System Reliability and Water Service Decentralization: Investigating Household Preferences in Nicaragua

Concern continues to grow over unreliable water access at the household level in many developing countries. A contingent valuation survey was designed to elicit willingness-to-pay for safe and reliable drinking water in León, Nicaragua. In addition, split-sample treatments were used to investigate p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water resources management 2013-11, Vol.27 (14), p.4913-4926
Main Authors: Vásquez, William F., Franceschi, Dina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accountability
Aquifers
Atmospheric Sciences
Civil Engineering
Confidence
Cost recovery
Decentralization
Developing countries
Drinking water
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Environment
Exact sciences and technology
Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences
Households
Hydrogeology
Hydrology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Hydrology/Water Resources
Investment
LDCs
Municipalities
Preferences
Public services
Resource management
Sanitation
Studies
Suppliers
Valuation
Water resources
Water shortages
Water supplies
Water supply
Willingness to pay
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Summary:Concern continues to grow over unreliable water access at the household level in many developing countries. A contingent valuation survey was designed to elicit willingness-to-pay for safe and reliable drinking water in León, Nicaragua. In addition, split-sample treatments were used to investigate preferences for two forms of service governance: the current, centralized water supplier and a decentralized service implemented at the municipal level. Results show that households are willing to pay a substantial increase in their water bills for reliable water supply. Findings also indicate that households hold greater confidence in the current, centralized provider rather than a localized service based on several characteristics such as overall service, awareness of water issues, interest in solving water problems, capacity, accountability, and potential investment.
ISSN:0920-4741
1573-1650
DOI:10.1007/s11269-013-0447-4