Description
GTZ believes that progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive cooperation among all stakeholders. To this end it works with a number of local and international partners in Syria to ensure its work in the water sector is relevant and effective.
Managing Water for
Sustainable Development
Modernisation of the Syrian Water Sector
3
THE CRADLE OF CIVILISATION
With its rich history that reaches back thousands of years, Syria is often described as the ‘Cradle of
Civilisation’. Tis Eastern Mediterranean country in the heart of the Middle East is culturally,
geographically and climatically extremely diverse with vast rocky deserts in the east, the fertile Euphrates
River valley in the north and snowy mountains in the west.
Syria’s history goes back to ancient times. Known as the ‘Fertile Crescent’, the region was famed for its
rich soils and abundant water supplies which attracted human settlements as early as 3000BC.
Te country’s two major cities, the capital Damascus in the south and the northern city of Aleppo, vie for
the title of “oldest continuously inhabited city in the world”. From the ruins of Ugarit, where one of the
?rst alphabets was developed, to the Roman city of Palmyra, an oasis town on the Silk Route, the history
of Mediterranean civilisations can truly be traced through Syria’s diverse landscapes.
Te map of Syria bears testimony to the importance of water in the country’s history: settlements lie to
the fertile west of the country, line the coastline and scatter the length of the banks of the Euphrates River
which ?ows from Turkey to Syria and into Iraq.
To sustain their populations, the early civilisations developed agricultural techniques and irrigation
systems. At the same time, the inhabitants of ancient cities such as Damascus and Aleppo were among the
?rst to develop sophisticated water distribution and sanitation networks, which brought water to people’s
homes. In smaller towns and villages, public water fountains, known as sabils, traditionally provided locals
with easy access to drinking water.
Today Syria is growing and changing rapidly. Modern, bustling and with a young population, it is now
home to over 20 million people. Te economy, formerly mainly reliant on incomes from agriculture and
traditional manufacturing industries, is increasingly diversi?ed with a growing private sector and a
blossoming tourism industry. And crucial to all of these people, crops, industries and services, is water.
4
Situated in an arid to semi-arid climatic zone, Syria registers a wide variation in its rainfall levels, with
more than 1,000 mm/yr in the mountainous coastal areas and less than 200 mm/yr in the south-eastern
desert regions.
Te country’s water supply comes from three sources: rainfall, groundwater and surface water. Te
average internal renewable water resources are estimated at 8bn m
3
/yr, of which 5bn m
3
/yr comes from
groundwater sources. In addition Syria receives around 6bn m
3
/yr from the Euphrates River in the
north-east. Together with discharges from agricultural, domestic and industrial sources, this brings the
actual total renewable water resources to about 16bn m
3
/yr.
WATER IN SYRIA, A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
5
Syria’s water resources are under growing pressure from massive population growth and high
urbanisation rates. In addition, the prevailing policy of self-su?ciency in agricultural food production
and the development of industry and tourism place ever-greater demands on the resource.
As in many other countries in the region, the agricultural sector is the main consumer of water, using
88.5 percent of Syria’s water resources. Of the remaining resources just 3.3 percent goes to the industrial
sector, while 8.2 percent goes to the domestic, commercial and tourism sectors.
Annual water use has exceeded the total renewable water resources by around 14 percent for the past 15
years and the reduction of groundwater resources is a serious problem in many areas. In addition, water
supplies are unevenly distributed across the country, with major urban centres such as Damascus situated
in low rainfall areas.
In addition to water shortage, pollution from untreated domestic wastewater and agricultural
run-o? is a growing problem. Tis not only a?ects the quality of drinking water in rural and urban areas,
but also contaminates irrigation water, forming a major health hazard.
The objective of the GTZ water programme is to protect the
country’s water resources and improve the living conditions
of the Syrian people.
Besides environmental issues facing the country’s water resources, Syria’s water institutions also face
many challenges on a managerial level. Te various stakeholders are, however, constantly working to
improve and enhance the e?ciency of work processes in the sector.
Looking to the future, the Syrian government is formulating policies that foster sustainable water
resource management and ensure equitable access to safe drinking water. At the same time, it is seeking to
increase the sector’s ability to cope with the e?ects of climate change.
Te goal of the GTZ Modernisation Programme for the Water Sector in Syria is to improve water
supply and sanitation management and lay the foundation for integrated water resources management,
with the objective of protecting the country’s water resources and improving the living conditions of the
Syrian people.
47%
42%
3%
8%
Industrial water use
Domestic water use
Agricultural groundwater use
Agricultural surface water use
WATER USE PER SECTOR
6
GTZ PROFILE
MACRO LEVEL
GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS
Ministry of Housing and Construction
State Planning Commission
Ministry of Local Administration
Ministry of Irrigation
MESO LEVEL
STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS
Water Establishments in Damascus and Aleppo
Higher Institute for Water Management
Vocational Training Centres
MICRO LEVEL
PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Consultants and contractors
Order of Syrian Engineers and Architects
Public and private universities
GERMAN DEVELOPMENT
COOPERATION IN THE SYRIAN
WATER SECTOR
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is an international enterprise for
sustainable development with worldwide operations. Owned by the Federal Republic of Germany, it
supports the German government in achieving its development policy objectives. It provides viable,
long-term solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world.
Working in both developing countries and transition economies, GTZ promotes complex reform and
change processes. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.
Besides Syria, GTZ is active in more than 130 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, as well as in Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It
maintains o?ces in 87 countries and employs around 13,000 sta? members, almost 10,000 of whom are
national personnel. Fifty international experts and national sta? work on di?erent projects in Syria.
OUR CLIENTS
GTZ’s major client is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ). GTZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries, the governments of other countries and
international clients, such as the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank, as well
as on behalf of private enterprises. GTZ works on a public-bene?t basis. All surpluses generated are
channelled back into its own international cooperation projects for sustainable development.
OUR CONCEPT
GTZ takes on tasks in the ?eld of international cooperation and implements them in line with its
concept of sustainable development. We help realise this concept with our holistic, value-based and
process-oriented approach that secures the participation of all stakeholders. We take economic, social and
environmental issues into account in our work and support our partners when it comes to negotiating
solutions in the broader societal context. We operate at a local, regional, national and international level
in order to achieve maximum impact.
With our wide spectrum of services, the most important of which is capacity development, we translate
sustainable development into practice. We promote capacity development at an individual, organisational
and societal level so that our partners are able to articulate, negotiate and implement their own concepts
of sustainable development.
OUR MULTILEVEL APPROACH
In its work in Syria, as elsewhere, GTZ provides support on many levels, working with governmental
institutions, local state-run establishments, the private sector and civil society.
7
MODERNISATION WITH A VIEW TO SUSTAINABILITY
In 2003 Syria embarked on a wide-ranging economic reform programme designed to transform the
centrally planned system into a social market economy. Under the previous economic system, the
country’s infrastructure and utilities were entirely in public hands and many institutions relied on
outdated and ine?cient work methods.
A generous system of social subsidies meant that many service providers, including water utilities, did
not cover the costs of their operations. Te resources available for sta? training and the development of
good management practices were also limited.
