Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
 | The Consultant will serve as Water and Sanitation Utility Performance and Non-revenue Water (NRW) Analyst for the preparation of the Institutional Assessment Report for the proposed Rajasthan and Delhi water sector projects separately. The Consultant will lead the analysis of utility operations, NRW performance, and service delivery, identifying key operational challenges and improvement opportunities. The consultants inputs will form the operational, NRW, and performance sections of the Institutional Assessment Report, supporting practical and actionable recommendations. Background: Rajasthan project. Rajasthan, India’s largest state, is among the most water-scarce regions in the country, with only 1.2% of India’s surface water and less than 2% of its groundwater. Rapid urbanization, limited infrastructure, and over-exploited groundwater resources have resulted in chronic shortages, intermittent water supply, and inadequate sanitation. The Government of Rajasthan (GoR), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is pursuing infrastructure modernization, 24/7 water supply, and institutional restructuring. Despite ongoing efforts, challenges remain, including high non-revenue water, institutional fragmentation, and low-cost recovery. In Rajasthan, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) handles water supply statewide, while sewerage and sanitation are managed by urban local bodies (ULBs) under the Local Self Government Department (LSGD). Delhi project. In parallel, the Government of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, through the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), is preparing the proposed Water Supply Improvement Project in the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant (WTP) command area. The project aims to achieve equitable access to continuous, pressurized potable water; and strengthen DJB’s institutional capacity and operational systems. The project may also support pathways for expansion and modernizing the wastewater collection network, and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable urban and industrial applications. A Project Management Unit (PMU) will be established at DJB to oversee the execution of key components, including SCADA systems, GIS-based network mapping, DMA creation, non-revenue water reduction strategies, and customer engagement through smart metering and digital platforms. |
Scope of Work
| The assignment is limited to pre-investment activities and does not include implementation support. Recommendations will support in designing the proposed ADB-funded project. The Consultant will work closely with ADB, the state and city governments, and other experts like Commercial and Institutional Specialist (International) as Team Leader and Strategy and Management and PIR Specialist (International) undertaking the following tasks: 1. Utility Performance Review and Benchmarking 2. Nonrevenue Water 3. Reporting and Coordination |
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
| Utility Performance Review and Benchmarking: a. Assess operational performance of water and sanitation utilities, including production, distribution, wastewater, and stormwater systems (diagnostic). b. Analyze O&M arrangements, staffing, and technical capacity to identify readiness gaps for project implementation. c. Evaluate energy efficiency, and asset condition, and identify issues and outline preliminary options for reduction to inform project design and implementation. d. Apply benchmarking tools to assess efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction in water supply. e. Identify performance gaps and propose short- and long-term improvement measures. f. Engage with utility managers, technical staff, and stakeholders to gather operational data. g. Validate performance indicators and operational challenges. h. Propose performance benchmarking for biosolids management and reuse operations. i. Assess current digital systems and identify gaps for SCADA integration in future project design. j. Support procurement readiness and performance-based DBO models for the ensuing project. Non-revenue Water: a. Conduct detailed NRW diagnostics to quantify physical and commercial losses. b. Consider DMA (District Metered Area) design and validation, including flow and pressure monitoring setup for targeted NRW reduction. c. Review and assess leak detection practices, pressure management systems, and pipeline condition to identify priority zones for intervention. d. Analyze commercial losses including unauthorized connections, meter inaccuracies, and billing inefficiencies; propose corrective actions. e. Develop NRW reduction strategy and roadmap tailored to DJB and PHED operational contexts, including phased targets and KPIs. f. Recommend performance-based NRW contracts and PPP models for leak detection, repair, and metering upgrades in discussion with other institutional experts. g. Support integration of SCADA and GIS tools for real-time monitoring of water losses and operational efficiency. h. Evaluate existing metering infrastructure and propose upgrades including AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) and smart meters. i. Facilitate capacity building workshops for utility staff on NRW management, data analytics, and customer engagement. j. Contribute to cost-benefit analysis of NRW reduction investments and their impact on utility financial sustainability. k. Coordinate with institutional and commercial specialists to align NRW reduction with broader governance and reform strategies. Reporting and Coordination: • Coordinate and consolidate input from team members for the Institutional Assessment Report. • Draft sections on institutional arrangements, commercial operations, governance reform, and consolidation models. • Draft diagnostic and benchmarking sections for integration into the Institutional Assessment Report. • Present findings and recommendations at the consultation and validation workshops. • Facilitate discussion to validate proposed reforms. • Incorporate comments from ADB and stakeholders in the final report. • Act as main liaison between ADB, the government counterparts, and the consulting team. • Oversee quality of deliverables and adherence to schedule. |
Minimum Qualification Requirements
| The Consultant will have a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Public Administration, Economics, Development, or a relevant discipline. The consultant will have at least 20 years of professional experience in the water supply and sanitation sector, including 15 years in utility management and at least 5 years in consultancy. The consultant will have demonstrated expertise in utility performance management, project cycle implementation, and institutional reform, with experience across Asia and other regions. Experience will include rural and peri-urban service delivery, integrated water resource management, pro-poor development strategies, and advanced participatory assessment methodologies. The consultant will have managed utility performance diagnostics, operational turnaround planning, and results-based monitoring for ADB, World Bank, or other donor-funded projects, preferably in South Asia. Fluency in English with strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills is essential. |
