Enhancing the Economic Regulatory System for Moldova’s Water Supply and Sanitation
This report aims to support the development of a sound economic regulatory system for the water supply and sanitation (WSS) sector in the Republic of Moldova (hereafter “Moldova”). The prevailing policy framework calls for drastic developments in WSS to modernise and optimise WSS systems and improve operational efficiency (non-revenue water, staff-output ratios etc.) – in line with domestic and international commitments (including the Association Agreement with the European Union, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the national WSS strategy). This report outlines ways and means for strengthening the capacity of the Moldovan government to provide sound regulation and that of WSS operators to deliver higher standards of service while ensuring the affordability of WSS services. Such a transition cannot happen overnight. It requires a sound economic regulatory system conducive to affordability, cost recovery and debt servicing, and a realistic performance improvement path for water utilities.
Also available in: Russian
The context of Moldova’s economic regulatory system for water supply and sanitation
This chapter presents the context within which the economic regulatory system (ERS) for water supply and sanitation (WSS) in the Republic of Moldova (hereafter “Moldova”) has to operate. It confronts ambitious sector policy objectives driven by the Association Agreement with the European Union (the EU water acquis), the Paris Agreement on Climate and WSS-related Sustainable Development Goals, and set out in the National Development Strategy (Moldova 2020) and the WSS strategy for 2014-28. It compares performance of the Moldova’s WSS sector with its Danube Region peers highlighting several challenges such as non-revenue water, customer satisfaction and operating cost coverage. Finally, it formulates nine demands on the economic regulatory system (ERS).
Also available in: Russian