As the country makes the transition to a social market economy, the Syrian government has identi?ed
the water sector as one of the priority areas for modernisation, with the aim of making it both
economically and ecologically sustainable. Under the Tenth Five-Year plan (2006-2010) the drinking
water and sanitation utilities remain public institutions, but considerable work is being done to put them
on a commercial footing, increase their e?ciency and ensure cost recovery.
GTZ provides support to the Syrian government and its e?orts to modernise the water sector.
Te German cooperation’s Modernisation Programme for the Water Sector in Syria was formally
launched in 2006 when the ?rst phase (2006-2008) was initiated. Te current second phase of the project
covers the period 2009-2011.
The Syrian government has identifed the water sector as one of
the priority areas for modernisation.
Activities as part of GTZ’s support to the Syrian water sector have included the introduction of modern
working methods and e?ective work?ows, as well as improved planning instruments to allow for the
development of practical, long-term strategies. GTZ has also encouraged the introduction of integrated
water resources management and supported e?orts to advance administrative modernisation,
decentralisation and good governance in the water sector.
Te measures planned as part of the modernisation process foster gender equality, economic
development and measures to combat poverty. At the same time, new policies aim to ensure that a high
value is placed on protecting the country’s environmental resources.
8
GTZ believes that progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive cooperation among all
stakeholders. To this end it works with a number of local and international partners in Syria to ensure
its work in the water sector is relevant and e?ective. GTZ consults with the di?erent stakeholders in the
water sector, in the belief that participatory processes will lead to better outcomes and that regular
communication among parties can improve results.
Te primary partners for cooperation in the water sector are Syrian institutions: the Ministry of
Housing and Construction, the water establishments in Damascus and Aleppo, and the State Planning
Commission. GTZ works with these bodies to identify their needs and jointly develop project ideas to
address the sector’s shortfalls. Te joint input of international and national long-term experts improves
the quality of GTZ’s services.
Secondly, GTZ cooperates with other international organisations and development agencies working in
the Syrian water sector, including the Delegation of the European Union, the European Investment Bank,
the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Red
Crescent, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, the Agence Française de Développement and
the Dutch government. Workshops and regular contact allows for the exchange of ideas and information,
and ensures that projects by di?erent actors do not overlap or interfere with each other. GTZ also relies
on the expertise of national and international consultants to implement its projects.
THE VALUE OF COOPERATION
9
Te third level of cooperation is between GTZ and other German development agencies. Te German
Development Service, DED, sends development workers to assist Syrian partner institutions in the water
sector. Inwent, the German training agency, runs courses for Syrian managers and decision makers in the
water sector, both on a full-time basis in Germany and through on-the-job training in Syria. KfW, the
German development bank, provides substantial ?nancing to improve infrastructure in the Syrian water
sector. Currently KfW has committed funds of over €140m which is matched by Syrian funds. BGR, the
German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, provides scienti?c and technical
support. A range of universities in Germany and Syria, both public and private, share academics and
expertise, with the support of DAAD, the German academic exchange service. Finally, a long history of
informal cooperation and friendship between the Syrian and German people also aids GTZ in its work
with the Syrian water sector.
Progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive
cooperation among all stakeholders.
10
Te new water billing centre in Al-Tal, a town 20 minutes outside of Damascus, has radically overhauled
its work methods. Customers used to stand in long queues while billing clerks searched for their bills in
piles of paperwork. Today, water bills can be paid in a matter of minutes: sta? simply enter the customer’s
name into the computer and print the latest bill in order to process the payment.
Al-Tal’s billing centre was digitalised with the support of GTZ as part of a project to introduce a more
e?cient billing system for water units across the country.
Previously, losses – calculated as the di?erence in the volume of water being supplied and that being
paid for – were as high as 41 percent, owing to a combination of faulty meters, illegal use, bad readings
and administrative mistakes. In Al-Tal this ?gure has now been reduced to 19 percent.
In the long run, the new system will be fully computerised: meters will be read using handheld devices
which will register each customer’s water use and transfer the data into a central computer system. Bills
are already automatically calculated using specialised software which di?erentiates between the various
tari?s. In addition bills are now issued every two months, instead of once a year.
EFFICIENCY PROMOTES
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
11
“It is a big improvement compared to the previous system,” Hassan Surameejou, the director of the
Al-Tal water unit, said. “Previously, everything was done on paper. Mistakes were easily made. Te new
system has made the process smoother for the customer and easier for the water unit sta?.”
Rana Diab, a clerk at the Al-Tal billing centre who received special training on the new system, says her
work is a lot more e?cient now. “Te new system is great: it is organised, fast and really user-friendly,”
she said. “All my colleagues are happy because we can easily search for data to answer any query.”
As the system evolves, customers will also be able to pay their bills through their bank or even online.
It is not easy to manage a water supply system and track down losses without a clear picture of the
network. As part of a pilot scheme in the Sheikh Massoud and Achra?ye neighbourhoods of Aleppo, the
municipal water establishment, with support from GTZ and funding from KfW, used new technology to
produce a baseline geographic information system (GIS) map.
As there are no street addresses in Syria, customers were assigned a GIS address, allowing for the
creation of a database of users and their location. Technicians would use this GIS address when registering
meter readings. “It was the simplest way to reduce losses which mainly stemmed from people who weren’t
registered at the water utility or had faulty meters,” Holger Laenge, GTZ project manager in Aleppo, said.
Te software has now been further developed to create a maintenance management system. Customers
can report leaks or water supply problems by phoning a call centre, where operators locate their house on
the GIS map. Tis information is passed on to the technicians who can easily ?nd the house. Afterwards,
they report back to the centre with details of the repairs carried out. Tis method has allowed the water
establishment to identify problem areas where frequent leakages occur and the network needs upgrading.
MAPPING THE WATER NETWORK
Rana Diab,
clerk at the
Al-Tal billing centre
“The new system is great:
it is organised, fast and
really user-friendly.”
12
One of the major challenges facing the Syrian water sector at the start of cooperation with GTZ was
that it was not covering its costs. As part of the socialist economic policy which sought to provide cheap
drinking water to all, citizens received water at highly subsidised rates.
Te revenues therefore did not cover operational costs or generate funds for investment in the network.
Te system also gave a greater subsidy to large consumers and only limited support to small-scale users. It
led to wasteful use of water and did not help the poorest people who, living in areas of intermittent water
supply, still had to buy water from tanker trucks at a much higher price.
Over the past few years, the idea of charging for the collection and delivery of water has started to take
hold as the water sector aims for sustainability. Cost recovery was identi?ed as a government priority in
the Tenth Five-Year Plan and the results are visible: while only 55 percent of costs were recovered in 2006,
this ?gure had increased to 75 percent by 2009. Te aim is to reach 90 percent by 2010.
To achieve this goal the Syrian government increased the average price of water in November 2007,
adopting a progressive water tari? system which charges a low rate for basic consumption and higher rates
to heavy consumers. Te overall price increase is therefore borne by businesses and factories, who are able
to pay, and lowered for small-scale water users in order to make water a?ordable for domestic use.
