Event Description
The Sustainable Water Tariff Initiative aims to establish clear policies and legislation to allow sustainable water tariffs at a large scale. The initiative’s main goal is to integrate the water value chain under a watershed approach.  Specifically, it incorporates the cost of ecological services into water tariffs as well as national environmental policies; and provides sustainable financing for the conservation, protection and restoration of ecosystems. The objective of this side event is to present the initiative to decision makers, discuss its latest developments and engage more stakeholders in this effort. Additionally, it intends to strengthen inter-institutional collaboration between regulatory authorities, industry, NGOs and the academic community.


Programme

This event is part of Focus on Latin America. See all related events.

19-08-2009 14:00-17:30 Afternoon Seminar
Prospects and Challenges of Multi-stakeholder Cooperation in the Water Sector for Latin America and the Caribbean Region
 
19-08-2009 17:45-18:45 Evening Side Event
Integrated Land and Water Resources Management in Brazil


Event Summary and Conclusions
As part of the Half Day for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Water Week, the side event “Sustainable Water Tariffs for Latin America” was organized by the Nature Conservancy and the Water Center for Latin America and the Caribbean. Its purpose was to gather four experts form different sectors to discuss adequate tariffs for water in the region.

The president of the National Regulation of Sanitation Services, José Salazar, explained the latest strategy to dissolve the monopolization of water provision in Peru which consists in a new regulation agency integrated by government bodies, the utility-company and users.

Korenfeld Federman, director of the National Association of Water and Sanitation Operators, mentioned how users in Mexico do not pay water at its value. Therefore, it is imperative to have an adequate tariff system to increase revenue collection and a metered service in order to stimulate a wise use.

On the other hand, Luege Tamargo, director of the National Water Commission in Mexico, attributed the inefficiency of water and sanitation services to water utilities and municipalities. Hence, an adequate policy should be developed to promote efficiency of water utilities in order to reduce their costs.

Finally, Garza Cantú, director from FEMSA Foundation, addressed the importance to develop a strategy and a public policy to apply tariffs to water services, to maintain the social order and prevent water shortage.

The panelists coincided that the inefficiency of water utilities in the region is the major problem that could be solved with a framework that considers the real costs of the impact of water exploitation in the environment.