Duration: July 2009 – December 2012

Budget: CHF 4,000,000

Location: Khatlon oblast

Implementing Agency: Oxfam GB

Donor: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Download the project fact sheet in pdf format

Background

Tajikistan has the lowest rate of access to drinking water in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The outbreaks of water-born diseases pose a serious risk to public health. In rural regions, where less than half of the residents have access to improved water sources, large numbers of people draw their water from ponds, canals, rivers and other unsafe sources.

Coverage with drinking water and sanitation services is, at present, very low in rural areas of Tajikistan, and it can not be increased without addressing the sustainability issues. This is increasingly recognized by all donors

As a result of external investments, various well devised institutional models and approaches have been developed at local level for the implementation, operation and maintenance of drinking water schemes. Many of these models emerge as parallel structures replacing the government in its basic function as public service deliverer.

SDC’s engagement into rural water supply sector in Central Asia dates back to 1998 when ISW (International Secretariat for Water) initiated the first water and hygiene management project in Fergana Valley with community management approach with village-based Water Committees as a core element Today the project has grown into a regional initiative, named Regional Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RRWSSP) that covers both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In Southern Tajikistan, SDC also supports Caritas, a Swiss NGO, which also implements a good number of smaller community-based rural water supply projects through an effective local governance and development approach.

Another partner is UNDP who is implementing the project entitled Initiating Policy Dialogue in the Rural Water Sector with the aim to improve coordination of rural drinking water projects.

As SDC’s rural water portfolio has increased, policy dialogue and coordination with other donors have become important tasks in further improving national legislation and policy framework that would support decentralisation of rural water supply systems on a sustainable manner. Additionally, SDC intends to share its sector experience with all stakeholders in order to contribute to a larger impact in the sector. In view of this SDC decided to launch a new project entitled TajWSS (Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation).

 
Overall goal

The project overall goal is to ensure rural communities in Tajikistan have sustainable access to drinking water and sanitation.

Expected outcomes

- Enhanced collaboration and cooperation in the national water and sanitation sector through creation of an effective network.

- Innovation in solutions to the problems of sustainable water supply to rural populations, including water charging models, maintenance models and design incorporating within those, aspects of gender, governance and disaster risk reduction.

- Changes in the legal and institutional framework of water supply by the Government of Tajikistan; influenced by defining, testing and modelling effective solutions for the governance, management and maintenance of water supply in rural areas of Tajikistan.

- New and targeted funding by donors to extend the water funds to new districts.

Overall objectives

1.    Institutional capacity for sustainable water supply services and sanitation is developed at the central and the local level.

2.    Coverage with sustainable water supply services and sanitation is increased in rural areas of Tajikistan.