Tus costs are carried by those best placed to pay them, while the system also encourages careful
consumption of water. Furthermore, the new tari? has allowed the Syrian government to uphold the
concept of social justice, which is central to the public debate surrounding economic reforms.
“Although all costs are still not covered, this is a step towards making the system sustainable,”
Jochen Rudolph, head of GTZ’s water programme in Syria, said.
As well as increasing the average price of water, e?orts are being made to reduce operational costs
through greater administrative and institutional e?ciency. Rather than working exclusively with
engineers, water institutions now employ economists and accountants, who ensure the ?nancial
sustainability of operations.
“Before we didn’t know how much each water unit spent or received,” Youssef al-Yathaki of the
Damascus Water Supply and Sewerage Authority said. “But with GTZ we have trained people in cost
accounting, which has helped reduce our expenditure.”
Te policy shift is an important ?rst step, but future challenges remain. Services must be continually
improved so that people remain willing to pay for water and the poor need to be better targeted by
government support.
COST RECOVERY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
FORMER TARIFF STRUCTURE
Domestic
1-20
Domestic
20-29
Domestic
30-59
Domestic
> 60
Government Commercial &
Industrial
Water Band
W
a
t
e
r
p
r
i
c
e
i
n
S
Y
P
p
e
r
m
3
0
5
10
15
3
4.5
13.5
19
8.5
22.4
8.96
4.675
3.8
2.025
0.45
0.15
20
25
CURRENT TARIFF STRUCTURE
Water
Sewage
65 SYP = 1 EURO
Domestic
1-15
Domestic
18-25
Domestic
28-40
Domestic
41-59
Domestic
> 60
Government Commercial &
Industrial
Water Band
W
a
t
e
r
p
r
i
c
e
i
n
S
Y
P
p
e
r
m
3
5
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
2.5
15
22
30 30
12
14
7.7
4.4
6
2.25
0.7
7
0.125
13
In order to improve the management culture in the Syrian water sector, GTZ has supported the
introduction of performance indicators, a set of tools that allow institutions to monitor their e?ciency in
managing their services in various areas.
At the moment, one of the sector’s main challenges is data and information management: data is often
not consistently collected and ?gures are inaccurate and contradictory. In a bid to remedy this situation,
the Ministry of Housing and Construction is working to improve data management and institutionalise
the performance indicator system with GTZ support. Tis will allow water establishments to improve
planning and services.
Initially some sta? in the water sector were concerned that performance indicators would be used to
identify individuals’ weak performance instead of fostering better management and friendly competition
among stakeholders in the sector.
Te Performance Indicator (PI) Unit at the ministry is trying to persuade people otherwise. Muhammad
al-Hajj, who leads the unit, said the indicators can provide information that will allow for better
planning. “It is ?rst of all a management tool for each establishment to enhance its performance,” he said.
“Secondly, it allows the ministry to enhance its regulatory role.”
In 2009 GTZ piloted drinking water performance indicators in the water establishments of Damascus,
Aleppo and Homs. Te indicators monitored total expenditure, revenue from bills, number of customers,
volume of water sold, number of sta?, number of network repairs and the number of water quality tests.
Gathering the data was not always straightforward however. “Te issue is not the calculations but getting
accurate data on a regular basis,” Tamer Kuzma of the Water Establishment in Homs said. “Tings
improved once we trained sta? at our ?nancial department and at the water units in data collection.”
As part of GTZ’s multilevel approach, the lessons learnt on the ground at the water establishments were
used to develop the system of performance indicators at a national level through the Ministry of Housing
and Construction.
Te wastewater sector is next in line for the introduction of performance indicators. During a workshop
with representatives from the 14 national Water Establishments at the end of 2009 initial indicators were
introduced and debated. As wastewater treatment is an area under development in Syria, it has proven to
be more di?cult to determine performance indicators in this domain.
However, initial suggestions include indicators of costs and revenues as well as the number of days of
sta? training and length of the sewerage network at the start and end of the year.
IMPROVING PLANNING PROCESSES:
The Performance Indicator System
14 14
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have become an important instrument within the Syrian-German
development cooperation. Jointly planned, ?nanced and implemented by the Syrian government, a
private company and GTZ, PPP projects contribute to the modernisation of the water sector by
introducing new technologies, knowledge transfer and capital.
“Private companies can add value to the modernisation of the Syrian water sector through their
expertise,” Jochen Rudolph, head of the GTZ water programme in Syria, said. “Until now this was not
possible because stronger governance was needed. Te public sector cannot just sell its problems to the
private sector. A lot of preparatory work is needed, so that PPPs can deliver the expected results and be
sustainable.”
Following work on the public side, collaboration with the private sector is now underway, with tenders
launched for Build-Operate-Transfer contracts. At the end of 2009 one of the ?rst public-private
collaborations was completed in the village of Jdeidet Yabous where the German company IPP Consult
has built a constructed wetland to treat wastewater.
Constructed wetlands are a modern, ecological way of treating water by using natural processes of soil
and vegetation. Tey are self-regulating systems which use little energy and are also cheap to maintain.
Material for the two 1,000-square-metre wetlands was provided by the Syrian Ministry of Housing and
Construction, while design, execution and operation costs were shared by GTZ and IPP Consult,
providing a model for private investment. Without the input of the private sector, such technology would
not have been available in the country. “Te project is a successful start to solving the lack of wastewater
treatment plants in Syria,” Yousef Zahr, an engineer at IPP Consult, said.
Te project will bene?t both the local community and the Syrian government. “Citizens and local
communities are happy with the project as it protects their drinking water supplies and provides an
additional source of irrigation water,” Maria Schäfer, head of the GTZ Sector for the Mediterranean,
Europe and Central Asia, said.
Wastewater treatment is currently the main focus for Public-Private Partnerships given the low levels of
treatment in the country and the lack of expertise in wastewater management technology in Syria.
Te Syrian government has recognised the advantages of private-sector participation. “We encourage
future Public-Private Partnerships for the establishment of constructed wetlands because they are
inexpensive to build and do not require very experienced sta? to operate,” Deputy Minister of Housing
Dr Kamal Sheikha said. As part of the Syrian-German cooperation programme, 23 additional treatment
stations are due to be constructed across six governorates with KfW ?nancing. Other projects include
cooperation between IPP Consult and the Syrian authorities in Homs to draw up a wastewater master plan.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP:
Creating Win-Win Situations
PPP projects contribute to the
modernisation of the water sector
by introducing new technologies,
knowledge transfer and capital.
15
GTZ’s work follows the principle that sustainable capacity development within Syrian institutions is only
possible if modernisation and change processes are initiated by the Syrian partners.
Te Damascus Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DAWSSA) is one of the institutions where
extensive reforms are being implemented to improve management, increase technical capabilities,
rationalise the organisational structure and develop human resources.
In this framework, seven DAWSSA sta? members participated in a one-year course in Germany,
organised by the German training agency Inwent. Te training drew on the German experience and
explored ways of applying it in Syria. Te Syrian sta? also acquired work experience at German water
companies during their stay.
