production borehole assessment

• Assess performance of existing boreholes and describe reasons for non-functionality of existing boreholes, estimating breakdown rates and operations and maintenance requirements
• Update demand calculation based on current population and projected population growth
• Assess how many staff are required to operate the plant (including water quality testing) and how many staff currently have capacity to do it.
• Identify capacity gaps in meeting current and future demand
• Provide recommendations on production boreholes – which could be rehabilitated, which should be closed, and are new ones required.

2. Water Treatment processes and production Assessment

• Review original design parameters of treatment and raw water in infrastructure (Borehole)
• Assess raw water quality
• Evaluate effectiveness of existing pre-treatment processes (screening, clarification etc.)
• Assess ground water protection measures available.
• Evaluate effectiveness of existing filtration system

• Review water quality test results from the existing boreholes (or conduct tests if these results are not available), to identify contaminants of concern.
• Evaluate effectiveness of existing chemical dosing systems
• Based on results of the assessments, recommend improvements to or alternative technology options for water treatment in order to meet the Nigeria national drinking water standards
• Assess current water quality testing capabilities
• Estimate breakdown rates and operations and maintenance requirements
• Estimate failures in water treatment processes
• Calculate the consumables/ chemicals required each month or each year and approximate cost.
• Identify capacity gaps in meeting current and future demand

1. Distribution Network Assessment

• Map existing pipe infrastructure with GIS using mWater
• Conduct water audit to quantify losses
• Assess existing pipeline condition
• Assess booster pumps/ pump stations, storage tanks and reservoirs
• Prioritize areas for rehabilitation and extension
• Demarcate immediate areas to be served by the Waterworks (District Metered Areas) including bulk meters and pressure gauges

2. Market Viability Assessment

• Determine the financial and economic feasibility of the waterwork
• Calculate and compare the key indicators of market viability
• Survey on willingness and ability to pay of the consumers
• Assess the full lifecycle / running cost of the plant

3. Impact Assessment and Mitigation Plan

• Assess the potential short-term impacts of distribution network construction on resident welfare through surveys and consultations and advise on the steps to mitigate impacts.

1. Methodology and Approach

The methodology and approach for this assignment will consist of the following steps:

• Desk review: The consultant will review the available data and information on the waterworks in, such design drawings, technical specifications, operation manuals, maintenance records, performance reports, customer feedback, etc.
• Site visits: The consultant will visit all the waterworks to conduct visual inspections, measurements, tests, interviews, surveys, etc. The consultant will use appropriate tools and equipment to assess the condition and performance of the electro-mechanical equipment, boreholes, and distribution networks.

Demand assessment: The consultant will conduct a demand assessment to estimate the current and future water demand for each of the waterworks,

• based on the population, consumption patterns, growth trends, socio-economic factors, etc.
• Supply assessment: The consultant will conduct a supply assessment to evaluate the current and potential water supply of the waterwork, based on the groundwater availability, quality, abstraction rate, recharge rate, etc.
• Data availability and data management assessment: The consultant will assess data availability and data management and further use by LWC. The consultant will verify if LWC tracks net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), benefit cost ratio (BCR), payback period (PP) regularly and usages in its financial management or planning process of projects.
• Market viability assessment: The consultant will conduct a market viability assessment to determine the financial and economic feasibility of the waterwork, based on the demand and supply data, as well as the tariff, cost, revenue, and customer satisfaction data. The consultant will use appropriate methods and tools, such as financial analysis, economic analysis, cost-benefit analysis, sensitivity analysis, etc. to calculate and compare the key indicators of market viability, such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), benefit-cost ratio (BCR), payback period (PP), etc. The consultant will assess how the population in the service area is currently accessing water, the consultant will determine if there are local water vendors whose business will be threatened by the rehabilitation of treatment works and network. The consultant will also assess if there are industrial/large commercial users in the catchment (if so, do they have their own sources or are they potential customers for the system.
• Bill of Engineering measurement and Evaluation (BEME) and draft bidding documents: The consultant will prepare a bill of quantities and draft bidding documents for the rehabilitation waterworks. The bill shall include the quantities, units, rates, and estimated prices of the materials, equipment, labor, as well as the detailed work and equipment specifications for the rehabilitation or replacement works. The draft bidding documents will include the instructions to bidders, general conditions, special conditions, technical specifications, drawings, forms, etc. that define the scope, requirements, procedures, and terms of contract in line with the Lagos State public procurement rules and regulations.

1. Deliverables

The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

• Inception report: The inception report will describe the consultant’s understanding of the assignment objectives and scope; present the detailed work plan; propose the sampling methodology; list the data sources; outline the assessment criteria; identify any challenges or limitations; etc.
• Report detailing the condition gaps for the water treatment plant and recommendations on at least 2-3 options for improvements to the plant to be presented.
• High level feasibility assessment of these options as well
• Key stakeholder meeting to discuss recommendations (WaterAid, LWC)
• Prepare detailed designs, engineering cost estimates and bid documents for the rehabilitation of the treatment plant and the distribution networks
• GIS maps of existing and proposed distribution network
• Report on impact assessment of distribution network expansion
• Mitigation plan to minimize public inconvenience
• Communication strategy with residents

1. Timeframe and Fee

The assignment is expected to be completed within two months from the date of contract signing as shown in the table;

The consultants’ fee shall include personal fees, travel expenses, equipment cost, travel expenses, training cost, laboratory test etc.

1. Consultant’s Qualifications and Experience

The consultant should have the following qualifications and experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in conducting condition assessment, rehabilitation, or replacement of water supply infrastructure, especially for mini and micro waterworks using groundwater as raw water source.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in working in Nigeria or similar contexts, with a good understanding of the local water sector, market, regulations and culture.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in financial and market assessments.
• A team of qualified and experienced experts in the following fields:
  1. Team Leader, Mechanical engineer with the minimum of 10 years similar working experience
  2. Civil engineer with a minimum of 10years similar working experience
  3. Electrical engineer with a minimum of 8 years similar experience
  4. Hydrogeology with a minimum of 5 years similar working experience
  5. Water quality with a minimum of 3 years similar experience
  6. Other experts will include Asset management and procurement.
• A proven track record of delivering high-quality outputs within the agreed timeframe.
• A strong reputation and references from previous clients.

Please send applications to procurementng@wateraid.org