Improving access to drinking water 2016

Report of projects’ implementation 2008 - 2015

IMPROVING

ACCESS

TO DRINKING

WAT E R I N K Y R G Y Z S TA N A N D TA J I K I S TA N

Why

wat e r ?

LIMITED ACCESS TO PURE DRINKING WATER IS ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS FACED BY MANY INHABITANTS OF KYRGYSTAN AND TAJIKISTAN.

THIS PROBLEM CONCERNS PARTICULARLY THE INHABITANTS OF RURAL AREAS. MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE INHABITANTS OF RURAL AREAS IN KYRGYSTAN AND ALMOST HALF OF THEM IN TAJIKISTAN HAVE NO ACCESS TO PURE DRINKING WATER. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO USE CONTAMINATED WATER COMING FROM RIVERS AND IRRIGATION CANALS ON A DAILY BASIS. The report was published within the project Improving access to drinking water through support the local water committees in rural areas of the Ferghana Valley in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan co-financed by the Polish development cooperation programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

Report author: Agnieszka Makowska Pictures: A. Makowska, E. Świdrowska, J. Afek, R. Rukat, J. Ergeszowa Design: Agnieszka Stachyra Map: Jacek Gałązka

The projects implemented in 2008 – 2015 were co-financed by the Polish development cooperation programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

This report is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License 2015 East European Democratic Centre

The publication expresses exclusively the views of the author and cannot be identified with the official stance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

Also in areas having water supply systems, due to the latter’s poor condition, access to drinking water is usually limited to a few hours a day, and its quality leaves much to be desired. In many a village or town, water supply system failures often mean no water supply for many weeks.

A major part of water supply systems in the rural areas of Kyrgystan and Tajikistan suffered from decomposition in the period of changes that occured at the beginning of the nineties. Serious limitations to state financement assigned to the maintenance of the water supply systems due to economic crisis and the fact that these systems had been left without supervision and care for many years, led to the ruination of thousands of kilometers of small waterworks.

This situation is one of the main factors that causes the deterioration of the living conditions of many thousand families. It limits development opportunities and leads to constant impoverishment of the villagers. It is the women and children that this problem affects the most, as they are traditionnally responsible for bringing water to their homes. Supplying water to the family marks the daily routine.

Limited access to pure potable water is also attributed to the large expenses that both countries dedicate to fighting against diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Diarrhea, typhoid or dysyntery make up for half of the parasite diseases in Kyrgystan and Tajikistan. According to the World Health Organisation, every sixth child under five in Tajikistan dies of diseases caused by contaminated water.

W at e r THE EAST EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC CENTRE HAS BEEN ACTING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CENTRAL-ASIAN ALLIANCE FOR WATER TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER IN KYRGYZSTAN AND TAJIKISTAN SINCE 2008.

As part of our activity, we carry out not only renovations of water infrastructure but also actions aiming at activating local communities. We strive to build up dialogue and cooperation on a local level between different social partners involved in solving the problems connected to the access to drinking water. We support the institutional development of water committees, the activation of local autonomies as well as carrying out of social campaigns dedicated to the balanced use of water.

committee

In many villages in Kyrgystan and Tajikistan, water committees set up by the inhabitants are managing local water supply systems. The task of these committees is to maintain the water network, carry out its renovations, taking fees for supplying water. In many cases, they are the only hope for local inhabitants to cope with limited access to drinking water in their village.

The association-like nature of water committees allow them to represent the interests of all the inhabitants. The General Meeting is its highest organ, composed of the representatives of the different parts of the village, elected by neighbourhood communities. During General Meetings, decisions are collectively made concerning the amount of water supply fees, reports and the committee’s annual plans are also being approved on these occasions.

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INFRASTRUCTURE Increasing access to drinking water of rural residents by streamlining and extend the life of local water supply systems.

AS PART OF OUR PROJECTS WE HAVE EFFECTUATED A RENOVATION WORKS WHICH MODERNIZED AND IMPROVED THE FUNCTIONNING OF WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS IN 52 LOCALITIES.

Kalys Kurmanalieva, „Nayman Taza Suu” water committee „Health is what matters most. I work professionnally in a kindergarten, so I pay particular attention to the health of the children of our village. Not so long ago, the situation in our village was still very bad, we had no access to pure drinking water. Due to drinking of contaminated water, there were constantly cases of jaundice and typhoid.

Owing to the Polish project, we have regained access to pure water after 20 years. Within two years, we managed to replace the pump in the underground water well, we cleaned out the old tank - this made them operational again. We also laid down almost three kilometers of a new water pipeline. Our committee started connecting water supply directly to houses We also connected water supply to our two schools and two kindergartens.

The childern are able to wash their hands before meals, to drink pure water. There are no more cases of diseases.” (village of Nayman, Nookat district, Kyrgyzstan)

OV ER 1 1 4 400 PEOPLE GAI NED ACC ES S TO DRIN KIG WATER:

the number of hours water availability increased

water quality improved

water volume in street taps increased

the frequency of failures in water supply systems decreased

water supply systems were expanded to places deprived of access to drinking water

We have carried out all renovation works in close cooperation with local water committees and with local self-governments. The scope of works was always a result of consultations with both partners and suited to the main needs of the inhabitants.

The water committees and local self-governments have also contributed to the execution of renovation works – special funds in local budgets have been assigned to this goal, social collections have been carried out, inhabitants have been mobilized to take part in less complicated works.

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SELF-GOVERNANCE Institutional strengthening of local water committees as well as encouraging local authorities to 1collaborate within 11 the scope of improving access to potable water.