“Te mindset since the training has changed,” Youssef al-Yathaki, the director of training at DAWSSA,
said. “Decisions used to be taken as reactions to events. Now we plan. We look at water in a holistic way
rather than just trying to solve individual problems.”
In a bid to cut down on water losses and make the water establishment more e?cient, GTZ and
DAWSSA drafted a new organisational structure. Job descriptions were created so that each person’s role
was well de?ned. Sta? were also trained on how to deal with co-workers and sta? at other directorates.
In parallel, GTZ has been training upper and middle management at the water units to become better
managers, as well as equipping engineers and IT workers with the skills needed to implement change in
the network system and at the billing centres.
Following a training session on ?nancial and planning skills at the DAWSSA headquarters and local
water units, sta? recognised a need for better administrative procedures and the introduction of o?ce
automation. Tis led to improved billing, faster collection of old debts and increased revenue to sustain
operations.
“Te training has given people ownership,” Mr. al-Yathaki said. “When the plan is yours and is not
imposed on you, there is more incentive to follow it.”
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Ownership and Sustainability: the Key to Capacity Development
“Before we started working with GTZ there was no focus on human resources – neither quali?cations nor
training. Many of our sta? had no specialised training. For example, network engineers would open and
shut a valve but not understand why they were doing it.
New systems are now being put into place. We continue to work with our current sta?, but there is a
committee which surveys all the water units and assesses sta? quali?cations. We can then relocate people
where they are needed.
I have also drawn up a training plan based on an analysis of training needs. Instead of being predesigned
as in the past, courses are now tailor-made for each water unit.
Sta? are more interested in the training because it is relevant to them. Workers are becoming more
specialised and skilled. Tey are starting to care about their job.”
Youssef al-Yathaki,
Director of Training and
Qualifcations, Damascus
Water Supply and
Sewage Authority
MAKING TRAINING RELEVANT
16
Syria’s water resources are under growing pressure from population growth, urbanisation, the impacts of
climate change and an expanding agricultural sector. Per capita water availability is constantly decreasing
and rainfall is becoming more irregular and scarce.
In this context, the Syrian government is starting to embrace the principle of integrated water resources
management (IWRM) with a view to promoting ecological sustainability, social justice and greater
economic e?ciency. Integrated water resources management is an internationally recognised
implementation tool for managing and developing water resources in a way that balances social and
economic needs, and that ensures the protection of ecosystems for future generations.
As part of the German government’s support of IWRM, GTZ is since 2006 encouraging the
introduction of this concept into the Syrian water sector. To date, work has focused mainly on the
institutional framework and the drafting of executive procedures for the implementation of IWRM
principles. By adopting IWRM principles, the Syrian government aims to promote a better
administration of the sector, increased protection of water resources with regards to water demand and
water pollution, an increase in the availability of safe drinking water, and an improvement of the
environmental situation. Another important aspect is the clari?cation of the roles and responsibilities
of di?erent stakeholders.
MANAGING WATER RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE
The Syrian government is adopting the principle
of IWRM with a view to promoting ecological
sustainability, social justice and greater
economic effciency.
17
To this end, GTZ has – together with the other German development agencies – contributed to
de?ning the term IWRM in the context of the Syrian water sector and outlined a number of guiding
principles that will serve as a framework for the development of future projects in this domain.
In the current phase a pilot project will be implemented in one of the 14 governorates, during which all
relevant stakeholders in the ?eld of water will discuss the development of a local-level IWRM strategy and
identify how this management tool can contribute to sustainable development.
On a governmental level, GTZ is assisting the Syrian State Planning Commission in the drafting of a
Baseline Water Sector Report which aims to provide a comprehensive, quantitative and concise overview
of water sector services and infrastructure. Te report serves as a baseline for regular evaluation of water
services and infrastructure, highlighting progress made and problem areas. It also introduces IWRM
principles into its recommendations for improved management of the sector.
In addition, BGR, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, provides
support and advice to the Ministry of Irrigation in the ?eld of water resources management. Te work
focuses on water monitoring and supporting ministry sta? in their e?orts to improve planning and
budgeting processes in the Aleppo basin.
18
Water is the focal area of German-Syrian development cooperation. Since guiding principles were jointly
agreed upon in 2003, GTZ and the Syrian government have together brought about many positive
changes in the water sector. Te two parties work on the principle that all developments must be initiated
within Syrian institutions and that GTZ provides technical support where needed.
Te changes are evident. Today those working in the Syrian water sector generally accept that
sustainability is a key issue, and that this requires both technical innovation and managerial improvement.
We have strengthened institutions in the water sector and increased managerial capacities through
ongoing training. Te water companies in Aleppo and Damascus have reduced water losses caused by
leaks and administrative problems. Te Syrian government has increased cost recovery in the water sector
by raising the average price of water while keeping it low for small-scale consumers. Te government also
does its utmost to give the poorest groups of society access to clean, a?ordable drinking water. In addi-
tion, we have worked with our Syrian partners to make sure that environmental protection and conserva-
tion of the country’s water resources are prioritised.
Many challenges lie ahead and GTZ and the Syrian government will continue their cooperation in the
water sector. Our priorities for the future are fourfold. Firstly, decentralisation: decisions are best taken
by people on the ground who have local expertise and are close to the customer. GTZ and the Ministry
of Housing and Construction have agreed that the ministry’s role needs to shift from implementation to
regulation. At the same time, sta? at the local water units needs to be trained so that the units can take on
greater responsibility.
Secondly, we will work together to strengthen the ability to monitor performance and promote a culture
of working on the basis of empirical data. Tirdly, we will continue to work on cross-sectoral cooperation
and participation in regional initiatives such as the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association.
Finally, we aim to strengthen the role of the private sector in the area of water. From management
and service contracts to Build-Operate-Transfer projects, there is much room for private businesses to
play a role.
To achieve these ambitious goals we need to continue focusing on the main challenge: capacity
development in the Syrian water sector that aims at strengthening institutions and procedures. It will be
increasingly important to improve and broaden the mix of skills that people in the public sector have.
Tis does not just mean academic credentials, but continuous, on-the-job learning.
Tere is much to do, but with Syrian-German cooperation we believe further important improvements
to the water sector can be achieved.
LOOKING AHEAD
“It will be increasingly important
to improve and broaden the mix
of skills that people in the public
sector have.“
Jochen Rudolph,
Programme Manager,
GTZ Modernisation Programme for the
Syrian Water Sector
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
- German Technical Cooperation -
GTZ Offce Damascus
Abu Romane
Mahde bin Barake Street 26
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic
Modernisation Programme
for the Syrian Water Sector
T +963 11 22 10 10 5
F +963 11 22 10 10 5? EXT. 15
E [email protected]
I www.gtz.de
I www.water.co.sy
Texts and Editorial: Sarah Birke, Francesca de Châtel
Design and Layout: Ghazal Lababidi
Photos: Adel Samara, Carole al-Farah
Printing: Salhani
April 2010
doc_746318180.pdf
GTZ believes that progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive cooperation among all stakeholders. To this end it works with a number of local and international partners in Syria to ensure its work in the water sector is relevant and effective.
