south-east asia news - oct 25 2011

8/3/2019 South-East Asia News - Oct 25 2011

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WEEKLY WATER REPORT SOUTHERN & EASTERN ASIA

The World Leader in Water News, Knowledge and Insight

ooskanews.o

OCTOBER 25, 2011 | VOL. 5, ISSUE 38

POLIcY & gOvERNmENT2 Delhi Plans to EstablishReulator for Water Setor

The Delhi government plans to set upa regulator or water that would helpstreamline water management in thenational capital.

2 china Rules Out Plans to

Diert Brahaputra Rier

China has ruled out any move to divertwater rom its side o the BrahmaputraRiver to tackle water shortages in thecountry.

3 IRSA to collet Water Tax

Fro ProinesIRSA has sent a bill or a total o$207,000 USD to our Pakistaniprovinces as tax or using water orirrigation purposes during the Khari(summer growing) season.

4 UN Huan Rihts counil

Pledes to Iproe Water,

Enironent

The United Nations Human RightsCouncil adopted three resolutionson water supply and environmentaldegradation o water sources at its18th session in Geneva.

4 Indian State Plans toEstablish Water Institute

FINANcE & FUNDINg5 metito to Buy Out Partner in

china Jv

UAE-based Metito is expanding itsinvestment in China, a key marketidentied by the company or uturegrowth.

6 Pakistan central Bank

Ures Loans to Farers for

Irriation Systes

Pakistans central bank has askedbanks to provide loans to armers or

purchase and maintenance o armingtools and equipment that ensurethe application o modern water-conserving irrigation systems.

6 Andhra Pradesh may Exeute

Third Phase of KDWSSP on

PPP Basis

The Andhra Pradesh government maycarry out third phase o the KrishnaDrinking Water Supply Scheme on apublic-private partnership (PPP) basis.

SUPPLY, ENvIRONmENT &

WASTE

7 Inky Taiwan Rier chanescolor

8 Historially Neleted,

Sanitation, Hyiene gain

greater Attention: WSScc

Improved sanitation and properhygiene have historically beenneglected and underunded topicscharacterized by inconsistentapproaches and policies,ragmentation and unclearresponsibilities.

8 Better Sewers Badly Needed

Aross Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian countries must ndthe answer to swelling daily sewageand industrial wastewater.

9 Proper Hand-Washin

Redues Water-Borne

Disease by 50 Perent

10 LOcAL PRESS REPORTS

Aghanistan, China, Indonesia,Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, thePhilippines, South Korea and Vietnam.

13 ABOUT OOSKANEWS

14 WATER SEcTOR EvENTS


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Weekly Water Report Southern & Eastern Asia 2

October 25, 20112011 OOSKAnews, Inc. No part o this publication may be reproduced, redistributed, or other-wise copied without appropriate license or permission. This includes internal distribution.

Delhi Plans to Establish Reulator for WaterSetor

NEW DELHI, India (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- The Delhigovernment plans to set up aregulator or water that would helpstreamline water management in thenational capital.

The proposed regulatory body wouldbe similar to the Delhi ElectricityRegulatory Commission (DERC), theregulator the government set up aew years ago or the power sector.

Also on the drawing board are legal

reorms to the citys water sector,including introduction o legislationthat puts in place stringent norms toprevent water wasting in the city.

The move to create a water regulatorcomes amid concerns rom severalquarters about privatization o thewater management and distributionsystem in the city.

This ollows several public privatepartnership (PPP) projects that thecitys water utility, the Delhi Jal Board

(DJB), has undertaken in the past ewyears.

Delhi Chie Minister Sheila Dikshitindicated earlier this month that theproposed water regulator would beon par with the citys power regulatorand said there was a need to makepeople pay or every drop o waterthey use.

She was speaking at the inauguralsession o a two-day seminar onLegal Foundations or Sustainable

Water Management in Delhi,organized by the Conederation oIndian Industry (CII) and the DelhiJal Board (DJB), along with theInternational Development LawOrganization (IDLO).

At the moment, Delhi is acing adicult and critical situation withregard to water. Existing water lawsare ambivalent and there is need or a

BEIJING, China (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- In a major relie toIndia, China has ruled out any moveto divert water rom its side o theBrahmaputra River to tackle water

shortages in the country.

Chinese authorities cited the possibleimpact on state-to-state relations asthe reason to drop plans to divert theriver.

Chinese Vice Minister or WaterResources Jiao Yong told reporterslast week that considering thetechnical diculties, the actual

need o diversion and the possibleimpact on the environment andstate-to-state relations, the Chinesegovernment has no plans to conductany diversication projects on the

river.

The Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra)River ows across Chinas Qingai TibetPlateau. Many Chinese citizens havebeen calling or greater usage o thisriver, said Jiao.

Earlier this year, a proposal to divertand tap the river was being stronglyconsidered as one o the options to

POLIcY & gOvERNmENT

china Rules Out Plans toDiert Brahaputra Rier

strong legislation, she said.We are currently in the process osetting up a water regulatory body onpar with the DERC.

