BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - (June 26, 2003) Earlier today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $482,000 technical assistance grant to the Comisión de Regulación de Agua Potable y Saneamiento Básico (CRA) to determine a strategy for improving the monitoring of water usage in Colombia. The grant was conferred in a signing ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

Mr. Richard Baca, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy, signed the agreement on behalf of the U.S. Government. Mr. Christian Stapper, Executive Director, signed the agreement on behalf of CRA. The grant signing was witnessed by Her Excellency Cecilia Rodriguez, Colombian Minister of the Environment, Housing and Land Development, and Ms. Karla B. King, Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy.

CRA is a Colombian state entity that supports sustainable development of public potable water and basic sanitation services. At present, the Colombian water and wastewater sector is severely hampered by the inability of water service providers to charge and collect tariffs that cover the cost of investment, operations and maintenance. To address this issue, CRA requested USTDA assistance in determining a strategy for reducing "lost and unaccounted for water" (LUFW) nationwide.

Currently, 30 to 40 percent of the water supply in Colombia is not tracked under the present water usage monitoring system. The USTDA grant awarded today will fund the development of a strategy to reduce LUFW and will address the institutional reforms and tariff increases that are necessary to fund the recommended improvements. Upon completion of the technical assistance, CRA intends to develop policy and regulations for Colombia's water service providers. The opportunity for interested U.S. firms to bid on the contract to perform the USTDA-funded technical assistance will be advertised on the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fedbizopps.gov).

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

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