The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) will invite the private sector to take over the supply and distribution of water in Yangon.
According to Mayor U Maung Maung Soe, the YCDC has been facing difficulties managing wastage and lack of manpower to prevent illegal tapping of water from the city’s pipelines, which is then repackaged and sold for higher price. The YCDC has never increased water meter charges and water prices charged do not cover production costs.
Privatization is the best solution to help YCDC stem its losses. Private companies have already been asked to submit expressions of interest by this month for distributing water in Yangon region. A tender process will take place later.
In the meantime, YCDC will launch an awareness campaign on the installation of water meters as well as the need to curb wastage and illegal tapping of water from the city’s pipelines. Almost half the water distributed is wasted.
The YCDC collects K88 per unit of water for residential use and K110 per unit for commercial use. One unit equals 220 gallons.
Source: MyanmarTimes