Dikshit added: India is rather spoiled.People dont pay or most resourcesthey use; as a result, they dont valuewhat they get. Once you make peoplepay or every drop o water they use,they will learn to value it more.

The DJB has ormulated a dratproposal on legislation, which has

currently been shared with waterexperts and NGOs.

The drat proposal is understood tobe based on legislation applicablethroughout the world.

DJB CEO Ramesh Negi said that i thecitys water demands are to be met,preservation and reuse o water are amust and efective legislation couldbe used ater suitably amending it to

suit Delhis environment.Legislation was already introducedwhen three water magistrates wereappointed who were looking intocases related to water misuse, illegalconnections and water thet, saidNegi.

The DJB collected over [$157,000USD] in nes just last year. With Delhilargely dependent on other states orits water supply, and its populationgrowing each year, it is essential or

the public to be sensitive to judiciouswater use. We believe that legislationwill help us spread this awareness, hesaid.

The DJB is also understood to belooking at suitable service levelagreements in line with whathas been announced by theChie Minister or various otherdepartments and service deliverymechanisms.

Article continued on page 3


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IRSA to collet Water Tax Fro Proines

KARACHI, Pakistan (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- The Indus RiverSystem Authority (IRSA) has sent abill or a total o $207,000 USD toour Pakistani provinces as tax orusing water or irrigation purposesduring the Khari (summergrowing) season.

The Council o Common Interests(CCI) has delegated powers to theauthority to charge the provincesor using water every six months.

The authority will also send waterbills to the Water and PowerDevelopment Authority (WAPDA)and Chashma nuclear powerproject on a quarterly basis.

Punjab province, which isconsidered the breadbasket othe country, has been asked topay $118,000 USD, Sindh $80,000USD, Balochistan $6,400 USD, andKhyber Pakhtunkhwa has been

asked to give $3,300 USD or waterused during the Khari season.

According to the CCI decision,water tax is charged at 30 paisa(less than $0.01 USD) per 1,233cubic meters o irrigation waterand hal a paisa per unit or powergeneration.

The provinces use almost 141billion cubic meters o waterannually.

Through water tax, the authority is

likely to accumulate over $425,000USD per annum. For its part,WAPDA generates about 24,000gigawatt hours per year.

This is the rst time in the 20 yearssince its inception that IRSA hasbilled the provinces or usingirrigation water.

The decision will help the waterregulator generate much-neededrevenue.

At the moment, IRSA receivesunds rom the ederalgovernment to run its afairs.

Ater the decision to collect watercharges rom the provinces,WAPDA and the Chashma nuclearpower project, the authority isexpected to collect approximately$2.1 million USD annually.

The CCI made the decision takinginto account IRSAs request andthe authoritys nancial problems.

Sometimes IRSA has not evenbeen able to pay salaries to itsstaf.

There have been serious ritsamong the provinces, especiallyPunjab and Sindh, over waterdistribution.

There have even been verbal spatsbetween the political leaders othe two provinces over the issue.

Article continued rom 2

POLIcY & gOvERNmENT

increase water supply in the wake o the crippling droughtin large parts o the country.

There was also a move to explore the possibility obuilding dams in the untapped upper reaches o theBrahmaputra, or Yarlung Tsangpo, as it is known in Tibet.

O late, hydropower industry groups have also renewedcalls to the Chinese government to lit a suspension on

28 proposed dams on the river in the wake o a growingpower crisis triggered by the worst drought in vedecades.

However, the Water Resources Ministry has remainedopposed to the idea o diversion plans and proposedhydropower projects to tap the rivers ecologicallysensitive upper reaches.

At the same time, this is also the rst time Chineseauthorities have ormally said that anything that spoilsrelations with India over the Brahmaputra was of the

table.

India, a strong world economy, is also one o Chinasleading trade partners.

The Brahmaputra River is a major source o water in someo Indias northeastern states. Every year, 166.1 billioncubic meters o water rom the Brahmaputra ow outsideChinas borders. The government is planning to harness

more than 5,000 rivers over the next ve years and doubleits annual spending on water conservation to reach $635billion USD over the next decade, said Jiao.

The hydropower lobby has reuted the Water ResourcesMinistrys assessment that building hydropower projectson the Brahmaputra Rivers upper reaches poses technicaldiculties.

Some hydropower companies have said that there aresucient technology options available to overcome thediculties in question.


4/17



UN Huan Rihts counil Pledes to IproeWater, Enironent

GENEVA, Switzerland (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- The UnitedNations Human Rights Counciladopted three resolutions onwater supply and environmentaldegradation o water sources at its18th session in Geneva.

The resolutions represent commonconcerns among member statesabout water-related problems inhuman rights, particularly negativeenvironmental impacts thatdiminish the quality o drinking

water.

The rst resolution passed at therecent session was The humanright to sae drinking water.

