Public participation and consumer protection

The Almaty Guiding principles identify a participatory multi-stakeholder process as one of the key elements of socially accepted and sustainable water sector reforms in the EECCA. They specify that gradual tariff increases required for financial stability of the sector "should take full account of affordability constraints and be part of a strategy for service improvement which has been developed through a participatory process". At their first meeting the Group of Senior Official on Urban Water Reforms in the NIS discussed social aspects of sector reforms, and adopted its work programme which calls for the development of Guidelines on Consumer Protection and Public Participation.

In order to launch the development of a Report an expert workshop on Consumer Protection and Public Participation in the Reforms of the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation in the EECCA was organised 4 and 5 March 2002 to identify key social issues to be covered. The experts from the EECCA, CEE and OECD countries agreed that the Report would focus on the three main issues including affordability of water, social protection measures for the poor and public participation in the sector reform. It is expected that the first draft of the Report will be presented at the second meeting of the Group of Senior Water Officials. The final Report was presented at the Kiev 2003 "Environment for Europe" ministerial in May 2003.

Documents available

Publications:

Consumer Protection In Urban Water Sector Reforms In Armenia: Ability To Pay And Social Protection Of Low Income Households (Russian)

Key Issues and Recommendations for Consumer Protection (English), (Russian)

Models of water utility reform in the central and eastern european countrieslessons to be learned for reform in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia

Working papers :

Social Protection to the Population in Transition to Full Cost Recovery for Housing and Utilities and Social Consumption Norms for Water in the Russian Federation 

Social Protection in the Urban Water Sector

NGO position paper from Almaty

Report from the expert workshop

In order to promote public debate about urban water sector reform in the EECCA, EAP Task Force jointly with Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia have launched a water web site. The water web site provides access to various publications and documents developed for the Group of Senior Water officials for the broader public, in Russian language. The site also has a discussion forum open for all stakeholders. http://www.carec.kz/water/