The Tribune

The Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) has signed a contract worth over $900,000 with four advisers, including two Bahamian companies, for the overhaul of the water industry’s economic and environmental regulatory framework.

The signing with US-based Hunton & Williams; David Stiggers; Bahamian law firm Ferreira & Company; and SEV Consulting Group, also based in the Bahamas, follows an international bidding process that was part of the $81 million loan agreement, signed in 2011, between the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Corporation.

The contract will cover the regulatory component of the IDB loan programme, and will help the Water and Sewerage Corporation gain approval for legislation to establish economic and environmental regulators for the water industry.

As a part of the regulatory contract, new legislation will be developed to reform the legal framework. The Water and Sewerage Corporation will be relieved of its regulatory powers, becoming solely a service provider, and will have to undergo checks to ensure its is operating as an efficient agency with improved customer service.

Hunton & Williams is a full-service international law firm, with over 30 years’ experience in advising governments and government-owned utilities throughout the world on matters relating to utility restructuring, regulatory review, strategic legal framework and institutional strengthening.

Ferreira & Company is a Bahamian environmental, legal and consultancy firm with experience in developing and implementing legislation and regulatory reform for the electricity, water and sewerage sectors. SEV Consulting Group is an environmental consulting firm.

This contract is expected to last three years, with the new legislation being approved within the first year. The regulators are to be established within one year of legislation approval. The consultants will monitor the progress of the regulators and provide advice where necessary.

Glen Laville, the Water and Sewerage Corporation general manager, said: “WSC is looking forward to working closely with the Government, URCA, the consultants and the IDB in this major step to improving service to its customers throughout the Bahamas.”