Water Utility Asset Management

A Guide for Development Practitioners

Experiences of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the water supply sector show the consequences of inadequate asset management, such as lack of customer coverage and high nonrevenue water ratios. One response is lending to allow for new infrastructure. Some immediate benefits may be evident, but sustainability is at risk unless better asset management is part of the solution. This guide provides ADB's perspective on asset management, as well as an overview of the concept, processes, and systems of asset management, followed by a presentation of case studies about what utilities have done to manage their assets, including the results achieved.