In it, the council arms the needto ocus on local and nationalperspectives in considering theissue, leaving aside questions ointernational watercourse law andall trans-boundary water issues.

It calls upon member states

to continuously monitor andregularly analyze the status othe realization o the right to saedrinking water and sanitationon the basis o the criteria oavailability, quality, acceptability,accessibility and afordability.

The resolution also calls or theassessment o existing policiesand programs in the water andsanitation sector, developmento comprehensive plans andstrategies or all sector participants

and ensuring ull transparencyin monitoring and assessingimplementation o plans, using aholistic and integrated approachand maintaining a vision andpolitical will to suciently prioritizewater and sanitation.

The councils second water-related resolution, the Mandate

NEW DELHI, India (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- The state oJharkhand in eastern India plans toset up a Water and Land ManagementInstitute (WALMI) to encourage publicparticipation in water managementprograms and streamline theadministrative mechanism.

The buildings are likely to be built

in Hatia locality, in th state capitalRanchi, on condition that the ederalgovernment must provide necessaryassistance.

Engineer-in-chie o the WaterResources Department Ram MuratRavidas said proposals had alreadybeen sent to the ederal governmentin New Delhi or approval.

Jharkhand does not have eithera WALMI or a separate irrigationsecretariat building. But with changesproposed in the national water policy,nationalization o water rates andamalgamation o various laws dealingwith irrigation, ood control, drainageimprovement and review o inter-state water-sharing agreements, thestate eels establishing the institutewill help ull its tasks.

The states geographical area is nowaround 79,414 square kilometers,which is covered by 15 river basins.Reassessment o existing waterresources and review o policies isbadly needed, Ravidas said.

In the next nancial year, startingApril 2012, the Water Resources

POLIcY & gOvERNmENT

Indian State Plans to

Establish Water Institute

o the Special Rapporteur on theimplications or human rightso the environmentally soundmanagement and disposal ohazardous substances and waste,arms that the trans-boundaryand national movements and thedumping o hazardous substancesand waste may constitute a seriousthreat to the ull enjoyment ohuman rights.

Many o these adverse impactswould come rom contaminated

water, the council said.

It calls or a more holistic approachto waste treatment that covers thelie cycle o dangerous substancesand waste generated romproduction, which includes sludge,

sewage, rubbish and toxic waste.The third water-related resolution,Human rights and climate change,recognizes the challenges oclimate change to developmentand to the progress made towardsthe achievement o the MillenniumDevelopment Goals.

The council emphasized thatclimate change-related impactshave a range o implicationsor several rights, including sae

drinking water and sanitation.It called on the Oce o the UnitedNations High Commissioner orHuman Rights to hold a seminarbeore the Human Rights Councils19th session to address some othese implications.



5/17



metito to Buy Out Partner in china Jv

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates(OOSKAnews Correspondent) UAE-based Metito is expanding itsinvestment in China, a key marketidentied by the company oruture growth.

As part o the move, Metito willinitially acquire BerlinwasserInternationals minority stakein Berlinwasser China Holdings(BCH), a joint venture it ormed inChina in 2008 with BerlinwasserInternational.

BCH was ormed to expandthe successul operations otwo wastewater concessionsBerlinwasser already held andoperated in China.

The two wastewater concessionsat that time served a population o2.3 million people.

Over the last three years, BCH haspursued wastewater concessionsin China quite aggressively

and now owns and operatesve wastewater concessionagreements in our provinces.

These concessions provideservices to over 5.3 million peoplein China and have a currenttreatment capacity o over 1.2million cubic meters a day.

Metito Utilities ExecutiveDirector Rami Ghandour said in

a company statement: Chinais rapidly expanding its interestand investment into wastewatertreatment and the surroundingindustries. Given the governmentscommitment to eco-protection,this is a great opportunityto assist them, boost Chinaoperations and acilitate growtho our water treatment andwaste management investments,including the desalination sector.

The company plans to develop

three additional new projectsand expand its operations inChina by actively pursuing urtherwastewater projects.

It also plans to expand BCHsportolio to include industrialwater, desalination, sludge andsolid waste, said Ghandour.

Metito is acing a slowdown indemand in its traditional marketin Middle East and North Arica(MENA) and so is eying more

acquisitions in China to addcapacity in operations.

It is also looking at projects inthe rest o Asia and Australia orwater and wastewater treatmentprojects.

In China, Metito joins a small listo companies that are workingaggressively to acquire or expand

water and wastewater concessionsas the central government spendsmillions o dollars to create newwater inrastructure.

As part o the deal, BerlinwasserInternational will sell its entirestake in BCH to Metito, which willtake over all operations.

But Berlinwasser Internationalwill remain committed to China,according to the companysInternational Chie Executive

Ocer Andreas Schmitz.We are very proud o ourachievement in China and thebusiness growth which hasoccurred since Metito andourselves joined together to ormBCH, Shmitz said in a companystatement.

