Status:
Complete
Location:
Lilongwe - Malawi
Region:
Africa
Total cost:
USD $54,540
Duration:
1 year 2 months
Start:
02 December 2013
End:
02 February 2015
Working Areas
Asset Management
Customer Relations
Non-Revenue Water (NRW 1): Commercial Losses Management
Service in Low-Income Areas
Organizations Involved
Central Region Water Board-Lilongwe — Lead Mentee
eThekwini Water & Sanitation Services — Lead Mentor
Water Operators Partnerships - WOP-AFRICA
Funder
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)
Funder Supporting Org
The Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance
Broker
SDGs
6.1Universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
Project description

The aim of this WOP  is to develop a medium-term Performance Improvement Plan, and implement a short term action plan of thematic areas identified as priorities by the mentor.



Objectives



Developing PiP (Performance Improvement Plan)



Specific objectives:

1. To establish an asset management system

2. To improve customer relations through establishment of call‐centre and control room

3. To improve revenue collection

4. To improve operation and maintenance

5. To reduce NRW from the current 35 % by 1 % per year

6. To develop a hydraulic model for the network

7. To increase coverage to LIA

8. To ensure sustainable supply of water ‐ Master Plan

9. To improve the water treatment process

10. To have a committed workforce


Most significant results

Describe the overall results



• Beneficiary operators have enhanced knowledge and skills to address operational shortcomings and to manage loans.

• Beneficiary operators have a clear understanding of their hard (infrastructural) and soft (skills development) needs.

• Development of fundable Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) for further improvement of services.

• Recruitment of GIS specialists and initiation of programme

• Procurement of bulk meters (contract signed with supplier)

• Funds set aside in 2015/16 budget for establishment of call center and control room

• Undertaking trials in December 2015 for onsite billing through a consultancy

• DFID funds approved for pre paid metering (WUA)

• On‐going change management meetings

• HR policies currently been reviewed – performance agreements

• Meters section re‐instated

• Faulty meters being replaced

• Drafting of a ‘Customer Service Charter /SLA

• Development of Educational Materials

• Over 40km of exposed pipes lowered

• Pipe line laying to Area 46 (LIA) is 75 % complete

• 2015/16 budget activities included in the WOP action plan

• Car tracking installed in some vehicles

• Testing Water Amnesty address illegal connections