Water Projects in Tajikistan: Japan Learns from a Troubled Grant

Residents of Moskva in Tajikistan’s Khatlon region reported receiving water for an average of just 10.9 hours a day in a 2017 survey, nearly four years after a Japanese-funded supply system was completed in June 2013. An external evaluation commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) gave the project a D rating, the lowest possible. Japan is now financing a new water supply system in Abdurahmoni Jomi district, also in the Khatlon region. The two projects illustrate how its approach to water supply assistance has developed, particularly in metering, utility management, and infrastructure maintenance. A Project That Met Its Targets on Paper Hamadoni district, which includes Moskva and lies near the Afghan border, had a population of approximately 119,000 when the original grant was planned. Some 59% of residents lacked access to a working water supply system, and only 16 of the district’s 47 village wells were operational. More than 70% of residents in village areas relied on canals and rivers for water. The grant financed three deep wells, elevated reservoirs, and a 32.9-kilometer pipeline network in Moskva, as well as a water supply system for two villages and drilling equipment. The project cost 19% more than planned and took 67 months instead of the expected 31. In 2016, the local utility reported that the system supplied water to all 22,505 residents of Moskva and 7,103 residents in the two villages, where it was distributed through communal taps. Leaks, Meters, and a Flat Fee The grant covered pipeline replacement in only part of Moskva. According to the local utility, approximately 70% of the pipes outside the project area needed replacement. Leaks occurred frequently but were not systematically recorded. The utility estimated losses at 35% to 50%, but without household meters it could not accurately distinguish consumption from leakage. Households paid a flat monthly fee of 13.4 somoni (about $1.50 at the time) for unlimited water use. Some residents left their taps running to irrigate gardens, particularly during the summer, reducing water pressure elsewhere in the network. The arrangement provided little financial incentive to reduce consumption. JICA Disagrees with Its Evaluator JICA’s Financial Cooperation Implementation Department issued a separate opinion challenging the D rating, arguing that the evaluation did not adequately reflect the project’s achievements. The department pointed out that the system delivered 7,580 cubic meters of water per day, compared with an originally projected daily average of 5,292 cubic meters. It also cited the expansion in coverage and improvements in water quality. The external evaluator, however, noted that the system had been designed to permit a 24-hour water supply, but service had been limited to a 13-hour daily schedule because of leaks and excessive consumption. The amount pumped into the network did not necessarily reflect how much water reached households. Metering Brings Improvements, 2017–2021 The evaluation recommended replacing deteriorated pipes, installing meters, improving maintenance, and explaining the new arrangements to residents. Japan had already begun a technical cooperation project in April 2017, while the evaluation was underway. It concluded...