The acilities which have beenconstructed and which arecurrently being operated by BCHmeet the highest international

standards and are comparablewith the best wastewater plantsanywhere in the world.

While or strategic reasons wehanded over the reins to Metito,we are still committed, or theoreseeable uture, to providetechnical and logistical support tothe company.


FINANcE & FUNDINg

Department has proposed $19.6 million USD or repair,renovation and restoration o water bodies, $6.3 millionUSD or anti-erosion programs and $15.7 million USD orcommand area development programs.

Another $9.8 million USD has been set aside or oodcontrol programs.

For sustainability o the programs, participatorymanagement will be encouraged through orming wateruser associations, command area development andother water management plans, which may also includeevolving methodology to make water supply a protablebusiness.


6/17



Pakistan central Bank Ures Loans toFarers for Irriation Systes

LAHORE, Pakistan (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- Warning thatby 2017 Pakistan will becomewater scarce, the countrys centralbank has asked banks to provideloans to armers or purchase andmaintenance o arming toolsand equipment that ensure theapplication o modern water-conserving irrigation systems likedrip/trickle and sprinkler systems.

The State Bank o Pakistan said themove is aimed at sensitizing the

banks and the arming community toexplore ways to adopt state-o-the-art techniques that ensure optimumusage o renewable water resourcesthat, it warned, were ast depleting inthe country.

Credit availability is vital or anyorm o technology intervention,the State Bank said in its Guidelinesor Ecient Water ManagementFinancing.

The adoption o modern water

management techniques by thearmers is necessary to ensureoptimal water utilization or soilertility and better yield, the SBP said.

Pakistan, an agrarian economy,the agriculture sector o which notonly employs majority o the ruralpopulation but also contributesaround oneourth o the countrysgross domestic product (GDP), wouldturn into a water scarce countrywithin the next ve years, the SBP

said.The SBP said Pakistan, which hadabundant water in the 1950s with aper capita water availability o morethan 5,000 cubic meters, would see itsper capita water availability depletingto around 1,000 cubic meters by2017.

The per capita water availability,

HYDERABAD, India (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- The AndhraPradesh state government maycarry out third phase o the KrishnaDrinking Water Supply Scheme

(KDWSSP) on a public-privatepartnership (PPP) basis.

The state government has askedthe Hyderabad MetropolitanWater Supply and Sewerage Board

FINANcE & FUNDINg

Andhra Pradesh may ExeuteThird Phase of KDWSSP onPPP Basis

which is now around 1,100 cubicmeters, would be around 1,000 cubicmeters by 2017. I timely steps werenot taken or improving ecienciesin agri-water management, theresult would be a shortage o [133billion cubic meters] and [156 billioncubic meters] by 2013 and 2025,respectively. Availability o sucientwater is a growing concern now, itsaid.

The SBP report expressed seriousconcern over the countrys ast-

shrinking water resources.

More than 50 percent o agriculturalwater is wasted during distributionand eld application beore reachingthe crop root zone, with losses mostlyoccurring due to seepage, inltration,leakages, etc., the banks studyobserved.

It said that seepage was causingwater-logging and salinity, a keyactor in spoiling and impairingexisting cultivable agricultural lands.

Underground water, the secondlargest source o cultivation, is rapidlydepleting due to over-drating,causing the water table to go down,it said.

In addition, lack o knowledge aboutecient use o agricultural water

resources was also causing loss o soilertility and yield.

Climate changes, scarcity o usablecanal water availability, wastage owater, and depleting undergroundwater tables are the stumbling blocksin the growth o agriculture in thecounty, the central bank said.

Adoption o modern watermanagement techniques that ensure

judicious water utilization or soilertility and better yield are required

more than ever, it said.The bank said techniques like liningwater channels and watercourses,construction o small reservoirs onarms, use o tube-wells, rainwaterharvesting and adoption o newtechnologies could be helpul instreamlining existing agriculturalwater management systems.

It said use o modern high-eciencyirrigation systems like drip irrigationand sprinklers would also be o value

in coping with uture challenges.The selection o the type ointervention will vary depending onthe source o water, type o land, thecrop being cultivated, cost-benetanalysis and level o awareness toalternate techniques, etc., it said.



7/17



Inky Taiwan Rier chanes color

TAIPEI, Taiwan (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- Environmentalocials in Taiwans most populouscity, New Taipei, said that overallwater quality in the Tamsui Riverhas been upgraded rom seriouslypolluted to mildly polluted.

Chen Mei-ling, water qualityprotection section chie o thecity governments EnvironmentalProtection Department (EPD), saidthe average river pollution index (RPI)or the 159-kilometer river is 2.9.

That is just below the benchmark o3 that separates mild and mediumpollution.

Still, some parts o the river showan RPI o over 6. That means badpollution, he said.

The RPI gauges dissolved oxygen,biochemical oxygen demand,ammonia nitrogen and suspendedsolids in the water.

