Bolivia

Active programmes 2024:

BOL-006-B Support to the Urban and Peri-Urban Water and Sewerage Programme (APAAP)
BOL-007-B Integrated Water Management in Urban Areas (GIAAU)
BOL-009-B Water and Sanitation Programme for Rural Communities, Small and Intermediate Cities.

Otros programas asociados:

LAIF Bolivia-LA/2017/390-223: Support to the Water and Sewerage Programme in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas
DCI/LA/2019/410-047: Integrated Water Management in Urban Areas Programme
Acuerdo de contribución con Blending Nº 700002477- Water and sanitation programme for rural communities, small and intermediate cities

Bolivia

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As of December 2024, the Fund maintains three programmes in Bolivia, all of which are part of larger global operations involving the European Union and other funders such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Thus, it is possible to implement initiatives of greater impact and far-reaching scope, which allow progress towards the universal access to drinking water and sanitation services in rural, urban and peri-urban areas and the overall strengthening of the sector and the beneficiary institutions. The progress made during the year is detailed below.

The BOL-006-B programme: Support to the Urban and Peri-Urban Water and Sewerage Programme (APAAP) has a financing of €5 million and is part of a global programme of the same name involving the European Union, the IDB and the Ministry of Environment and Water (MMAyA), which aims to achieve sustainable water and sanitation services by driving the progressive compliance with the human rights to water and sanitation through the balance of environmental sustainability, economic growth and climate change adaptation.

In 2024, the project for construction of interconnections between the intake works and the treatment plant for the drinking water system in the city of Cobija, which started the commissioning phase at the end of the year, benefiting 963 households, was started and implemented.

Significant progress has also been made in the implementation of the project for construction and extension of the drinking water network for the communities of Chicani and Chinchaya, phase II, as well as the sanitary sewerage system, the conclusion and commissioning are pending for the beginning of the year 2025. Likewise, work has continued on the preparation of the Master Plan for drinking water, sanitation and stormwater drainage in the city of Trinidad, this project will be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

Work was also contracted for the elaboration of two Plans: the Updating of the Metropolitan Master Plan for drinking water, sanitation and stormwater drainage in the metropolitan area of La Paz and the Drought Master Plan for service operators in Tarija, Cochabamba, Sucre and Yacuiba. As a result, 97% of the funds foreseen in the programme’s Procurement Plan.

On the other hand, the BOL-007-B Programme, called Integrated Water Management in Urban Areas (GIAAU), is also part of a global initiative involving the EU, the IDB, FONPRODE and the FCAS, and is implemented by the MMAyA.

This is an initiative that aims to respond to supply restrictions and coverage deficits in various cities, through the management of water resources, access to services and the strengthening of operators. To this end, strategic actions and guidelines will be established following the guidelines of the Metropolitan Master Plans financed in the Peri-Urban Water and Sewerage Programme Phase I (PAAP I) -with support from AECID-IDB-, as well as those carried out in PAAP II with IDB financing.

At the same time, this programme also includes the integrated water management in urban areas, covering the conveyance and treatment of effluents and identifying priority interventions to ensure the supply of drinking water and the adequate management of wastewater, including actions that allow EPSAS (public social water and sanitation company) to soften drought events.

It is also planned to carry out evaluations and updates of these Master Plans, specifically in aspects referring to the updating of supply and demand balances and the integrated management of water resources, considering the complete water cycle, from sources to conveyance and the adequate treatment of wastewater, under a climate change adaptation approach.

In 2024, the consultancy for the Strengthening of the hydrometeorological monitoring system for reservoirs in Bolivia (SIMHEB) was tendered, contracted and started. SIMHEB is an IT platform for data visualisation that provides real-time information and data for planning. The strengthening work consists of: a) providing missing information through the incorporation of monitoring networks that were not included; b) developing a strategy for the correct incorporation of this information; and c) systematising operational plans, promoting coordination between the ministry and the operating entities.

