Handbook for the economic analysis of water supply projects

This handbook aims to translate earlier Asian Development Bank documents entitled: Guidelines for the economic analysis of projects (February 1997) and Guidelines for the economic analysis of water supply projects (March, 1998), into a practical and self-explanatory work for people involved in planning, designing, appraising and evaluating water supply projects. The handbook provides short illustrations to explain various concepts of economic analyses, which are then subsequently applied to real project situations based on the Asian Development Bank's experience. It is intended for use as: i. a reference guide for government officials, project analysts and economists of developing member countries (DMC) in the design, economic analysis and evaluation of water supply projects; ii. as a guide for consultants and other professional staff engaged in the feasibility study of water supply projects, applying the provisions of the Bank's Guidelines for the economic analysis of water supply projects; and iii. as a training guide for the use of trainers of "Economic Analysis of Water Supply Projects". It discusses the project framework, demand analysis and forecasting, financial and economic benefit-cost analysis, sensitivity and risk analysis, financial sustainability and pricing, and distribution analysis and impact on poverty reduction.