While a value o 2 and under meanslow or no pollution, a readingbetween 2 and 3 spells mildcontamination and a reading obetween 3 and 6 shows mediumpollution.

The Tamsui River, the longestin northern Taiwan, has long

been afected by pollution rommanuacturing wastewater andarming insecticides.

Chen said the river was once so badlycontaminated that the water wasink-colored. She said the waters colorhas since become lighter, thanks to a

project conducted by the departmentto ght pollution this year.

She said the project has resulted inthe shutdown o 54 actories thatwere caught releasing tainted waterinto the river, and the reporting o207 pollution ofenses, with totalnes reaching $710,000 USD.

Now, the stretch between the Fuchouand Chunghsiao bridges remainsbadly contaminated, while someparts o the river, including the

estuary and upriver o the KeelungRiver -- a branch o the Tamsui River-- have intermediate pollution, Chensaid.

Chen said the goal or the EPD is toslash the RPI in all parts o the river tounder 3.


SUPPLY, ENvIRONmENT & WASTE

(HMWS&SB) to submit a concrete plan or implementingthe project, which has an estimated cost o about $328million USD.

The state is looking to PPPs because it lacks the unds toundertake an investment o this magnitude.

The third phase o the KDWSSP has become importantdue to the increased demand or water in the new areasthat now all within the Greater Hyderabad MunicipalCorporation (GHMC) limits ollowing urbanization.

A state government ocial told OOSKAnews that theboard has sent a proposal to the ederal government

or consideration o unds or the Krishna water supplyprogram.

The water sources supplying the state capital, Hyderabad,are drying up and seeing dwindling inows. Consequently,the state government is trying to expedite the third phaseo the KDWSSP, the ocial said.

The total allocation or drinking water needs o Hyderabadrom the Krishna River is 16.5 bilion cubic meters, with 11billion cubic meters o water already being drawn rom theKrishna Phase-I and II systems.

The third phase would withdraw the balance o availablewater allocation rom the Krishna.

HMWS&SB Director (Projects) M. Satyanarayana toldOOSKAnews that the state government is exploring alloptions or unding the third phase o KDWSSP.

Three options -- a loan rom HUDCO, a loan rom JapanInternational Cooperation Agency (JICA) or the PPP route-- are being explored to undertake the third phase, hesaid.

No decision has yet been made, and all options are beingweighed to choose the one that best meets the needs o

the government, said Satyanarayana.The scope o the third phase o Krishna water programinvolves construction o a water treatment plant witha capacity o about 341,000 cubic meters per day. Theproject may cost some $29.3 million USD.

It would require construction o 114.3 kilometers o clearwater transmission pipelines or pumping/gravity systemsrom Kodandapur to Sahebnaga. This component wouldcost a total o about $185 million USD.


8/17



Historially Neleted, Sanitation, Hyienegain greater Attention: WSScc

MUMBAI, India (OOSKAnewsCorrespondent) -- Improvedsanitation and proper hygiene havehistorically been neglected andunderunded topics characterizedby inconsistent approaches andpolicies, ragmentation and unclearresponsibilities, according to JonLane, executive director o the WaterSupply and Sanitation CollaborationCouncil (WSSCC).

However, in recent years thishas started to change, Lane said,

speaking at the Global Forum onSanitation and Hygiene in Mumbai onOctober 13.

With access to sae drinking waterand sanitation ormally recognizedby the United Nations as a humanright, more involvement in thesector rom NGOs and the launcho new networks and initiatives,progress is being made in sanitationdevelopment, he said.

Political leaders have recognized

that sanitation is diferent rom waterin aims, timescales and skills needed,and in country ater country wesee a specied Ministry responsibleor sanitation with a sanitation andhygiene policy and budget.

For one, decision makers have cometo realize that a centralized sewagesystem is not economically andenvironmentally easible or thewhole world.

It is best to initiate a policy that

implements on-site sanitation asmost viable option or the majority orural dwellers.

Until recently, most sanitationpolicies -- i they existed at all -- werebased on subsidizing the cost olatrines or toilets, i.e., building toiletsor people whether they wantedthem or not.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam(OOSKAnews Correspondent) --Southeast Asian countries must ndthe answer to swelling daily sewageand industrial wastewater, expertswarn.

Along with rapid economic growth,we ace a serious demand toenhance the capacity o sewage andwaste water treatment, especiallyin urban areas, said Toshio Nagase,senior representative at the JapanInternational Cooperation Agencys(JICA) Vietnam oce.

Experts gathered at a two-dayconerence held in southern BaRia-Vung Tau Province to debatewastewater treatment tactics.

According to the VietnameseMinistry o Construction, thedrainage systems in Vietnamesecities are deployed or a wealth opurposes, including sewage andrainwater.

Worse, the drainage system wasconstructed in several stages anddoes not have adequate capacity.

