Water supply and sanitation in Bolivia
| Water and Sanitation in Bolivia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Data | |
| Access to an improved water source | 90% (2015) |
| Access to improved sanitation | 50% (2015) |
| Continuity of supply (%) | not available |
| Average urban water use (liter/capita/day) | not available |
| Average urban water tariff (US$/m3) | not available |
| Share of household metering | not available |
| Share of collected wastewater treated | 25% (2000) |
| Annual investment in water supply and sanitation | US$3.7/capita (2006) |
| Share of self-financing by utilities | Close to zero |
| Share of tax-financing | 42% (1994–2002) |
| Share of external financing | 58% (1994–2002) |
| Institutions | |
| Decentralization to municipalities | Yes |
| National water and sanitation company | No |
| National water and sanitation regulator | Yes |
| Responsibility for policy setting | Ministry of Water |
| Sector law | Water and Sanitation Services Law #2066 (2000) |
| Number of urban service providers | n/a |
| Number of rural service providers | n/a |
| All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars | |
Bolivia’s drinking water and sanitation coverage has greatly improved since 1990 due to a considerable increase in sectoral investment. However, the country continues to suffer from what happens to be the continent’s lowest coverage levels and from low quality of services. Political and institutional instability have contributed to the weakening of the sector’s institutions at the national and local levels. Two concessions to foreign private companies in two of the three largest cities — Cochabamba and La Paz/El Alto — were prematurely ended in 2000 and 2006 respectively. The country’s second largest city, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, relatively successfully manages its own water and sanitation system by way of cooperatives. The government of Evo Morales intends to strengthen citizen participation within the sector. Increasing coverage requires a substantial increase of investment financing.
According to the government the main problems in the sector are low access to sanitation throughout the country; low access to water in rural areas; insufficient and ineffective investments; a low visibility of community service providers; a lack of respect of indigenous customs; "technical and institutional difficulties in the design and implementation of projects"; a lack of capacity to operate and maintain infrastructure; an institutional framework that is "not consistent with the political change in the country"; "ambiguities in the social participation schemes"; a reduction in the quantity and quality of water due to climate change; pollution and a lack of integrated water resources management; and the lack of policies and programs for the reuse of wastewater.
In 2015, in Bolivia 90% of the total population had access to "improved" water, or 97% and 76%, in urban and rural areas, respectively. Regarding sanitation, 50% of the total population had access to "improved" sanitation, or 61% and 28%, in urban and rural areas, respectively.
The quality of service in the majority of the country’s water and sanitation systems is low. In 2000, according to the WHO, in only 26% of the urban systems water was disinfected and only 25% of the collected wastewater was treated.
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