DUSHANBE, October 9, 2013, Asia-Plus — Press release issued by the Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation (TajWSS) Project notes that the TajWSS project will officially hand over two drinking water supply projects to the District Hukumat of Roudaki and the local Sultonobod Jamoat tomorrow morning.
Mr. Saidmurod Taghoyev, Chairman of the Roudaki District Hukumat, Mr. Muhiddin Norbutayev, Head of Rohati Jamoat, representatives of the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources, SUE “Khojagii Manziliyu Kommunali” (the state holding company for public utilities), SDC, OXFAM, and UNDP are expected to attend the handover ceremony.
The newly completed water systems will provide water to 1,750 people in Balkhi and Barakat villages, located in the Sultonobod Jamoat of Roudaki District. Water supply systems include 15 km of pipes, 47 communal stand-taps, two 100 cubic meter reservoirs, a spring catchment and protection, and chlorination facilities.
This event is the third of 8 project handovers scheduled for 2013. The 8 projects combined, will provide drinking water to over 22,000 people.
Balkhi and Barakat villages desperately needed the construction of new water supply systems. Base-line survey indicated that the average family spent 6-8 hours collecting water to meet their household needs: with most families using untreated spring water. As a result of the project the time needed to collect water has been reduced to 0.5-1 hours per day.
The project proposal for the rehabilitation of Balkhi and Barakat villages’ water system went through a transparent selection process of the Water Trust Fund Board. The projects followed every step of the new administrative procedures for obtaining a construction permit, i.e. the ‘Single Window’. All legal requirements for obtaining construction permission have been followed, ensuring that ownership can be officially transferred to the local authorities – a precondition for the system’s long-term sustainability.
Sultonobod Jamoat will own the new water supply systems. The Jamoat signed a contract on the management of the systems with a Community-Based operator (water user association). Dividing the ownership and operation of water systems, has proved to be an effect method of ensuring long-term sustainability. The WUAs received technical assistance and training from the TajWSS project and the local authorities.
Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation (TajWSS) Project is funded by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Oxfam in Tajikistan in partnership with the Ministry of Melioration and Water Resources and UNDP.