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In addition, work continued on the consultancy project for the Strengthening of water availability and demand monitoring systems within the framework of the National Drought Monitor, which is working in Tarija, Sucre and Chiquitanía. Finally, this year the third main activity of the programme was tendered for the third time, the study for the Strengthening of the Bolivian Groundwater Information System (SIASBO). This consultancy will provide information for the work of constructing and refurbishing wells, as well as equipping monitoring networks in aquifers.

Finally, the Water and Sanitation Programme for Rural Communities, Small and Intermediate Cities (BOL-009-B) was approved by the Council of Ministers in December 2023 and during 2024 work has been done to put in place the operational documents and the detailed planning necessary to start implementation. It is a €3.57 million initiative to be implemented by the MMAyA.

This action, which will focus on small rural communities (less than 2,000 inhabitants) and cities under 20,000 inhabitants, will work towards the implementation of systems that are resilient to extreme events – exacerbated by climate change – and associated risk management. The objectives are, on the one hand, to provide access to drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene services that are sustainable and resilient to climate change. On the other hand, work will be done to strengthen water and sanitation operators (Water Committees and Water and Sanitation Service Providers -EPSAS-) in the communities and beneficiary populations, as well as the capacities of sectoral actors at the central, departmental and municipal levels.

This programme will work in tandem with a larger initiative involving the European Union, through the Latin America and Caribbean Investment Facility (LACIF) -financed by AECID-, and a loan from the IDB, totalling €85.37 million.

The specific contribution of the FCAS will focus on Component I, focusing on infrastructure works and support to the integrated management of services. In this line, the following actions will be financed:

Investments to expand the coverage and improve the management of water and sanitation systems, in order to ensure the efficient use of water resources in the medium and long term, as well as to guarantee the overall sustainability of services.
Construction, rehabilitation or expansion of drinking water and sanitation systems that enable integrated water resource management, including household connections, monitoring, community development actions and rapid impact and connectivity actions to improve the efficiency of existing systems.
Investments to support the integrated management of services such as the development of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) plans, micro and macro metering plans, training in management, operation and maintenance of the systems to be built, or activities to improve commercial and financial systems.
Activities aimed at supporting the oversight of water and sanitation services by the AAPS and the steering of these services by the Vice-Ministry of Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation(VAPSB).

In addition, the rest of the intervention will include other aspects, such as planning and pre-investment studies –with the aim of having suitable projects for future phases and taking into account climate change considerations.

Other Associated Programmes – Delegated Cooperation

LAIF Bolivia-LA/2017/390-223: Support to the Water and Sewerage Programme in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas
It has €125.5 million available to invest in various cities and peri-urban areas of Bolivia and has been made possible thanks to the coordination of various actors and funding mechanisms. On the one hand, the Water Fund provides €5 million in grants, to which the European Union adds another €15 million through the LAIF funds delegated to Spain. On the other hand, it has Bolivia’s national contribution (€22 million), a credit from IDB of €55 million and complementary funds from the Spain-Bolivia debt swap programme amounting to €27 million. The objective is to expand and optimise access to water and sanitation services for the beneficiary population amounting to more than 200,000 people while improving the public administration of the sector in Bolivia. It will also strengthen the national policy for the integrated management of water resources, reducing the impact of climate change on the least favoured segments of Bolivian society, while improving the public administration of the sector in Bolivia. It will also strengthen the national policy for the integrated management of water resources, reducing the impact of climate change on the least favoured segments of Bolivian society.

One of the milestones of the programme in 2024 was the signing of the inter-institutional agreement for the construction of the International Centre for Wastewater Research and Development (CIIDAR), an initiative financed with LAIF funds. This centre will be a major step for water management in Bolivia, as it will allow the country to develop appropriate and environmentally adapted technology for wastewater treatment in the Andean area of Bolivia, which will contribute to the protection of the environment and public health. In addition, it will be a space for the transfer of knowledge thanks to its partnership with the schools of Engineering, Agricultural and Natural Sciences and Health Sciences of the Universidad Técnica de Oruro. Furthermore, CIIDAR will also work on training, dissemination of experiences and awareness-raising activities, and it is expected to become a national and regional benchmark.