Few Vietnamese cities have


Better Sewers Badly NeededAross Southeast Asia

Across the developing world, abouthal o those toilets are used or theirintended purpose, while hal serveas store rooms or ood, bicycles andother valued possessions.

The sanitation community wasable to raise awareness about theimportance o sanitation by speakingto the world with a unied voice,Lane said, adding that the need nowis to maintain this level o attention.

However, this does not mean there

are not still tough problems.For example, the people who lacksanitation are those with no politicalvoice, peoples access to improvedsanitation has to be sustainedindenitely and the sanitationproblems o urban slums are growingrapidly, he said.

Lane identied our courses o actionto maintain sanitations importanceon the global level -- hard work, plain

speaking, strong leadership andthinking big.

We all have a role to play. NGOworkers, ministers, academics,civil servants, media proessionals,donors, young people, the businesscommunity -- all o us are leaders inthis great movement on sanitation.

The three-day orum also selectedIndian actor Shah Ruhk Khan tobe the Goodwill Ambassador orSanitation and Hygiene. I am very

happy to be an advocate or theseimportant issues, because I believe inevery human beings right to live withdignity.

It is shameul and tragic thatevery 30 seconds a child dies rompreventable diarrhea -- thats twounnecessary child deaths per minute,almost 3,000 a day or 1 million younglives wasted each year, he wasquoted by local press as saying.



9/17



Proper Hand-Washin Redues Water-BorneDisease by 50 Perent

WASHINGTON, DC, United States(OOSKAnews Correspondent)-- Proper hand-washing withclean water and soap, the H inthe water, sanitation and hygiene(WASH) sector, can reduce theincidence o diarrhea and otherwater-borne diseases by as muchas 50 percent, according to theUnited Nations.

I properly practiced, hand-washing with soap could reducethe incidence o diarrhea among

children under ve by almost50 percent and respiratoryinections by nearly 25 percent,Dr. Yang Zhenbo, chie o

the WASH program or theUnited Nations Children Fund(UNICEF) China said at a GlobalHandwashing Day event onOctober 15 in northwest ChinasShaanxi province.

In the province, water and hand-washing acilities are insucient.

Mubarick Masawudu, presidento international NGO GreenCrosss national organizationin Ghana, said: Diarrhea,

respiratory inections and otherwater-borne diseases can beprevented by the practice ogood hygiene and sanitation.

Incidences o these diseasesare higher in areas wherethe inhabitants do not haveaccess to sae water or maintainpoor sanitation and hygieneconditions, according tointernational NGO WaterAidsNigeria country representativeGrace Ezigbo.

Since children are theoverwhelming populationafected with deadly diarrhea,ensuring schools have sae

drinking water and properhygiene and sanitation acilities isparamount.



centralized wastewater treatment plants.

Worse still, the proportion o households linked to the

urban drainage system remains low, according to NguyenHong Tien, director o the ministrys Administration o

Technical Inrastructure.

In Indonesia, while under 2 percent o urban areas haveaccess to sound sewage systems, 18 percent o toiletsare open to the elements and positioned over canals orrivers.

Budy Hidayat o Indonesias National DevelopmentPlanning Agency said many households pour untreatedwaste straight into the drainage system or rivers to carrythe waste downstream.

He said sanitation appeared to be a private duty with

little governmental input.

Khamthavy Thaipachach, head o the Laos Departmento Housing and Urban Planning, said wastewater romdomestic areas, hospitals and actories was releasedstraight into the ecosystem.

Flooding in many urban areas also sabotages hygiene, hesaid.

Tien o Vietnams Administration o TechnicalInrastructure said steps had been taken to tackle

Vietnams problems.

By 2015, the country will improve or build new drainage

systems to address urban ooding. By 2025, ooding incities would cease as new systems are put into place.

Sewage and wastewater will be split rom the generaldrainage system.

The country will also invest in sophisticated treatmenttechnology, develop centralized treatment models andenlist private sector help.

Several experts at the conerence said they were worriedthat there was not enough money to und the projects.

Jelle van Gijn o Asian Development Banks VietnamWater Team said the bank had a line credit o around $2

billion USD or a decade-long program starting in 2014 inVietnam.

But he said that money or the Vietnamese strategy mustmostly come rom central government grants and userees.

Nagase o Japan International Cooperation Agency saidthat it was helping Vietnam build sewage systems andwastewater treatment plants across the country, in townsincluding Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue.


10/17



LOcAL PRESS REPORTS

AFgHANISTAN PRESS

Afghanistan, Pakistan to Hold Meet-ing on Water CooperationISLAMABAD | Source: Pakistan Today

Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold a conference inIslamabad on November 1 to discuss regional watergovernance and cooperation. The conference is orga-nized by the organization Leadership for Environmentand Development (LEAD) Pakistan. The conferencewill focus on three key themes: sub-national water co-operation, governance of shrinking water resourcesand trans-boundary water management. The meetingis to act as stepping stone for the World Water Forumto be held in Marseille in 2012.

cHINA PRESS

Water Consumption Drops Slightly inMacauMACAU | Source: Macau Daily Times

Water consumption dropped slightly in the rst threequarters of 2011, according to Susana Wong Soi Man,head of the Working Group for the Promotion of aWater-Saving Society. Local families and companiesused 0.75 percent less water than in the same periodin 2010, she said. She attributed this to the supportfrom all sectors in Macau to the introduction of water-saving measures. She said: When the social sector,public and government work together in saving waterthey can full the mission of protecting this resource.

