Wastewater Management & Treatment
Wastewater Management & Treatment
Business Model Description
Invest in the establishment, treatment, and or/installation of a wastewater treatment plant in high tourist destination areas (specifically Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Placencia). Public Private Partnerships (PPP) could be used to facilitate private investment with operation and maintenance by Belize Water Services Ltd (BWSL).
Expected Impact
Reduced pollution in the natural environment due to proper disposal of sewage waste.
How is this information gathered?
Investment opportunities with potential to contribute to sustainable development are based on country-level SDG Investor Maps.
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Country & Regions
- Belize: Placencia
- Belize: San pedro
- Belize: Caye Caulker
Sector Classification
Infrastructure
Development needs
Many government initiatives and investments have been made to improve infrastructure development in Belize. Belize invested approximately US $67 MN (3.9% of GDP) in infrastructure in 2015. However, most of the investment was allocated to transportation (1.3% of GDP) and telecommunications (1.1% of GDP). Significant challenges in the energy, water, and sanitation sectors remain.
Development needs
The Inter-American Development Bank identified negative gaps such as high electricity rates, limited sewerage coverage, and the need for wastewater treatment.
Policy priority
The GSDS outlines critical factors for success within this sector which includes creating optimal national income and investment, adequate infrastructure (roads, port, energy, water and telecommunications).
Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
Inequality in access to infrastructure in rural areas
Investment opportunities introduction
Infrastructure, housing, and transport are vital for national development in that they are needed to develop human resources, enable trade and commerce, power businesses, connect workers to their jobs, create opportunities for struggling communities, and protect the nation from increasingly hostile climate and natural disasters.
Investment opportunities introduction
The Government has identified the need for investments in expanding the electrical grid, water supply systems, housing as a good infrastructure backbone is indispensable to a healthy, productive, and sustainable economic society.
Key bottlenecks introduction
Lack of private sector investment in infrastructure, regulatory barriers and skills barriers
Waste Management
Development need
While Belize has seen significant improvements in access to water, it is still behind in achieving universal access to improved sanitation facilities, there still remains significant challenges associated with waste water management in key tourist destination areas such as San Pedro, Placencia and Caye Caulker.
Policy priority
The GSDS outlines critical factors for success within this sector which includes creating optimal national income and investment, adequate infrastructure (roads, port, energy, water and telecommunications).
Gender inequalities and marginalization issues
Inequality in access to sanitation and waste management infrastructure in tourist areas
Investment opportunities introduction
Wastewater management and treatment in tourist areas
Key bottlenecks introduction
High investment requirements on infrastructure deployment
Waste Management
Pipeline Opportunity
Wastewater Management & Treatment
Invest in the establishment, treatment, and or/installation of a wastewater treatment plant in high tourist destination areas (specifically Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Placencia). Public Private Partnerships (PPP) could be used to facilitate private investment with operation and maintenance by Belize Water Services Ltd (BWSL).
Business Case
Market Size and Environment
6,430 customers
6,430 BWS customers (residents) in the key tourist areas such as Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Placencia
Indicative Return
5% - 10%
Based on benchmark statistics within this IOA space
Investment Timeframe
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Given the large investment and time to construct waste water plants within the key tourist areas, payback period or financial recovery is estimated to between 5-10 years.
Ticket Size
> USD 10 million
Market Risks & Scale Obstacles
Capital - CapEx Intensive
Impact Case
Sustainable Development Need
Grau and Rihm (2013) highlight how water and wastewater services face constant operational, maintenance, and institutional challenges in the country. In addition, Belize shows an overall negative gap in sanitation.
Given the importance of wastewater collection and treatment in areas that heavily rely on tourism, there is a need to invest in sewage collection and treatment. Belize has over 600 hotels, with Placencia, San Pedro and Caye Caulker having about 52% of the hotel establishments. As at March 2020, water demand is approximately 230 million US gallons per month.
Gender & Marginalisation
Unequal access in rural areas to sanitation services
Expected Development Outcome
Improved sanitary and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) conditions in these touristic areas, reduced pollution of the natural environment due to improper disposal of sewage waste.
Investment in this IOA can Improved access to clean water and affordable sanitary services, increased quality of life and wellbeing of unserved areas
As part of Belize’s Nationally Determined Contributions, an action item was recognized of importance which is to improve waste management processes to avoid emissions of up to 18 KtCO2e per year by 2030, in line with the national waste management strategy.
Gender & Marginalisation
Decrease inequalities in the access to sanitation services in rural areas and low income communities.
Primary SDGs addressed
6.2.1 Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water
6.3.1 Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated
The percentage of the population using at least a basic sanitation service, such as an improved sanitation facility that is not shared with other households is 87.86% in 2017
The total amount of water discharged is 3,515.98 million litres per year and 2,521.28 million litres (71.1%) are treated (2016)
The long-term objective for this indicator is a value of 100%
The long-term objective for this indicator is a value of 100
Secondary SDGs addressed
Directly impacted stakeholders
People
Planet
Public sector
Outcome Risks
Execution risk, under control of the final destination of wastewater
Impact Risks
Unexpected impact risk given the negative implications of wastewater if required measures are not being taken
Impact Classification
What
Positive outcome due to Improved waste water management in key tourist destination
Risk
Public health issues and environmental degradation if necessary precautions are not taken
Impact Thesis
Reduced pollution in the natural environment due to proper disposal of sewage waste.
Enabling Environment
Policy Environment
While there is no specific Wastewater Policy, BWSL has been funded to prepare detailed designs to support this project and through the Government Plan Belize: There is strong support from the Government to promote investment in community-based infrastructure, such as health clinics, sports facilities, water systems, drains and run-off, main sewage and waste disposal systems
As part of Belize’s Nationally Determined Contributions, an action item was recognized of importance which is to improve waste management processes to avoid emissions of up to 18 KtCO2e per year by 2030, in line with the national waste management strategy.
Financial Environment
Public Private Partnerships (PPP) could be used to facilitate private investment with operation and maintenance by BWSL, benefitting investors with high return levels
Regulatory Environment
Public Utilities Commission (PUC)- The Public Utilities Commission regulates the electricity, water, and telecommunications sectors in Belize to efficiently provide the highest quality services at affordable rates, ensuring the viability and sustainability of each sector.
Marketplace Participants
Private Sector
Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL)
Government
Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
Target Locations
Belize: Placencia
Belize: San pedro
Belize: Caye Caulker
References
- (1) Nationally Determined Contributions to UNFCCC. (2016). Retrieved from https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Belize%20First/BELIZE%27s%20%20NDC.pdf
- (2) Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).Water and Sanitation in Belize (2013). https://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Water-and-Sanitation-in-Belize.pdf
- (3) Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management. (2013). Baseline Assessment Study on Wastewater Management Belize https://www.gefcrew.org/images/reports/CReW_C2_Belize_BaselineAssessment_Report_Draft_2015.pdf
- (4)Belize Water Services Limited Annual Report (2020). Retrieved from. http://bws.bz/media/BWS-AGM-2020.pdf
- (5) Inter-American Development Bank: Country Infrastructure Briefs: Central America, Mexico, Panama, and Dominican Republic (2019). Retrieved from https://publications.iadb.org/en/country-infrastructure-briefs-central-america-mexico-panama-and-dominican-republic