PRIVATE SECTOR SERVICES IN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SUFI CHAI IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE NETWORKS

摘要

Poor management of the irrigation networks by the government in the past few decades, the successful experience of some countries in attracting the participation of farmers in operation and maintenance of networks, the positive and effective results gained by the private sector, are among the factors influencing the assignment of the management of 12,000 ha of Sufi Chai Irrigation and Drainage Networks to private sector and using the cooperatives in water distribution management in the network. The East Azerbaijan Regional Water Authority organized water users’ cooperatives for the exploitation of the modern networks in 2004, and assigned the management of Sufi Chai Irrigation and Drainage Networks to the private sector in 2009. Since then, four contractors have been active in the network operation and maintenance and five contractors in restoration works. Private companies have made irrigation subcontracts with 38 Water Users’ Cooperatives conveying the water up to the intake and delivering it to the Cooperative in terms of volume. Cooperatives are in charge of managing the water distribution among water users. Supervision on the performance of provisions of the contract was done by the representative of the Owner (East Azerbaijan Regional Water Authority) and for a while, by Mahab Ghods Consulting Engineers. Among the advantages of private contractor are reduced political interference in water affairs; clear understanding of the problems in water allocation, conveyance, distribution and use; active and effective presence of qualified staff in fulfilling the obligations and reducing the duties undertaken by the government, which has given them time to plan for water resource development at the country scale.