The document discusses alternatives to public sector financing for water and sanitation projects, including commercial finance options. It describes global trends from the 1990s focus on private sector investment to calls in the 2000s for increased aid. However, new approaches are emerging like leveraging local resources through improved cost recovery by utilities and facilitating domestic market borrowing. A few case studies show how utilities and small providers have accessed finance. Microfinance also has high potential but more evidence is needed at scale. Measures are required to achieve sustainability in commercial financing for both utilities and microfinance.

1. Alternatives to Public Sector Financing Commercial Finance for Water and Sanitation Meera Mehta, CEPT University WASH Forum, Brisbane, Australia May 16, 2011

2. Story line Global trends – from ‘private sector’ in the 1990s to a plea for more ‘aid’ resources in 2000s… But, there is also some new thinking emerging… A few experiences show the possibilities for utilities and small providers… Microfinance – high potential – but, not enough evidence at scale! Measures needed to achieve scale and sustainability in the use of commercial finance

4. Limited – or even declining public resources

5. Limited share of international aid

6. Worldwide interest from private sector in cross border infrastructure investments

9. Story line Global trends – from ‘private sector’ in the 1990s to a plea for more ‘aid’ resources in 2000s… But, there is also some new thinking emerging… A few experiences show the possibilities for utilities and small providers… Microfinance – high potential – but, not enough evidence at scale! Measures needed to achieve scale and sustainability in the use of commercial finance

12. Essentially refers to ‘service’ linked resourcesas opposed to budget or aid linked resources

13. From maximizing ‘internal generation’ of resources by ‘autonomous water service providers’ through user fees and tariffs and improved efficiency and expenditure management

15. Story line Global trends – from ‘private sector’ in the 1990s to a plea for more ‘aid’ resources in 2000s But, there is also some new thinking emerging A few experiences show the possibilities for utilities and small providers… Microfinance – high potential – but, not enough evidence at scale! Measures needed to make the link between leveraging and sustainability

16. Experience from developing countries

18. This averaged about 14% of city’s total annual capital expenditure – Ahmedabad it was 40%

19. Most of these were General Obligation and structured bonds backed by general revenues with escrow account arrangements

20. Pooled finance for water and sanitation for smaller municipalities by TNUDF and KUIDFC

21. Possible crowding out by the Government of India’s flagship program JNNURM (3bn USD/year) as no municipal bond issues since 2005. Mehta M and D Mehta (2010), “A Glass Half Full Urban development in India 1990s to 2010”, EPW, Vol xlv, no 28, pp. 20-23

23. Workshop in Pretoria, 2006

24. Credit Assessment of water utilities and workshop in Dakar, 2008

25. Support to NWSC, Uganda 2009-10

27. 40% subsidy, 40% loan and 20% equity by community

28. 12 projects financed so far, loans worth USD 1 million, 4600 new connections and 67,000 beneficiaries

29. Scale up planned for 50 projects with a project development facility funded by PPIAF

31. Need for a special WSS product and its marketing: K-Rep Bank has introduced a special product for water

33. Market Segments for Microfinance Mehta Meera (2008), “Assessing Microfinance for Water and Sanitation: Exploring opportunities for sustainable scaling up“, Study done for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

34. High Leverage with Microfinance - 1 A recent WSP study of financing household level sanitation showed the high leverage ratios (10 to 20) when access to microfinance was made possible in Vietnam and Maharashtra, India Source: Tremolet S et. al. (2010), “Financing onsite sanitation for the poor: a six country comparative review and analysis “, WSP

36. In Maharashtra, performance of districts that have organised access to credit has been greatly enhanced

37. Vietnam’s Revolving Fund leveraged substantial private investment and has proved a highly sustainable scheme “

38. “Credit schemes can be particularly effective at leveragingsubstantial household investment and are best in terms of sustainability and scalability“Source: Tremolet S et. al. (2010), “Financing onsite sanitation for the poor: a six country comparative review and analysis “, WSP

40. Vietnam – a) Rural Environmental Sanitation project funded by VBSP and b) sanitation revolving fund with WU as part of World Bank project

41. Bangladesh – BRAC WASH program by Government of Netherlands

42. India – Total Sanitation Campaign in Maharashtra, use of credit through local coops, SHGs and banks – but not promoted directly by the TSC

43. Peru – specific plans for market-based finance products - scale small now but potential to grow

44. Business lines in MF

45. Bangladesh various MFIs

46. WPI’s work with Basix and Guardian

47. K-Rep Bank special WSS product for small water service providers20

49. But, only a few examples at scale

50. However, all have not sustained over time

51. …Mehta Meera (2008), “Assessing Microfinance for Water and Sanitation: Exploring opportunities for sustainable scaling up“, Study done for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

53. At country level 4 MFIs together had reached 9% of total rural households in Bangladeshfor WSS

54. Grameen Bank – by 1998, 30% of its members had taken a WSS loan, only 1.6% of cumulative loan disbursement due to the small size of WSS loans

55. Vietnam Bank for Social Policy:

56. In 2007, total WSS loans were about 2% of its gross assets

57. Cumulative borrowers were 10% of total active borrowers in 2007

58. SEWA Bank, India

59. An estimated 12 % of borrowers and 15 % of total loans in Ahmedabad for WSS purposes22

60. Story line Global trends – from ‘private sector’ in the 1990s to a plea for more ‘aid’ resources in 2000s But, there is also some new thinking emerging A few experiences show the possibilities for utilities and small providers… Microfinance – high potential – but, not enough evidence at scale! Measures needed to achieve scale and sustainability in the use of commercial finance

62. Lack of mutual awareness – of commercial finance by utilities and of WSS by banks, FIs

63. Crowding out by donors, national programs

64. Inadequate funding for smart subsidies for banks/FIs to meet affordability concerns, or viability gap funding

65. Lack of bankable opportunities – support needed for developing projects/ applications24

67. Lack of interest and capacity by growing MFIs when market for regular MF products is still very large

68. Lack of special products for WSS that have been field tested

69. Lack of mutual awareness – of MF by WSS practitioners and of WSS by MFI

70. MFIs lack access to medium-term funds needed for WSS and find it difficult to access or blend with subsidies to meet affordability concerns25

72. WSS product development for: a) retail loans--possibly in the line of housing improvement products, and b) for SME funding on the line of project finance

73. Facilitation by a credible promoter to facilitate partnerships between WSS institutions and MFIs/banks/FIs

74. Credit rating /assessment of utilities / small providers

75. Project development support to create a project pipeline particularly for project structures

76. Capital fundingto provide long-term funds for MFIs, and to meet subsidy needs26

77. Thank You

78. Market-based Financing in Peru TYPE OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Banks Regulated MFIs Non-regulated MFIs Subsidy Programs TYPE OF FINANCIAL PRODUCT Credit cards Individual loans Saving groups Communitarian loans Source: Baskovich, M. (2009), Creating Sanitation markets”, presentation , New Delhi, WSP, Mimeo

81. Demand for rural sanitation is likely to be larger

82. Demand for microfinance for sanitation over 2004-2015 is potentially very large - USD 8 billion in Asia

83. Within sanitation share of higher level facilities (sewerage connection) is high in SE Asia, especially in urban areas

84. For others –demand for microfinance when a toilet-cum-bathroom is preferredMehta Meera (2008), “Assessing Microfinance for Water and Sanitation: Exploring opportunities for sustainable scaling up“, Study done for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.