In the framework of development cooperation of Switzerland and Peru the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) have defined the endorsement and promotion of urban infrastructure and the institutional strengthening of public service providers as strategic objectives.

Therefore the water supply and sanitation company EPS Grau in Piura has been selected to introduce an integrated project for the improvement of water supply, wastewater treatment and water resources management.

AKUT has been assigned to work in the institutional strengthening of EPS Grau in a cooperation with its Swiss partner Seecon GmbH.

Timeframe of the project is 3 years.

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On the picture: after solemny signing the cooperation contract
From the left to the right: Thilo Burkard, representative of AKUT; Hans Ruedi Bortis, Swiss embassador; Martin Perter, head of Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs in Peru

The program for modernization and strengthening of Water Management – PROAGUA II – supports the implementation of an ambitious reorganization process in the Peruvian water supply and sanitation (WSS) sector.

The “Modernization of Water Management Act” (Ley de Modernización de los Servicios de Saneamiento Nº 30045) and the establishment of a new sectoral organization OTASS (Organismo Técnico de Administración de los Servicios de Saneamiento) make up the basis of the process.

WSS companies which do not comply with certain performance requirements, will be put under a transitional administrative body (Régimen de Apoyo Transitorio, RAT) in order to improve the service situation.

AKUT and its partner COMO Consult GmbH have been contracted to work in three compontents of PROAGUA II:

1. Implementation of the “Modernization of Water Management Act”
2. Improvement of performances of WSS through the transitional administrative body (RAT)
3. Improvement of wastewater treatment management in WSS companies

Timeframe of the project will be 4 years.

As part of the World Bank project “Faecal Sludge Management: Diagnostic Tools and Guidelines for Service Delivery in Poor Urban Areas” AKUT was commissioned in May 2014 with the implementation of surveys related to faecal sludge management in Lima, Peru. These surveys are part of a worldwide investigation that takes place in five cities on four continents.

This involves conducting a household survey (720 households) and focus group discussions, collecting and analysing faecal sludge samples and undertaking and documenting transect walks and field observations.

The project runs until September 2014.