Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana
This paper explored water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana and how households adapt to changes in pricing. Data were collected from four small towns in the Upper West Region through household survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The results of the study showed th...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020311439 |
| _version_ | 1828767115114446848 |
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| author | Nicholas Fielmua Alfred Dongzagla |
| author_facet | Nicholas Fielmua Alfred Dongzagla |
| author_sort | Nicholas Fielmua |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper explored water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana and how households adapt to changes in pricing. Data were collected from four small towns in the Upper West Region through household survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The results of the study showed that small town water systems are semi-autonomous in determining water tariffs. As a result, water tariffs vary among systems although the processes involved in setting tariffs were the same. Tariffs for domestic water use were generally low compared to commercial use. Despite high poverty levels in small towns compared to urban centres, water tariffs in the former were lower than in the latter. It also emerged that most households did not have knowledge on how tariffs were computed. Households without on-premises connections spend 166% higher on water than households with on-premises connections. The empirical analysis shows that unregulated water vending makes households without connection to pay higher tariffs for water. The paper among others recommends that tariffs at which vendors should sell water to customers should be set and closely monitored in order to ensure that households without connections have access to water at reasonable tariffs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:19:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f7e195db7bd49acab094cdc48698f66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:19:54Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f7e195db7bd49acab094cdc48698f662022-12-22T01:16:07ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402020-06-0166e04299Independent water pricing of small town water systems in GhanaNicholas Fielmua0Alfred Dongzagla1Corresponding author.; Department of Planning, Faculty of Planning and Land Management, University for Development Studies, GhanaDepartment of Planning, Faculty of Planning and Land Management, University for Development Studies, GhanaThis paper explored water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana and how households adapt to changes in pricing. Data were collected from four small towns in the Upper West Region through household survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The results of the study showed that small town water systems are semi-autonomous in determining water tariffs. As a result, water tariffs vary among systems although the processes involved in setting tariffs were the same. Tariffs for domestic water use were generally low compared to commercial use. Despite high poverty levels in small towns compared to urban centres, water tariffs in the former were lower than in the latter. It also emerged that most households did not have knowledge on how tariffs were computed. Households without on-premises connections spend 166% higher on water than households with on-premises connections. The empirical analysis shows that unregulated water vending makes households without connection to pay higher tariffs for water. The paper among others recommends that tariffs at which vendors should sell water to customers should be set and closely monitored in order to ensure that households without connections have access to water at reasonable tariffs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020311439Water pricingWater vendorsCommunity-managedTariffsSmall town water systemsClimate change |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas Fielmua Alfred Dongzagla Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana Heliyon Water pricing Water vendors Community-managed Tariffs Small town water systems Climate change |
| title | Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana |
| title_full | Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana |
| title_short | Independent water pricing of small town water systems in Ghana |
| title_sort | independent water pricing of small town water systems in ghana |
| topic | Water pricing Water vendors Community-managed Tariffs Small town water systems Climate change |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020311439 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicholasfielmua independentwaterpricingofsmalltownwatersystemsinghana AT alfreddongzagla independentwaterpricingofsmalltownwatersystemsinghana |