News

Hermosillo, Sonora – The North American Development Bank (NADB) in coordination with the Sonora state water agency, Comisión Estatal del Agua de Sonora (CEA), concluded a three-day seminar on business management of water services presented to the managers and directors of water utilities in Sonora. CEA Executive Director Sergio Ávila closed the seminar, noting the importance of reviewing current business management methodologies in order to promote a more efficient use of water resources in local utilities. The purpose of the seminar is to provide the participants with basic guidelines for improving the business management of water and wastewater services by building their administrative, financial and operational capacities, as well as reviewing success stories and best practices of other utilities in the region so that they can replicate them in their respective organizations. The seminar consists of 24 hours of training and was attended by approximately 40 representatives from utilities in 19 communities in Sonora, including Hermosillo, Guaymas, San Carlos, Caborca, Agua Prieta, Cajeme, Cananea, Nogales and San Luis Rio Colorado, among others. The program was divided into 10 sessions presented by seven experts on business management and included such topics as rate structuring, collections, micro-metering and billing, and the legal framework for residential water use in the state of Sonora. Among the instructors were Mauricio González, CEO of Grupo de Economistas y Asociados and coordinator of the seminar; Patricio Kalife, Director of Administration of the Watershed Agency of the Mexican National Water Commission (CONAGUA), and Jorge Infante, Chief Financial Officer of the water utility in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. The experts shared their experience in the sector and reiterated the importance of exploring modern billing and collection methods in order to make water utilities financially sustainable and thus provide the resources necessary for investing and improving their operational capacities