Managing Water for
Sustainable Development
Modernisation of the Syrian Water Sector
3
THE CRADLE OF CIVILISATION
With its rich history that reaches back thousands of years, Syria is often described as the ‘Cradle of
Civilisation’. Tis Eastern Mediterranean country in the heart of the Middle East is culturally,
geographically and climatically extremely diverse with vast rocky deserts in the east, the fertile Euphrates
River valley in the north and snowy mountains in the west.
Syria’s history goes back to ancient times. Known as the ‘Fertile Crescent’, the region was famed for its
rich soils and abundant water supplies which attracted human settlements as early as 3000BC.
Te country’s two major cities, the capital Damascus in the south and the northern city of Aleppo, vie for
the title of “oldest continuously inhabited city in the world”. From the ruins of Ugarit, where one of the
?rst alphabets was developed, to the Roman city of Palmyra, an oasis town on the Silk Route, the history
of Mediterranean civilisations can truly be traced through Syria’s diverse landscapes.
Te map of Syria bears testimony to the importance of water in the country’s history: settlements lie to
the fertile west of the country, line the coastline and scatter the length of the banks of the Euphrates River
which ?ows from Turkey to Syria and into Iraq.
To sustain their populations, the early civilisations developed agricultural techniques and irrigation
systems. At the same time, the inhabitants of ancient cities such as Damascus and Aleppo were among the
?rst to develop sophisticated water distribution and sanitation networks, which brought water to people’s
homes. In smaller towns and villages, public water fountains, known as sabils, traditionally provided locals
with easy access to drinking water.
Today Syria is growing and changing rapidly. Modern, bustling and with a young population, it is now
home to over 20 million people. Te economy, formerly mainly reliant on incomes from agriculture and
traditional manufacturing industries, is increasingly diversi?ed with a growing private sector and a
blossoming tourism industry. And crucial to all of these people, crops, industries and services, is water.
4
Situated in an arid to semi-arid climatic zone, Syria registers a wide variation in its rainfall levels, with
more than 1,000 mm/yr in the mountainous coastal areas and less than 200 mm/yr in the south-eastern
desert regions.
Te country’s water supply comes from three sources: rainfall, groundwater and surface water. Te
average internal renewable water resources are estimated at 8bn m
3
/yr, of which 5bn m
3
/yr comes from
groundwater sources. In addition Syria receives around 6bn m
3
/yr from the Euphrates River in the
north-east. Together with discharges from agricultural, domestic and industrial sources, this brings the
actual total renewable water resources to about 16bn m
3
/yr.
WATER IN SYRIA, A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
5
Syria’s water resources are under growing pressure from massive population growth and high
urbanisation rates. In addition, the prevailing policy of self-su?ciency in agricultural food production
and the development of industry and tourism place ever-greater demands on the resource.
As in many other countries in the region, the agricultural sector is the main consumer of water, using
88.5 percent of Syria’s water resources. Of the remaining resources just 3.3 percent goes to the industrial
sector, while 8.2 percent goes to the domestic, commercial and tourism sectors.
Annual water use has exceeded the total renewable water resources by around 14 percent for the past 15
years and the reduction of groundwater resources is a serious problem in many areas. In addition, water
supplies are unevenly distributed across the country, with major urban centres such as Damascus situated
in low rainfall areas.
In addition to water shortage, pollution from untreated domestic wastewater and agricultural
run-o? is a growing problem. Tis not only a?ects the quality of drinking water in rural and urban areas,
but also contaminates irrigation water, forming a major health hazard.
The objective of the GTZ water programme is to protect the
country’s water resources and improve the living conditions
of the Syrian people.
Besides environmental issues facing the country’s water resources, Syria’s water institutions also face
many challenges on a managerial level. Te various stakeholders are, however, constantly working to
improve and enhance the e?ciency of work processes in the sector.
Looking to the future, the Syrian government is formulating policies that foster sustainable water
resource management and ensure equitable access to safe drinking water. At the same time, it is seeking to
increase the sector’s ability to cope with the e?ects of climate change.
Te goal of the GTZ Modernisation Programme for the Water Sector in Syria is to improve water
supply and sanitation management and lay the foundation for integrated water resources management,
with the objective of protecting the country’s water resources and improving the living conditions of the
Syrian people.
47%
42%
3%
8%
Industrial water use
Domestic water use
Agricultural groundwater use
Agricultural surface water use
WATER USE PER SECTOR
6
GTZ PROFILE
MACRO LEVEL
GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS
Ministry of Housing and Construction
State Planning Commission
Ministry of Local Administration
Ministry of Irrigation
MESO LEVEL
STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS
Water Establishments in Damascus and Aleppo
Higher Institute for Water Management
Vocational Training Centres
MICRO LEVEL
PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Consultants and contractors
Order of Syrian Engineers and Architects
Public and private universities
GERMAN DEVELOPMENT
COOPERATION IN THE SYRIAN
WATER SECTOR
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is an international enterprise for
sustainable development with worldwide operations. Owned by the Federal Republic of Germany, it
supports the German government in achieving its development policy objectives. It provides viable,
long-term solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world.
Working in both developing countries and transition economies, GTZ promotes complex reform and
change processes. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.
Besides Syria, GTZ is active in more than 130 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, as well as in Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It
maintains o?ces in 87 countries and employs around 13,000 sta? members, almost 10,000 of whom are
national personnel. Fifty international experts and national sta? work on di?erent projects in Syria.
OUR CLIENTS
GTZ’s major client is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ). GTZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries, the governments of other countries and
international clients, such as the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank, as well
as on behalf of private enterprises. GTZ works on a public-bene?t basis. All surpluses generated are
channelled back into its own international cooperation projects for sustainable development.
OUR CONCEPT
GTZ takes on tasks in the ?eld of international cooperation and implements them in line with its
concept of sustainable development. We help realise this concept with our holistic, value-based and
process-oriented approach that secures the participation of all stakeholders. We take economic, social and
environmental issues into account in our work and support our partners when it comes to negotiating
solutions in the broader societal context. We operate at a local, regional, national and international level
in order to achieve maximum impact.
With our wide spectrum of services, the most important of which is capacity development, we translate
sustainable development into practice. We promote capacity development at an individual, organisational
and societal level so that our partners are able to articulate, negotiate and implement their own concepts
of sustainable development.
OUR MULTILEVEL APPROACH
In its work in Syria, as elsewhere, GTZ provides support on many levels, working with governmental
institutions, local state-run establishments, the private sector and civil society.
7
MODERNISATION WITH A VIEW TO SUSTAINABILITY
In 2003 Syria embarked on a wide-ranging economic reform programme designed to transform the
centrally planned system into a social market economy. Under the previous economic system, the
country’s infrastructure and utilities were entirely in public hands and many institutions relied on
outdated and ine?cient work methods.
A generous system of social subsidies meant that many service providers, including water utilities, did
not cover the costs of their operations. Te resources available for sta? training and the development of
good management practices were also limited.
