Local recruitment: Water Supply Expert (India nationals)

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

India 🇮🇳

Objective and Purpose of the Assignment

1. Since 2000, the Government of Rajasthan (GoR), with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has successfully implemented three urban development projects, benefitting over 7 million people through improved access to water supply, sanitation, and urban infrastructure. These projects, supported through three completed loans, have significantly enhanced quality of life, expanded economic opportunities, and delivered measurable benefits for the urban poor. The most recent, the Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project (Loan 3972-IND, approved in 2020), along with its ongoing additional financing (Loan 4325-IND, approved in 2023), continues to support GoR in expanding inclusive and climate- resilient WSS services in secondary towns, targeting over 1.7 million beneficiaries. These efforts include institutional strengthening, gender mainstreaming, and piloting public–private partnerships in the water sector. Building on these achievements, a next phase is being planned with a focus on improving urban service levels in larger cities while continuing to address infrastructure gaps and emerging development challenges across the state. 2. Attached to Loan 4325-IND, is a knowledge and support technical assistance (KSTA) grant from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund (EAKPF) and High-level Technology Fund (HLT Fund) in the amount of $1.6 million to for promoting Smart and Integrated Urban Planning for Livability and Cultural Economy in Rajasthan (TA 6779-IND). The TA will support the state government’s efforts to improve quality of life for all and unlock growth benefits by capturing the full value of cultural and historic assets. Through this KSTA, ADB will also assist the GOR in project identification and development, project preparation, and project implementation and operation. 3. The Executing Agency for RSTDSP is the Local Self Government Department (LSGD) of the Government of Rajasthan (GOR). The Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage & Infrastructure Corporation Limited (RUDSICO) serves as the Implementing Agency. 4. The Water Supply Expert (consultant), being recruited under this KSTA, will assist the GOR in undertaking review of existing water supply system, conducting due diligence on technical and economic aspects in the identified cities.

Scope of Work

The Water Supply Expert (consultant) will assess and recommend water supply management schemes introducing international best practices in water supply and demand management, and non-revenue water reduction to ensure equitable and universal access to water supply in accordance with national flagship AMRUT 2.0 Mission. The expert will (i) lead technical review of feasibility studies, detailed project report (DPR) and existing water supply system, (ii) recommend latest technology for mapping of underground utilities, (iii) identify gaps/deficiencies in the existing water supply system, (iv) undertake conditional assessment on sample basis for assets, (v) work out projected demands of future population/infra/service levels, (vi) identify broad investment plans (short, medium, and long- term) for meeting future water demands in a phased manner and funding mechanism, (vii) assess the current institutional set up and need for capacity building, (viii) Assess institutional and implementation modalities for construction, operation and maintenance with special attention to technical and financial sustainability through principles of 3Ts (tariff, taxes and transfer), (ix) assess the current NRW and recommend ways to minimize, (x) recommend international best practices in the water supply system, and (xi) provide guidance to the consultants recruited by the executing agency/implementing agency in finalizing the concept, feasibility, and DPRs.

Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output

The consultant shall require undertaking the following tasks: (i) Review available technical feasibility reports and detail project report of the water supply schemes in the identified cities; (ii) Visit urban local bodies (ULBs) in the selected cities and have discussion with key officials and the stakeholders at ULB level to have physical verification and detailed assessment of the current water supply system; (iii) Discuss with project team / Project Management Consultants, to have clear understanding of the existing water supply system; (iv) Identify the current nonrevenue water (NRW) and identify gaps/deficiencies in the system and recommend ways to improve service levels and reduce water losses, capacity of operators to manage water, and improve overall water conservation and efficiencies; (v) Identify water related infrastructure and monitoring capacity deficits. The assessment should be based on international best practices and shed light on issues and constraints to water security, and provide directions on how the city can achieve MoHUA service level benchmarks for water supply utility system; (vi) Recommend latest technology for mapping of underground utilities; (vii) Assess projected demands of future population/infra/service levels; (viii) Identify broad investment plans (short, medium, and long-term) for meeting future water demands in a phased manner and funding mechanism; (ix) Assess existing tariffs / user charges for water and sewerage services and their adequacy to meet operation and maintenance costs including mechanism for tariff revisions for financial sustainability; (x) Support GOR to onboard the suitable agency and support in bid process management; (xi) Assess the current institutional set up for construction and operation of water supply and sewerage assets and identify needs for capacity building and recommendations on implementation modalities for construction, operation and maintenance; (xii) Recommend international best practices in the water supply system; and (xiii) Coordinate with international agencies to bring in global knowledge and best practices in operational management, with a focus on enhancing sustainability, and explore opportunities for water operator partnerships with advanced countries.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

The applicant shall have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree, preferably in civil engineering or water supply engineering or related fields. He or she will have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the water sector, preferably in ADB-financed projects. Working experience with similar assignments for donor-funded projects and experience is preferred.
Minimum General Experience15YearsMinimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment)10Years

2 days remaining

Apply by 11 July, 2025

POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

IHE Delft - MSc in Water and Sustainable Development