The U.S. Agency for International Development  has awarded ICMA a two-year, $3.6 million extension of the highly successful CAWSA program. Since 2008, CAWSA (the USAID and ICMA Commercialization of Afghanistan Water and Sanitation Activity program) has helped local units of the national water utility in nine cities make operational and management improvements that pave the way for eventual privatization.

Working with local units of the national water utility (the Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation, AUWSSC) in Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif, Ghazni, Gardez, Kandahar, and four satellite units, CAWSA has completed numerous infrastructure upgrades, introduced computerized systems, and fostered an emphasis on customer service. 

The program in the first four cities ended in May, after each of the water supply units implemented the improvements needed for commercialization. Because Kandahar did not begin its participation until later, the extension will allow it to “catch up” with the others. Activities will center on Kandahar city and its satellite units serving Tarin Kot, Lashkar Gah, Zaranj, and Mehtarlam.

During its first three-plus years, CAWSA has supported technical advisors who have helped build the capacity of local staff by providing on-the-job training.  It has also provided grant money for local procurements and infrastructure projects. The program’s accomplishments include:

• Repairs to pipe networks, pumps, buildings, wells, and other damaged or neglected infrastructure
• Acquisition of vehicles and other equipment for inspectors and repair crews, speeding the response to service calls
• Introduction of computerized systems for maintaining personnel records, tracking customer complaints, managing inventory, and mapping of water supply networks using GIS
• Introduction of customer care centers, customer service hotlines, and  relocation of inconvenient offices
• Reporting systems for financial and other performance indicators
• Substantial increases in revenue through reliable meter reading, identification and conversion of illegal connections, and collection of past-due accounts—helping the units come closer to full cost recovery
• Development of a Technical Operations and Maintenance Manual in English, Dari, and Pashtu designed to standardize infrastructure, operations, reporting systems, maintenance activities, and procedures throughout the country.

The extension will help ensure similar improvements in Kandahar. It will provide technical support, grants for small projects, and in-country study tours to showcase successful practices. Like the rest of the CAWSA program, it will provide small financial incentives for employees based on achievement of specific performance goals.

The following PowerPoint presentation provides a photographic "before and after" record of improvements.

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Success Stories: Improving Water Supply Services in Afghanistan