As the country makes the transition to a social market economy, the Syrian government has identi?ed
the water sector as one of the priority areas for modernisation, with the aim of making it both
economically and ecologically sustainable. Under the Tenth Five-Year plan (2006-2010) the drinking
water and sanitation utilities remain public institutions, but considerable work is being done to put them
on a commercial footing, increase their e?ciency and ensure cost recovery.
GTZ provides support to the Syrian government and its e?orts to modernise the water sector.
Te German cooperation’s Modernisation Programme for the Water Sector in Syria was formally
launched in 2006 when the ?rst phase (2006-2008) was initiated. Te current second phase of the project
covers the period 2009-2011.
The Syrian government has identifed the water sector as one of
the priority areas for modernisation.
Activities as part of GTZ’s support to the Syrian water sector have included the introduction of modern
working methods and e?ective work?ows, as well as improved planning instruments to allow for the
development of practical, long-term strategies. GTZ has also encouraged the introduction of integrated
water resources management and supported e?orts to advance administrative modernisation,
decentralisation and good governance in the water sector.
Te measures planned as part of the modernisation process foster gender equality, economic
development and measures to combat poverty. At the same time, new policies aim to ensure that a high
value is placed on protecting the country’s environmental resources.
8
GTZ believes that progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive cooperation among all
stakeholders. To this end it works with a number of local and international partners in Syria to ensure
its work in the water sector is relevant and e?ective. GTZ consults with the di?erent stakeholders in the
water sector, in the belief that participatory processes will lead to better outcomes and that regular
communication among parties can improve results.
Te primary partners for cooperation in the water sector are Syrian institutions: the Ministry of
Housing and Construction, the water establishments in Damascus and Aleppo, and the State Planning
Commission. GTZ works with these bodies to identify their needs and jointly develop project ideas to
address the sector’s shortfalls. Te joint input of international and national long-term experts improves
the quality of GTZ’s services.
Secondly, GTZ cooperates with other international organisations and development agencies working in
the Syrian water sector, including the Delegation of the European Union, the European Investment Bank,
the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Red
Crescent, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, the Agence Française de Développement and
the Dutch government. Workshops and regular contact allows for the exchange of ideas and information,
and ensures that projects by di?erent actors do not overlap or interfere with each other. GTZ also relies
on the expertise of national and international consultants to implement its projects.
THE VALUE OF COOPERATION
9
Te third level of cooperation is between GTZ and other German development agencies. Te German
Development Service, DED, sends development workers to assist Syrian partner institutions in the water
sector. Inwent, the German training agency, runs courses for Syrian managers and decision makers in the
water sector, both on a full-time basis in Germany and through on-the-job training in Syria. KfW, the
German development bank, provides substantial ?nancing to improve infrastructure in the Syrian water
sector. Currently KfW has committed funds of over €140m which is matched by Syrian funds. BGR, the
German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, provides scienti?c and technical
support. A range of universities in Germany and Syria, both public and private, share academics and
expertise, with the support of DAAD, the German academic exchange service. Finally, a long history of
informal cooperation and friendship between the Syrian and German people also aids GTZ in its work
with the Syrian water sector.
Progress in the water sector requires strong and intensive
cooperation among all stakeholders.
10
Te new water billing centre in Al-Tal, a town 20 minutes outside of Damascus, has radically overhauled
its work methods. Customers used to stand in long queues while billing clerks searched for their bills in
piles of paperwork. Today, water bills can be paid in a matter of minutes: sta? simply enter the customer’s
name into the computer and print the latest bill in order to process the payment.
Al-Tal’s billing centre was digitalised with the support of GTZ as part of a project to introduce a more
e?cient billing system for water units across the country.
Previously, losses – calculated as the di?erence in the volume of water being supplied and that being
paid for – were as high as 41 percent, owing to a combination of faulty meters, illegal use, bad readings
and administrative mistakes. In Al-Tal this ?gure has now been reduced to 19 percent.
In the long run, the new system will be fully computerised: meters will be read using handheld devices
which will register each customer’s water use and transfer the data into a central computer system. Bills
are already automatically calculated using specialised software which di?erentiates between the various
tari?s. In addition bills are now issued every two months, instead of once a year.
EFFICIENCY PROMOTES
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
11
“It is a big improvement compared to the previous system,” Hassan Surameejou, the director of the
Al-Tal water unit, said. “Previously, everything was done on paper. Mistakes were easily made. Te new
system has made the process smoother for the customer and easier for the water unit sta?.”
Rana Diab, a clerk at the Al-Tal billing centre who received special training on the new system, says her
work is a lot more e?cient now. “Te new system is great: it is organised, fast and really user-friendly,”
she said. “All my colleagues are happy because we can easily search for data to answer any query.”
As the system evolves, customers will also be able to pay their bills through their bank or even online.
It is not easy to manage a water supply system and track down losses without a clear picture of the
network. As part of a pilot scheme in the Sheikh Massoud and Achra?ye neighbourhoods of Aleppo, the
municipal water establishment, with support from GTZ and funding from KfW, used new technology to
produce a baseline geographic information system (GIS) map.
As there are no street addresses in Syria, customers were assigned a GIS address, allowing for the
creation of a database of users and their location. Technicians would use this GIS address when registering
meter readings. “It was the simplest way to reduce losses which mainly stemmed from people who weren’t
registered at the water utility or had faulty meters,” Holger Laenge, GTZ project manager in Aleppo, said.
Te software has now been further developed to create a maintenance management system. Customers
can report leaks or water supply problems by phoning a call centre, where operators locate their house on
the GIS map. Tis information is passed on to the technicians who can easily ?nd the house. Afterwards,
they report back to the centre with details of the repairs carried out. Tis method has allowed the water
establishment to identify problem areas where frequent leakages occur and the network needs upgrading.
MAPPING THE WATER NETWORK
Rana Diab,
clerk at the
Al-Tal billing centre
“The new system is great:
it is organised, fast and
really user-friendly.”
12
One of the major challenges facing the Syrian water sector at the start of cooperation with GTZ was
that it was not covering its costs. As part of the socialist economic policy which sought to provide cheap
drinking water to all, citizens received water at highly subsidised rates.
Te revenues therefore did not cover operational costs or generate funds for investment in the network.
Te system also gave a greater subsidy to large consumers and only limited support to small-scale users. It
led to wasteful use of water and did not help the poorest people who, living in areas of intermittent water
supply, still had to buy water from tanker trucks at a much higher price.
Over the past few years, the idea of charging for the collection and delivery of water has started to take
hold as the water sector aims for sustainability. Cost recovery was identi?ed as a government priority in
the Tenth Five-Year Plan and the results are visible: while only 55 percent of costs were recovered in 2006,
this ?gure had increased to 75 percent by 2009. Te aim is to reach 90 percent by 2010.
To achieve this goal the Syrian government increased the average price of water in November 2007,
adopting a progressive water tari? system which charges a low rate for basic consumption and higher rates
to heavy consumers. Te overall price increase is therefore borne by businesses and factories, who are able
to pay, and lowered for small-scale water users in order to make water a?ordable for domestic use.
