Pro-poor water service strategies in developing countries: promoting justice in Uganda’s urban project

Berg, Sanford V and Mugisha, Silver (2010): Pro-poor water service strategies in developing countries: promoting justice in Uganda’s urban project. Published in: Water Policy , Vol. 12, No. 4 (2010): pp. 589-601.

Abstract

Water service to the urban poor presents challenges to political leaders, regulators and managers. We identify technology mixes of yard taps, public water points (with and without pre-paid meters) to meet alternative constraints, and reflecting populations served and investment requirements. Three investment scenarios have different implications for improving water access to over 400,000 citizens in Kampala. One component, pre-paid water meters, can promote social equity and institutional sustainability. If procedural justice is given as much weight as distributive justice in the selection of pro-poor programs, pre-paid meters (the ultimate cost recovery tool) can have a place in the investment plan. The study examines how public stand pipes (and a combination of other options) can meet both financial constraints and social objectives. Financial considerations cannot be wished away when seeking effective strategies for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Water utility optimization; pro-poor connections; pre-paid meters; cost recovery; Africa; Uganda
• Subjects: R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R0 - General; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L95 - Gas Utilities ; Pipelines ; Water Utilities

References

Beasley J.R. (2007). Operation Research Notes at http://people.brunel.ac.uk/~mastjjb/jeb/or/lp.html

Beckerman, W. (1994). In defence of economic Growth. Jonathan Cape, London.

Berg, Sanford V. (2008). Water utility performance in Central America: The political economy of coverage, quality and cost. PURC Working Paper. University of Florida, USA.

Bromley, D.W (Ed.) (1995). The Handbook of Environmental Economics. Blackwell, London.

COWI (Consultancy within Engineering, Environmental Science, and Economics) (2007). Pro-poor project design for Kampala. NWSC, Kampala.

Deedat, H. and Cottle, E. (2002). Cost recovery and prepaid water meters and cholera outbreak in Kwazulu-Natal: A case study in Madlebe. In Cost recovery and the crisis of service delivery in South Africa, McDonald, D.A., and Page, J. (Eds). Human Science Research Council, Cape Town.

Gleick, P.H (1998). The Human right to water. Water Policy, 1:5: 487–503.

Gleick, P.H. (2000). The changing water paradigm: A look at Twenty-first Century water resources development. Water International, 25(1): 127–138.

Gleick, P.H. (2004). The millennium development goals for water: Crucial objectives, inadequate commitments. In The world’s water: The biennial report on fresh water sources, 2004–2005, Gleick P.H. (Ed.). Island Press, Washington D.C.

Harvey, E. (2005). Managing the poor by remote control: Johannesburg experiment with prepaid water meters. In Age of community water: Privatisation in South Africa, McDonald, D.A. and Ruiter, G. (Eds). Earthscan, London.

Hope, R. A. (2006). Evaluating water policy scenarios against the priorities of the rural poor. World Development, 34(1): 167–179.

Kayaga, Sam (2008). Soft systems methodology for performance measurement in the Uganda water sector. Water Policy Vol. 10, No. 3: 273–284.

Khunou, G. (2002). Massive cut offs cost recovery and electricity service in Diepkloof, Soweto. In Cost recovery and the crisis of service delivery in South Africa, McDonald, D.A., and Page, J. (Eds). Human Science Research Council, Cape Town.

Maiese, Michelle (2004). Procedural Justice. In Beyond intractability, Burgess, Guy and Burgess, Heidi (Eds) Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. See: www.beyondintractability.org/essay/procedural_justice/>.

Mara, D. and Alabaster, G. (2008). A new paradigm for low-cost urban water supplies and sanitation in developing countries. Water Policy, Vol. 10, No. 2119–129.

Marvin, S., Chappells, H and Guy, S. (1999). Pathways of smart metering development: Shaping environmental innovation. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 23:2, 109–126.

McDonald, D.A., (2002). The theory and practice of cost recovery in South Africa. In Cost recovery and the crisis of service delivery in South Africa, McDonald, D.A., and Page, J. (Eds). Human Science Research Council, Cape Town.

Mugisha, S., Berg, S.V. and Muhairwe, W.T. (2007). Using internal incentive contracts to improve performance: The case of Uganda‟s NWSC. Water Policy, Vol. 9, No. 3: 271–284.

Mugisha, S. and Borisova, T. (2009). "Balancing Coverage and Financial Sustainability in Pro-Poor Service Initiatives: A Case of a Uganda Project." University of Florida, Department of Economics, PURC Working Paper.

Peters, K., and Oldfield, S. (2005). The paradox of free basic water and cost recovery in Grabouw: Increasing household debt and municipal financial loss. Urban Forum, 16(4): 313–335.

Postel, S.L. (2003). Securing water for people, crops, and ecosystems: New mindset and new priorities. Water Resources Development, 15(4): 493–509.

Salord, Miguel de Paladella (2005). MDGs as friends or foes for human development and child rights. Development, Vol. 48 No. 1 (March) 115–121.

Savenije, H.H.G., and Van der Zaag, P. (2002). Water as an economic good and demand management: Paradigm with pitfalls, IWRA Water International, 27(1): 98–104.

Showers, Kate B. (2002). Water scarcity and urban Africa: An overview of urban-rural water linkages. World Development, 30(4): 621–648.

Smith, L. (2001). The urban political ecology of water services in Cape Town. Urban Forum, 12(2): 204–224.

Tewari, D.D., and Shah, T. (2003). An assessment of South Africa prepaid electricity experiment: Lessons learned and their policy implications for developing countries. Energy Policy, 31:9: 911–927.

Xali, M. (2002). They are killing us alive: A case of the impact of cost recovery on the service provision in Makhaza Section, Kyayelitsha. In Cost recovery and the crisis of service delivery in South Africa, McDonald, D.A., and Page, J. (Eds). Human Science Research Council, Cape Town.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2003). Human Development Report. United Nations, New York, USA.

White, Louise G. (1990). Implementing economic policy reforms: Policies and opportunities for donors. World Development, 18(1): 49–60.

Young, Iris Marion (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press, Princeton.