Cheung Kong Infrastructure HoldingsCompletes Takeover of NorthmbrianWater GroupHONG KONG | Source: The Wall Street Journal

(United States)

A consortium led by Cheung Kong Infrastructure Hold-ings has completed the $3.93 billion USD deal to takeover Northumbrian Water Group Plc. The consortiumalso includes Cheung Kong Infrastructure; and thecharitable foundation of Hong Kong billionaire andCheung Kong chief Li Ka-shings.

Tibetan Wetland System Has Main-tained Sound DevelopedLHASA | Source: Xinhua (China)

The Tibetan wetland system in southwest China hasmaintained sound development due to a series of pro-tective measures enacted over the past ve years, ac-cording to local authorities. Tibet has 6 million hectaresof wetlands, 2.5 million hectares of lakes, 3.2 millionhectares of swamps and 264,000 hectares of rivers.Five state-level wetland parks have been established

in the region, according to Tibets forestry bureauchief, Lei Guilong. Two Tibetan wetlands -- the Mai-dika marshes and Lake Manasarovar -- are listed onthe Convention on Wetlands of International Impor-

tance, and there are also eight regional-level wetlandreserves. A new law on Tibetan wetland conservationthat took effect in March bans unauthorized exploita-tion of all wetland resources, as well as waste dis-charge, and requires forestry authorities to keep wet-lands from deteriorating by supplying sufcient water,among other measures.

INDONESIA PRESS

Indonesia Has Sanitation ProblemDue to Open DefecationJAKARTA | Source: Eco-Business.com

Indonesia is still facing sanitation problems becausesome 70 percent of its population defecate in the open,increasing the spread of diarrheal disease, accordingto Alfred Nakatsuma, environment ofce director ofthe U.S. Agency for International Development (US-AID) Indonesia. Indonesia is one of many countriesthat still has a sanitation problem, Alfred Nakatsumasaid. He said: Water construction and sanitation re-quire government planning and public support. In ad-dition, the people have to be able to make changes forthemselves and their environment. He said 94 percentof diarrhea epidemics were due to poor sanitation andunhealthy drinking water. He said the ve-year, $33.7million USD USAID Indonesia Urban Water, Sanitationand Hygiene (USAID IUWASH) Project would build

on over 10 years of collaborative assistance with thegovernment of Indonesia in safe water and sanitation.It aims to expand access to water and sanitation ser-vices for the poor in Indonesia.

JAPAN PRESS

Japan to Provide Three Desal Plantsto TuvaluTOKYO | Source: Desalination.biz

Japan is providing a 100 cubic meter per day desalina-tion plant and two 10 cubic meter/day plants as part ofa $4 million USD project to help the islands of Tuvalu.

The nances were approved by the Japanese govern-ments Pacic Environment Community (PEC) Fund.The Tuvalu government has said the water crisis islikely to last until at least January.

mALAYSIA PRESS

Malasyia Secures $3.2 Billion USD inInfrastructure Projects in BangladeshDHAKA | Source: Bernama (Malaysia)

Malaysia has secured some $3.2 billion USD in infra-


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LOcAL PRESS REPORTS

structure projects in Bangladesh, according to Malay-sian Special Envoy, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. Theprojects will start early next year and be carried outover two to ve years, he said. He said the projects in-

clude housing, satellite townships, a yover and watertreatment and sewerage treatment plants. He said Ma-laysia would construct the Dhalla-Jamirta well-eld tosupply clean water to Dhaka. Several Malaysian com-panies have expressed interest in the projects, SamyVellu said.

NEPAL PRESS

World Bank to Provide $41 MillionUSD for Irrigation Project in NepalKATHMANDU | Source: Himalayan Times (Nepal)

The World Bank is providing some $40.7 million USDfor a project to modernize the Rani Jamara Kulariya

Irrigation project in Nepal. Of the total, $22.2 millionUSD will be in the form of a loan and $18.5 million USDas a grant, according to the Minister of Finance. Theproject will modernize irrigation infrastructure, includ-ing intakes, feeder and branch canals, and enhancethe capacity of water associations. It is expected to becompleted by 2016.

PAKISTAN PRESS

CDA Directed to Complete Bari ImamComplexISLAMABAD | Source: Business Recorder (Pakistan)

Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has

directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) andChief Commissioner of Islamabad to complete the BariImam Complex. Sixty percent of the work has alreadybeen completed. Gilani urged the CDA chairman tostart water supply projects immediately, because theproblem was likely to get worse.