Tus costs are carried by those best placed to pay them, while the system also encourages careful
consumption of water. Furthermore, the new tari? has allowed the Syrian government to uphold the
concept of social justice, which is central to the public debate surrounding economic reforms.
“Although all costs are still not covered, this is a step towards making the system sustainable,”
Jochen Rudolph, head of GTZ’s water programme in Syria, said.
As well as increasing the average price of water, e?orts are being made to reduce operational costs
through greater administrative and institutional e?ciency. Rather than working exclusively with
engineers, water institutions now employ economists and accountants, who ensure the ?nancial
sustainability of operations.
“Before we didn’t know how much each water unit spent or received,” Youssef al-Yathaki of the
Damascus Water Supply and Sewerage Authority said. “But with GTZ we have trained people in cost
accounting, which has helped reduce our expenditure.”
Te policy shift is an important ?rst step, but future challenges remain. Services must be continually
improved so that people remain willing to pay for water and the poor need to be better targeted by
government support.
COST RECOVERY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
FORMER TARIFF STRUCTURE
Domestic
1-20
Domestic
20-29
Domestic
30-59
Domestic
> 60
Government Commercial &
Industrial
Water Band
W
a
t
e
r
p
r
i
c
e
i
n
S
Y
P
p
e
r
m
3
0
5
10
15
3
4.5
13.5
19
8.5
22.4
8.96
4.675
3.8
2.025
0.45
0.15
20
25
CURRENT TARIFF STRUCTURE
Water
Sewage
65 SYP = 1 EURO
Domestic
1-15
Domestic
18-25
Domestic
28-40
Domestic
41-59
Domestic
> 60
Government Commercial &
Industrial
Water Band
W
a
t
e
r
p
r
i
c
e
i
n
S
Y
P
p
e
r
m
3
5
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
2.5
15
22
30 30
12
14
7.7
4.4
6
2.25
0.7
7
0.125
13
In order to improve the management culture in the Syrian water sector, GTZ has supported the
introduction of performance indicators, a set of tools that allow institutions to monitor their e?ciency in
managing their services in various areas.
At the moment, one of the sector’s main challenges is data and information management: data is often
not consistently collected and ?gures are inaccurate and contradictory. In a bid to remedy this situation,
the Ministry of Housing and Construction is working to improve data management and institutionalise
the performance indicator system with GTZ support. Tis will allow water establishments to improve
planning and services.
Initially some sta? in the water sector were concerned that performance indicators would be used to
identify individuals’ weak performance instead of fostering better management and friendly competition
among stakeholders in the sector.
Te Performance Indicator (PI) Unit at the ministry is trying to persuade people otherwise. Muhammad
al-Hajj, who leads the unit, said the indicators can provide information that will allow for better
planning. “It is ?rst of all a management tool for each establishment to enhance its performance,” he said.
“Secondly, it allows the ministry to enhance its regulatory role.”
In 2009 GTZ piloted drinking water performance indicators in the water establishments of Damascus,
Aleppo and Homs. Te indicators monitored total expenditure, revenue from bills, number of customers,
volume of water sold, number of sta?, number of network repairs and the number of water quality tests.
Gathering the data was not always straightforward however. “Te issue is not the calculations but getting
accurate data on a regular basis,” Tamer Kuzma of the Water Establishment in Homs said. “Tings
improved once we trained sta? at our ?nancial department and at the water units in data collection.”
As part of GTZ’s multilevel approach, the lessons learnt on the ground at the water establishments were
used to develop the system of performance indicators at a national level through the Ministry of Housing
and Construction.
Te wastewater sector is next in line for the introduction of performance indicators. During a workshop
with representatives from the 14 national Water Establishments at the end of 2009 initial indicators were
introduced and debated. As wastewater treatment is an area under development in Syria, it has proven to
be more di?cult to determine performance indicators in this domain.
However, initial suggestions include indicators of costs and revenues as well as the number of days of
sta? training and length of the sewerage network at the start and end of the year.
IMPROVING PLANNING PROCESSES:
The Performance Indicator System
14 14
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have become an important instrument within the Syrian-German
development cooperation. Jointly planned, ?nanced and implemented by the Syrian government, a
private company and GTZ, PPP projects contribute to the modernisation of the water sector by
introducing new technologies, knowledge transfer and capital.
“Private companies can add value to the modernisation of the Syrian water sector through their
expertise,” Jochen Rudolph, head of the GTZ water programme in Syria, said. “Until now this was not
possible because stronger governance was needed. Te public sector cannot just sell its problems to the
private sector. A lot of preparatory work is needed, so that PPPs can deliver the expected results and be
sustainable.”
Following work on the public side, collaboration with the private sector is now underway, with tenders
launched for Build-Operate-Transfer contracts. At the end of 2009 one of the ?rst public-private
collaborations was completed in the village of Jdeidet Yabous where the German company IPP Consult
has built a constructed wetland to treat wastewater.
Constructed wetlands are a modern, ecological way of treating water by using natural processes of soil
and vegetation. Tey are self-regulating systems which use little energy and are also cheap to maintain.
Material for the two 1,000-square-metre wetlands was provided by the Syrian Ministry of Housing and
Construction, while design, execution and operation costs were shared by GTZ and IPP Consult,
providing a model for private investment. Without the input of the private sector, such technology would
not have been available in the country. “Te project is a successful start to solving the lack of wastewater
treatment plants in Syria,” Yousef Zahr, an engineer at IPP Consult, said.
Te project will bene?t both the local community and the Syrian government. “Citizens and local
communities are happy with the project as it protects their drinking water supplies and provides an
additional source of irrigation water,” Maria Schäfer, head of the GTZ Sector for the Mediterranean,
Europe and Central Asia, said.
Wastewater treatment is currently the main focus for Public-Private Partnerships given the low levels of
treatment in the country and the lack of expertise in wastewater management technology in Syria.
Te Syrian government has recognised the advantages of private-sector participation. “We encourage
future Public-Private Partnerships for the establishment of constructed wetlands because they are
inexpensive to build and do not require very experienced sta? to operate,” Deputy Minister of Housing
Dr Kamal Sheikha said. As part of the Syrian-German cooperation programme, 23 additional treatment
stations are due to be constructed across six governorates with KfW ?nancing. Other projects include
cooperation between IPP Consult and the Syrian authorities in Homs to draw up a wastewater master plan.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP:
Creating Win-Win Situations
PPP projects contribute to the
modernisation of the water sector
by introducing new technologies,
knowledge transfer and capital.
15
GTZ’s work follows the principle that sustainable capacity development within Syrian institutions is only
possible if modernisation and change processes are initiated by the Syrian partners.
Te Damascus Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DAWSSA) is one of the institutions where
extensive reforms are being implemented to improve management, increase technical capabilities,
rationalise the organisational structure and develop human resources.
In this framework, seven DAWSSA sta? members participated in a one-year course in Germany,
organised by the German training agency Inwent. Te training drew on the German experience and
explored ways of applying it in Syria. Te Syrian sta? also acquired work experience at German water
companies during their stay.
