| Nicaragua: Water and Sanitation | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Data | ||
| Access to an improved water source | 85% (2010) [1] | |
| Access to improved sanitation | 52% (2010) [1] | |
| Continuity of supply (%) | 53% | |
| Average urban water use (l/c/d) | ||
| Average urban domestic water and sewer bill for 20m3 | 6.50 US$/month | |
| Share of household metering | n/a | |
| Share of collected wastewater treated | 42% | |
| Annual investment in WSS | 9 US$ /capita | |
| Share of self-financing by utilities | 16% (1990–99) | |
| Share of tax-financing | 7% (1990–99) | |
| Share of external financing | 77% (1990–99) | |
| Institutions | ||
| Decentralization to municipalities | Very limited | |
| National water and sanitation company | Yes | |
| Water and sanitation regulator | Yes | |
| Responsibility for policy setting | A Council | |
| Sector law | Yes (1998) | |
| Number of urban service providers | 30 | |
| Number of rural service providers | n/a | |
Drinking water and sanitation in Nicaragua are provided by a national public utility in urban areas and water committees in rural areas. Despite relatively high levels of investment, access to drinking water in urban areas has barely kept up with population growth, access to urban sanitation has actually declined and service quality remains poor. However, a substantial increase in access to water supply and sanitation has been reached in rural areas.
The water sector underwent major reforms in 1998 that separated policy, regulatory, and operating functions. Decentralization has been proposed for a decade, but implementation was very slow and in mid-2007 was reversed when the national water company took over two municipal systems.