Second National Water Development Project

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The development objective of the Second National Water Development Project of Malawi is to increase access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services for people living in cities, towns, market centers, and villages and improve water resources management at the national level. The project will also contribute to building sector capacity through improved monitoring, regulation, incentive structures, public private partnerships, and coordination among the sector stakeholders. The project has four components. Component A is Urban Water Supply and Sanitation for the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, which will consist of: (i) priority investments for essential spare parts and materials to prevent water supply disruptions in Blantyre and urgent rehabilitation works in both cities; (ii) reaching the un served areas, through piloting of water supply and sanitation services to low income areas in Blantyre, carrying out sanitation and hygiene promotion activities, expanding the water supply distribution network, and installing customer connections; and (iii) aqueduct planning in Lilongwe; Component B is Town, Market Center, and Rural Piped Water Supply and Sanitation which will consist of: (i) expansion of water supply facilities and improvements in operational efficiency in some of their largest, fastest-growing towns including Mzuzu, Kasungu, Mangochi, and Zomba, and other smaller towns; (ii) development of community-managed water supplies in market centers and rural piped systems; and (iii) training for the regional water boards, the staff of program implementation unit, district assemblies, and local communities; Component C is Water Resources Management, which will consist of (i) development and support for the promulgation of enabling legislation for the National Water Policy of 2 005; (ii) development of an integrated water resources investment strategy; (iii)design and independent environmental and social assessments for Lake Malawi level control; (iv) strengthening of institutional capacity for water resource management including the establishment of National Water Resources Authority; and (v) feasibility studies, designs, and environmental and social assessments for the development of future water sources; Component D is Sector Management and Urban Water Sector Reform which will consist of: (i) support to MIWD in the establishment of a management system for the sector investment program including investment planning, donor coordination, accounting, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, safeguard tracking, and information technology and communications; (ii) development of a strategic sanitation plan for Lilongwe and Blantyre; and (iii) design and implementation of a sustainable reform plan for Blantyre and Lilongwe, including a regulatory framework, public awareness campaign, and institutional framework for a lease or similar contract with a private operator.