“Te mindset since the training has changed,” Youssef al-Yathaki, the director of training at DAWSSA,
said. “Decisions used to be taken as reactions to events. Now we plan. We look at water in a holistic way
rather than just trying to solve individual problems.”
In a bid to cut down on water losses and make the water establishment more e?cient, GTZ and
DAWSSA drafted a new organisational structure. Job descriptions were created so that each person’s role
was well de?ned. Sta? were also trained on how to deal with co-workers and sta? at other directorates.
In parallel, GTZ has been training upper and middle management at the water units to become better
managers, as well as equipping engineers and IT workers with the skills needed to implement change in
the network system and at the billing centres.
Following a training session on ?nancial and planning skills at the DAWSSA headquarters and local
water units, sta? recognised a need for better administrative procedures and the introduction of o?ce
automation. Tis led to improved billing, faster collection of old debts and increased revenue to sustain
operations.
“Te training has given people ownership,” Mr. al-Yathaki said. “When the plan is yours and is not
imposed on you, there is more incentive to follow it.”
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Ownership and Sustainability: the Key to Capacity Development
“Before we started working with GTZ there was no focus on human resources – neither quali?cations nor
training. Many of our sta? had no specialised training. For example, network engineers would open and
shut a valve but not understand why they were doing it.
New systems are now being put into place. We continue to work with our current sta?, but there is a
committee which surveys all the water units and assesses sta? quali?cations. We can then relocate people
where they are needed.
I have also drawn up a training plan based on an analysis of training needs. Instead of being predesigned
as in the past, courses are now tailor-made for each water unit.
Sta? are more interested in the training because it is relevant to them. Workers are becoming more
specialised and skilled. Tey are starting to care about their job.”
Youssef al-Yathaki,
Director of Training and
Qualifcations, Damascus
Water Supply and
Sewage Authority
MAKING TRAINING RELEVANT
16
Syria’s water resources are under growing pressure from population growth, urbanisation, the impacts of
climate change and an expanding agricultural sector. Per capita water availability is constantly decreasing
and rainfall is becoming more irregular and scarce.
In this context, the Syrian government is starting to embrace the principle of integrated water resources
management (IWRM) with a view to promoting ecological sustainability, social justice and greater
economic e?ciency. Integrated water resources management is an internationally recognised
implementation tool for managing and developing water resources in a way that balances social and
economic needs, and that ensures the protection of ecosystems for future generations.
As part of the German government’s support of IWRM, GTZ is since 2006 encouraging the
introduction of this concept into the Syrian water sector. To date, work has focused mainly on the
institutional framework and the drafting of executive procedures for the implementation of IWRM
principles. By adopting IWRM principles, the Syrian government aims to promote a better
administration of the sector, increased protection of water resources with regards to water demand and
water pollution, an increase in the availability of safe drinking water, and an improvement of the
environmental situation. Another important aspect is the clari?cation of the roles and responsibilities
of di?erent stakeholders.
MANAGING WATER RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE
The Syrian government is adopting the principle
of IWRM with a view to promoting ecological
sustainability, social justice and greater
economic effciency.
17
To this end, GTZ has – together with the other German development agencies – contributed to
de?ning the term IWRM in the context of the Syrian water sector and outlined a number of guiding
principles that will serve as a framework for the development of future projects in this domain.
In the current phase a pilot project will be implemented in one of the 14 governorates, during which all
relevant stakeholders in the ?eld of water will discuss the development of a local-level IWRM strategy and
identify how this management tool can contribute to sustainable development.
On a governmental level, GTZ is assisting the Syrian State Planning Commission in the drafting of a
Baseline Water Sector Report which aims to provide a comprehensive, quantitative and concise overview
of water sector services and infrastructure. Te report serves as a baseline for regular evaluation of water
services and infrastructure, highlighting progress made and problem areas. It also introduces IWRM
principles into its recommendations for improved management of the sector.
In addition, BGR, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, provides
support and advice to the Ministry of Irrigation in the ?eld of water resources management. Te work
focuses on water monitoring and supporting ministry sta? in their e?orts to improve planning and
budgeting processes in the Aleppo basin.
18
Water is the focal area of German-Syrian development cooperation. Since guiding principles were jointly
agreed upon in 2003, GTZ and the Syrian government have together brought about many positive
changes in the water sector. Te two parties work on the principle that all developments must be initiated
within Syrian institutions and that GTZ provides technical support where needed.
Te changes are evident. Today those working in the Syrian water sector generally accept that
sustainability is a key issue, and that this requires both technical innovation and managerial improvement.
We have strengthened institutions in the water sector and increased managerial capacities through
ongoing training. Te water companies in Aleppo and Damascus have reduced water losses caused by
leaks and administrative problems. Te Syrian government has increased cost recovery in the water sector
by raising the average price of water while keeping it low for small-scale consumers. Te government also
does its utmost to give the poorest groups of society access to clean, a?ordable drinking water. In addi-
tion, we have worked with our Syrian partners to make sure that environmental protection and conserva-
tion of the country’s water resources are prioritised.
Many challenges lie ahead and GTZ and the Syrian government will continue their cooperation in the
water sector. Our priorities for the future are fourfold. Firstly, decentralisation: decisions are best taken
by people on the ground who have local expertise and are close to the customer. GTZ and the Ministry
of Housing and Construction have agreed that the ministry’s role needs to shift from implementation to
regulation. At the same time, sta? at the local water units needs to be trained so that the units can take on
greater responsibility.
Secondly, we will work together to strengthen the ability to monitor performance and promote a culture
of working on the basis of empirical data. Tirdly, we will continue to work on cross-sectoral cooperation
and participation in regional initiatives such as the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association.
Finally, we aim to strengthen the role of the private sector in the area of water. From management
and service contracts to Build-Operate-Transfer projects, there is much room for private businesses to
play a role.
To achieve these ambitious goals we need to continue focusing on the main challenge: capacity
development in the Syrian water sector that aims at strengthening institutions and procedures. It will be
increasingly important to improve and broaden the mix of skills that people in the public sector have.
Tis does not just mean academic credentials, but continuous, on-the-job learning.
Tere is much to do, but with Syrian-German cooperation we believe further important improvements
to the water sector can be achieved.
LOOKING AHEAD
“It will be increasingly important
to improve and broaden the mix
of skills that people in the public
sector have.“
Jochen Rudolph,
Programme Manager,
GTZ Modernisation Programme for the
Syrian Water Sector
Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
- German Technical Cooperation -
GTZ Offce Damascus
Abu Romane
Mahde bin Barake Street 26
Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic
Modernisation Programme
for the Syrian Water Sector
T +963 11 22 10 10 5
F +963 11 22 10 10 5? EXT. 15
E [email protected]
I www.gtz.de
I www.water.co.sy
Texts and Editorial: Sarah Birke, Francesca de Châtel
Design and Layout: Ghazal Lababidi
Photos: Adel Samara, Carole al-Farah
Printing: Salhani
April 2010
doc_746318180.pdf