Mechanisms to Ensure Pro-Poor Water Service Delivery in Peri-Urban Areas

Peter Ryan and Marieke Adank IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (1970)

The urban poor are the least likely to have access to safe water and have the greatest difficulty in obtaining it.
The “best” way to serve people in urban areas is via piped water with household connections. However, this is expensive in terms of capital cost, is technically difficult, and is often beyond the financial and technical capability of utilities.

Extension of service levels is either not in the mandate of utilities or, when it is, this is most likely to take place to serve the relatively well off, who are likely to be most vocal and organised, and live in areas that are technically more easy to serve than those areas inhabited by the poor.

The utilities themselves are often plagued by a lack of resources in technical, human and financial resource. Water is often stolen through illegal connections to the mains supply, which increases the rate of Non Revenue Water.

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pro poor mechanisms peri urban HOA_MA.docx  (226 kB)