A provisão dos serviços de abastecimento de água e saneamento para consumidores de baixa renda na Inglaterra e País de Gales / The provision of water supply and sanitation services to low income consumers in England and Wales

This chapter draws on research carried out under the Energywatch funded project “Essential Services for low-income consumers: Limits of competition in provision of essential services to low-income consumers”. The project was conducted by a group led by the Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), Business School, University of Greenwich. Based primarily on published sources, the chapter looks specifically at the provision of water supply and sanitation services for low-income consumers in England and Wales. Related issues are increasingly attracting attention due to concerns with the affordability of such essential services. There is strong evidence that the “poor pay more” syndrome applies to the water sector in England and Wales. The chapter first addresses the characteristics of the service and the market and institutional structure. It then illustrates charging methods and the mechanisms adopted to ensure the affordability of provision for low-income consumers. Final sections discuss findings on possible approaches to addressing affordability. In so doing, the analysis focuses on England and Wales but it also draws on international experience.