AS PART OF OUR PROJECTS, WE GAVE OUR SUPPORT TO THE INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF 37 WATER COMMITTEES AND OF 24 MUNICIPALITY.

OVER 600 REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL WATER COMMITTEES AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENTS TOOK PART IN TRAININGS, INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS AND STUDY VISITS CONCERNING:

the rights and duties of water committees and local autonomies in providing local inhabitants with access to potable water,

planning joint activities of the committees and autonomies for the improvement of access to potable water,

organizing the work of water committees’ inner structures, bookkeeping, budget planning,

planning of the organisation development,

informative activity among the inhabitants,

Many water committees that we cooperated with put their documentation in order – as a result, registration of subscribers is being done, contracts with the inhabitants are signed and monthly fees for water supply are documented.

The cooperation with local autonomies has been enhanced in many villages – the committees obtain premises for their offices free of charge, special separate funds are assigned in local budgets to renovation works. The representatives of local autonomies started getting involved in activating local inhabitants by taking part in informative activity organized by local committees.

Abdykarim Jayayev, „Teshik Tash” water committee „In many a village in our aiyl okmotu, there had been no water for more than 20 years. Owing to this project, we managed to supply water to some of them. The project also gave help to our committee. Beforehand, we didn’t really know what a water committee was. We did not know our duties, we did not know how to collect fees for water supply, we did not know that we had to sign contracts with people. Now we have our office that we received from the aiyl okmotu head and which we managed to renovate jointly. In the office, we have our annual budget posted, as well as information on the number of subscribers and on the structures of our committee. There, we keep contracts with the subscribers from our six villages. Villagers have a place to come to if they want to get some information.”

(Kok Jar municipaliy, Nookat district, Kyrgyzstan)

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RESPONSIBILITY

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Strengthening the sense of co-responsibility of local communities for the maintenance of water-supply systems AS PART OF OUR PROJECTS, WE HAVE ORGANIZED TOGETHER WITH LOCAL WATER COMMITTEES A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH LOCAL INHABITANTS, INFORMING THEM ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LOCAL WATER COMMITTEE, ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE INHABITANTS TO GET INVOLVED IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF THE ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER IN THEIR VILLAGE. More than 40 000 sets of information material were handed out by local water committies during their meetings.

The inhabitants obtained the information about the rights and duties of a water user, the proper use of common street water taps, the economical use of water supplied by water supply systems as well as informing about the scheduled renovation works.

Over 4500 pupils have taken part in lessons and contests about water which were conducted in cooperation with local schools within the Water Weeks.

We have organized trips for pupils together with the water committees, during which the children had the opportunity to see where water in taps came from and to find out why one should be saving it.

Kandalat Mominova, Director of „Zilol Suu” water committee „The Polish project helped to build up the authority and role of our water committee in the village. As part of the project, we could hand out information guidebooks to the subscribers every year. We realized how important it was to provide the inhabitants with information and we try to meet them regularly. For a few years now, we have been organizing a water feast in our village, during which we reward those who pay regularly for water and take care of water taps in their street. This enables us to be closer with the inhabitants and to mobilize them to coping together with our problems. People have started to realize why it was vital to pay for water regularly.” (village of Aravan, Aravan district, Kyrgyzstan)

Map

actions in

2008-2015

52 VILLAGES AND 1 TOWN WHICH ARE PART OF THE WATER PROGRAM

Todjikiston

Kyrgyzstan

Jabbor Rasulov District Uzbekqishloq

Aravan District Ak-Shar

Kyrgyzstan

Ghonchi District Urta Korgon

Uzgen District Kara Dyykan Chimbay

11 1

11 1 11 1

Kara-Kulja District Kara-Kulja Alay District Chakmak Kun Elek Spitamen District Qushtegirmon Metar Taghoyak Langar Saidkurgan Samgar Rogun

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Todjikiston

ARE AS O F AC TI V I T Y: INFRASTRUCTURE

Aravan Uzgen Alay District District District Aravan Kurshab Gulcha Saraj Kyzyl-Sengir Sogondu Birlik Alga Kabylan-Kol Mangit Kyzyl-Oktyabr Kungey Teleyken Miyazdy Jany-Aryk Jany Turmush Pahtabad Ayu-Tapan Achchi Osoawiahim Jeti-Agayni Madaniyat Pahtachi Aerodrom Oktyabr

Nookat District Nayman Naraj On Eki-Bel Kok-Jar Borbash Dzhiyde Alashan Sarykandy Karanay

Nooken District Kochkor-Ata Suzak District Yntymak

11 1 Kara-Kulja District Ylay-Talaa Sajj

SELF-GOVERNANCE AND INFRASTURCTURE SELF-GOVERNANCE 11 1 11 1

Activation meetings and information materials for local authorities and water RESPONSIBILITY committees representing the interests of inhabitants of rural areas.

Increasing the access to potable water of inhabitants of rural areas by renovating, building and maintaining local water supply networks.

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implementers of activities

East European Democratic Center since 2001, the East European Democratic Center has been supporting non-governmental organisations and independent media in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Moldavia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the introduction of democratic changes. Together with partners from these countries, we carry out projects enhancing the potential of both these sectors and the latter’s involvement in actions aiming at the activation of local communities.

You can find more about EEDC activity on www.eedc.org.pl.

The Central Asian Alliance for Water has been active since 2002 in the field of improving access to pure potable water in the rural areas of the Fergana Valley, of developing water committees and of promoting knowledge about the hygiene of the use of water. This organisation is working with the youth and local autonomies. CAAW also carries out humanitarian projects for the rural inhabitants of the Fergana Valley.

You can find more about CAAW activity on www.caaw.asia