Belize is a country located in the Northeast part of Central America. With a cost facing the Caribbean Sea in the east, it shares borders with Mexico in the North and Guatemala in the West and South. The country has an area of 22,965 km2 (8,867 sq mi) and is divided, into 6 districts. In terms of governance, the country has seven towns and 2 cities that operate as sub-national government units.
Country Overview | Year | |
---|---|---|
Population | 2021 | 400,031 |
Country Area (km2) | 2021 | 22,965 |
GDP (Billion USD) | 2021 | 2.4 |
GDP per capita (USD) | 2021 | 6,228.3 |
World Bank Income Group | 2022 | Upper Middle Income |
World Bank Region | 2022 | Latin America and the Caribbean |
Water and Wastewater Sector Structure
The water and wastewater sector in Belize is marked by central service provision. The Belize Water Services (BWS) is the main utility in the territory. Under the Water Industry Act of 2001, the mandate of water and sanitation service provision was transferred to the national utility.
In terms of ownership, BWS is an independent limited company that has the government of Belize as the main shareholder. The utility is regulated closely by the Public Utilities Commission of Belize and acts under the National Integrated Water Resources Act.
While the BWS serves the majority of the country, some rural areas have their services administered by Local water Boards and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Unit of the Ministry of Rural Transformation.
Authority | Level | Role |
---|---|---|
Belize Water Services | National | Main Utility of the country, responsible for water and sanitation service provision |
Ministry of Natural Resources - National Hydrological Service (NHS) | National | Assessing the hydrological and water resources information for the country and coordinating the management of water resources |
Ministry of Rural Transformation - Rural Water supply and Sanitation Unit | National | Support the development (drilling) and operation of rural water supply systems |
Water Boards | National | Manage rural water supply systems |
Public Utilities Comission | National | Regulates the service provision and operations of the national utilities in the fields of water and sanitation, energy, and telecommunications |
The Public Utilities Commission of Belize is the central regulatory agency for water and sanitation service provision in the Country. The Commission was designed under the Public Utilities Commission Act in 1999 and established in 2001.
Its main responsibility is to regulate the service provision of water and sanitation, energy, and telecommunications services in the Country. It is an autonomous organization composed of 7 commissioners that are appointed by the national government. According to the website of the commission, the main activities undertaken include:
- Monitoring sector performance
- conducting periodic tariff reviews,
- ensure water utilities deliver affordable services while earning a reasonable return on their investments
Similar to the service provision, the exception is the services in rural areas that are regulated by a specific ministry, the Ministry of Rural Transformation.
Mission
To regulate the electricity, water, and telecommunications sectors in Belize to efficiently provide the highest quality services at affordable rates, ensuring the viability and sustainability of each sector.
Water and Wastewater Regulations
Legislation and Policies | Year | Description |
---|---|---|
Water Industry Act | 2001 | Provides the structure of the water and sanitation service provision sector in Belize |
Public Utilities Commission Act | 1999 | Provide the establishment of a Public Utilities Commission to regulate the provision of public utilities in Belize; |
National Integrated Water Resources Act | 2010 (revised in 2020) | Sets the provision for the management and conservation of water resources in Belize |
Areas of Regulation
Areas | Water Services Regulatory Authority (ARRU) |
---|---|
Tariff Calculation | Yes |
Tariff Approval | Yes |
Licensing Water and/or Wastewater Service Providers | Yes |
Business plans approvals | No |
Performance indicators monitoring | Yes |
Economic Data Collection | Yes |
Technical Data Collection | Yes |
Coming Soon
Utility | Date | Tariff |
---|---|---|
Belize Water Services | 2020 | Tariff |
A more complete list of tariffs can be found at IBNET Tariff Database - Belize