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Former Director Michael Ashford
Michael Ashford is the former director of Water, Energy, and Sustainable Cities Practice at Chemonics.
by Michael Ashford
Working the System for Improved Water and Sanitation Services
Prompted by winter storm Uri, Texans experienced one of the largest blackouts in U.S. history last February. Loss of power, coupled with pump failures and burst pipes, led to a boil-water notice for more than 14 million residents. Many died of hypothermia and carbon-monoxide poisoning while trying to stay warm. CBS News reported the storm…
What Is Needed to Mobilize Commercial Finance for the Water Sector?
The projections of the financing needed for water infrastructure range from $6.7 trillion by 2030 to $22.6 trillion by 2050. These estimates do not include investments needed for water resources, irrigation, or energy. Further, the World Bank has estimated that to deliver universal access to safe water and sanitation services under the Sustainable Development Goals…
Crowding-in Commercial Financing to Water Supply and Sanitation Utilities
This post originally appeared on the Rural Water Supply Network blog. Achieving SDG6, clean water, and sanitation for all by 2030 requires estimated investments of US$114 billion per year. The present value of the total investment needed is US$1.7 trillion, and these estimates do not include costs of operation and maintenance. At three times current…
Learning from the Past: 3 Lessons for Future Water Partnerships
Safe and reliable access to water is a fundamental prerequisite for development. Despite gains made in improving water management and increasing access to water around the world, service providers continue to confront technical and financial resource deficits. International donors are increasingly highlighting the investment gap for infrastructure and services as a key impediment to achieving…
Let There Be Light: The Case for Powering Peri-Urban Communities
A well-established energy system aids all sectors, from commerce, technology, and communications, to health, education, agriculture and infrastructure. Conversely, a dearth of reliable energy constrains human and economic development. While 222 million people have gained access to electricity in recent years, one in five — or 1.1 billion people worldwide — still lack access. Many…
Sustained Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa’s Power Hinges on Local and Regional Distribution Companies
Refocusing on distribution sector performance While central governments’ efforts in sub-Saharan Africa — with the support of the donor community — often focus on reducing risks to investment in new generation, the long-term financial and political sustainability of increased energy access depends equally on the success of local distribution companies. As noted in Mark Tomlinson’s…