PHILIPPINES PRESS

Metro Manila Water Safe From Bacte-rial ContaminationMANILA | Source: Manila Bulletin (Philippines)

Metro Manilas water supply is safe from bacterial con-tamination, according to the Department of Health.The announcement came after the spread of E. colibacteria in Pampanga due to ooding from typhoonsPedring and Quiel. There is really no need for con-cern as water coming from the two concessionaires-- Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila WaterCompany, Inc. -- undergoes strict examination and isconsidered safe to drink, said Center for Health Devel-opment-Metro Manila (CHD-MM) Regional Director Dr.Eduardo Janairo. He said that of 1,228 water samplestaken in the National Capital Region, all tested nega-tive for E. coli. However, he urged residents to check

their water pipes for possible leaks. If the water com-ing out of your faucet is tested positive of the bacteria,you must immediately check your pipe connectionsat home, Janairo said. You may never know when

wastewaters are seeping through your service lines. Ifit is near a septic tank or submerged in lthy water orin a canal, you should immediately transfer it to a safer

place away from harms way.

Floodwaters to Be Used for IrrigationSAN FERNANDO CITY | Source: Manila Bulletin

(Philippines)

Scientists are working with Maynilad Water Services,Inc. and the Pampanga provincial government to nda way to use oodwater in low-lying areas to irrigatefarms. The water could even be made safe for drinking.Expert studies have found that the Pampanga River

is suitable for a water source as drinking water, and itcan supply the whole province with potable water oncea water facility is established, said Governor Lilia G.Pineda. She said Maynilad Chairman Manny V. Pan-gilinan aims to establish a facility for potable water inthe province, using water that overows from the riveras its main source. Pineda said the project could alsosolve the ooding problems in the area. Pineda saidPangilinan had offered the province a master plan thatidentied the Pampanga River as a water source in-stead of deep wells; use of these wells has been iden-tied as the main cause behind land subsidence. Shesaid treated water from the river could produce enoughpotable drinking water to supply the entire province.

SOUTH KOREA PRESS

Azersu Signs $26.18 Million USDGrant Agreement With KoreaBAKU | Source: Azerbaijan Business Center

Azerbaijans national water operator, Azersu, hassigned a $26.18 million USD grant agreement with theKorean Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry. The fundswill be used for a project to reconstruct Kurdakhanisettlements water supply for 2011-13. The Koreangrant will cover construction of two new reservoirs, apumping station and 24.8 kilometers of new water and

sewerage lines. The rest of the project will come fromthe Azerbaijani government.

Food, Water Security Among TopPriority Areas for Climate ServicesFrameworkGENEVA/CHANGWON | Source: Source: World Me-

teorological Organization

Food security and water are among the top priority ar-eas of a new Global Framework on Climate Services


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LOcAL PRESS REPORTS

being developed by the World Metereological Organi-zation (WMO) and UN and humanitarian partners. Theframework aims to create a permanent platform to linkproviders of climate information with users. The new

Global Framework for Climate Services will be an im-portant tool in the struggle against drought and landdegradation, said WMO Secretary-General MichelJarraud. Speaking at the High-Level Segment of theTenth Session of the Conference of the Parties of theUN Convention to Combat Desertication (UNCCD) inChangwon, Jarraud said: The framework will contrib-ute to more integrated drought management policieswhich embrace pro-active disaster risk reduction ratherthan reactive crisis response, as is currently the case.We are condent that its benets will lter down to alllevels of society. The WMO and the UNCCD are de-veloping an Integrated Drought Management Programwith the Global Water Partnership to provide policy and

management guidance through the globally coordinat-ed generation of scientic knowledge and sharing bestpractices on drought risk management. Jarraud notedthat annual average river runoff and water availabilityare projected to increase by 10-40 percent at high lati-tudes and in some wet tropical areas, and to decreaseby 10-30 percent in dry regions at mid-latitudes and inthe subtropics.

vIETNAm PRESS

Ho Chi Minh Citys Water of PoorQualityHO CHI MINH CITY | Source: Saigon GP-Daily (Viet-

nam)

Ho Chi Minh Citys water is of poor quality, according toNguyen Van Hong, deputy director of the Departmentof Natural Resources and Environment in Ho Chi MinhCity. Speaking at a seminar organized by the Austra-lian Trade Commission (Austrade) last week, Hongsaid city residents are using water from the highly pol-luted Dong Nai River. Groundwater is overexploited insome industrial parks and residential areas, he said,which has led to a drop in the water table and a high-er risk of salination. Hong said loss of freshwater inthe city is at over 30 percent. Most wastewater is dis-charged along with rainwater without being treated. HoChi Minh City has only one waste treatment plant inBinh Chanh district. Hong said Japanese investors arethe only ones who have provided capital for the watersector in the city.


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and the life cycle are one

We forget that the water cycle


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south-east asia news - oct 25 2011

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