Also in 2024, an Agreement was signed to carry out the Master Plan for Stormwater Drainage in Oruro with the aim of analysing the city’s situation and proposing actions to improve drainage systems, facilitate their sustainability and also address legal and institutional aspects. This will be done from an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) perspective within the framework of the above-mentioned APAAP Programme. On the other hand, the project for Design and construction of pilot sustainable urban drainage in the cities of Sucre, Oruro and Trinidad has been awarded and has been initiated. Additionally, consultancy contracts for the institutional strengthening of 8 public water and sanitation utilities (EPSAS) were started.

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DCI/LA/2019/410-047: Integrated Water Management in Urban Areas Programme
This programme has a grant of €3 million from the Water Fund and a further €15 million delegated by the European Union, including management and administration costs, in addition to other funders, such as the IDB, with a credit of €85.5 million, and FONPRODE, with €25.6 million.

This initiative contributes to the population in peri-urban areas having new or improved access to basic sanitation services and promotes Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in urban areas, with the aim, among others, of reducing the impact of climate change on the population. The programme finances interventions for the expansion and improvement of drinking water and sanitation services, focusing on measures to mitigate water supply crises caused by droughts, but also contributes to improving the integrated management of water supply and demand.

One of the developments of the programme in the year 2024 has been the completion and handing over of the sanitary sewerage system in district 6 of Viacha, financed by the FCAS and the city’s autonomous municipal government. This project benefited 14,951 inhabitants, creating 3,045 connections.

In this period, progress has been made in the completion of the rest of the works financed by the programme: Construction of the Tucsupaya Sanitary Sewerage Interceptor – Sucre y Improvement and Expansion of the Casco Viejo Oruro Sanitary Sewerage System.

Finally, two designs were put out to tender: Construction of sanitary sewerage system and Satélite Norte Distrito 3 WWTP – Warnes y Construction of the Tiquipaya Wastewater Treatment Plant; and the construction work of Construction of the Sanitary Sewerage System and San Pedro WWTP (Santa Cruz).
LAIF Bolivia- 700002477: Water and sanitation programme for rural communities, small and intermediate cities
Signed in December 2024, the Water and Sanitation Support Programme for small and intermediate cities in Bolivia will involve the channelling of a €10 million grant provided by the European Union as delegated cooperation to AECID within the framework of the Latin America and Caribbean Investment Facility (LACIF). 60% will be allocated to the strengthening of central, municipal and local institutions in the water and sanitation sector, while the remaining part will be used to finance the design and construction of drinking water and sanitation infrastructure in communities and municipalities of up to 2,000 inhabitants and medium-sized towns of up to 20,000 inhabitants, as well as community facilities (schools and health centres).

On 11 December 2024, a Contribution Agreement was signed between AECID and the EU, thus initiating the 60-month programme implementation period.

In this operation, the FCAS contributes a further €3.57 million (BOL-009-B) which, together with the EU grant, will significantly reinforce the sustainability of an IDB loan of $79 million (€71.818 million) for the programme of the same name (Water and Sanitation Programme for Intermediate and Small Cities). Overall, the EU, AECID and IDB programme will consist of a €85.38 million operation, aimed at reducing the gap in access to water and sanitation between urban and rural areas.

The programme aims to improve the living conditions of the population in Bolivia by increasing the coverage of drinking water and sanitation services, improving hygiene habits through community strengthening, empowering water and sanitation operators and the capacities of sectoral actors at different levels, as well as the overall resilience of Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation systems.

In addition, it will strengthen sustainable treatment plants, emphasising the need to select appropriate robust wastewater treatment technologies to 1) achieve discharge regulations, 2) improve and standardise utilities’ technical capacities according to their scope of operation, and 3) maintain utilities’ financial viability levels according to the community’s ability to pay. This requirement targets low-medium energy water treatment technologies, which also limit carbon emissions.

Given the cross-cutting priorities of Spanish Cooperation, the intervention will use the approach based on the human rights to water and sanitation, gender and integrated water resources management, mainstreaming these rights in all activities, carrying out human rights due diligence, including consultation and participation of rights holders and the community.

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More info about the Fund in Bolivia