Water supply and sanitation in Bolivia

Water and sanitation in Bolivia
Bolivia
Data
Access to an improved water source90% (2015)[1]
Access to improved sanitation50% (2015)[1]
Continuity of supply (%)not available
Average urban water use (liter/capita/day)not available
Average urban water tariff (US$/m3)not available
Share of household meteringnot available
Share of collected wastewater treated25% (2000)
Annual investment in water supply and sanitationUS$3.7/capita (2006)[2]
Share of self-financing by utilitiesClose to zero
Share of tax-financing42% (1994–2002)
Share of external financing58% (1994–2002)
Institutions
Decentralization to municipalitiesYes
National water and sanitation companyNo
National water and sanitation regulatorYes
Responsibility for policy settingMinistry of Water
Sector lawWater and Sanitation Services Law #2066 (2000)
Number of urban service providersn/a
Number of rural service providersn/a
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars

Bolivia's drinking water and sanitation coverage has greatly improved since 1990 due to a considerable increase in sectoral investment. However, the country continues to suffer from what happens to be the continent's lowest coverage levels and from low quality of services. Political and institutional instability have contributed to the weakening of the sector's institutions at the national and local levels. Two concessions to foreign private companies in two of the three largest cities—Cochabamba and La Paz/El Alto—were prematurely ended in 2000 and 2006 respectively. The country's second largest city, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, relatively successfully manages its own water and sanitation system by way of cooperatives. The government of Evo Morales intends to strengthen citizen participation within the sector. Increasing coverage requires a substantial increase of investment financing.

According to the government the main problems in the sector are low access to sanitation throughout the country; low access to water in rural areas; insufficient and ineffective investments; a low visibility of community service providers; a lack of respect of indigenous customs; "technical and institutional difficulties in the design and implementation of projects"; a lack of capacity to operate and maintain infrastructure; an institutional framework that is "not consistent with the political change in the country"; "ambiguities in the social participation schemes"; a reduction in the quantity and quality of water due to climate change; pollution and a lack of integrated water resources management; and the lack of policies and programs for the reuse of wastewater.[3]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference JMP2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ US$33.4 m (Source: Vice Ministry of public investment and external financing) divided by population (9.119.152; Source: CIA World Factbook 2007)
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference PNSB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).