Can delegated management help water utilities improve services to informal settlements?
Utility partnerships with small-scale providers (SSPs) are becoming increasingly important as utilities struggle to serve a growing population and the poor in particular. This article explores a delegated management approach as one type of partnership, in which 'master opererators' purchase bulk supplies of water and are then responsible for collecting in water payments from their customers, and introduces the case study of this approach in Nyalenda, the largest slum of Kisumu, Kenya. The authors explore why such partnership innovations in service delivery are needed and what the impact has been on the Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company and on consumers. Here 'unaccounted-for' water has decreased dramatically as both the master operators as well as the utility share an interest in preventing illegal connections. The authors also provide recommendations for the scale-up of this approach in Kisumu and the replication of the delegated management model in other cities facing similar challenges to improve services to the poor.Gulyani, S., Kariuki, R.M. and Talukdar, D. (2005) Water for the Urban Poor: Water Markets, Household Demand, and Services Preferences in Kenya, World Bank. Available from; www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf
Hicks, J. (1998) Sub-Saharan Africa: Enhancing the Productivity of Urban Africa, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen
Inocencio, A.B. (2001) ‘Public–private partnerships in Metro Manila, Philippines’, Waterlines 21(3).
Kessides, C., et al (2000) Cities in Transition: Urban and Local Government Strategy, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument
Tremolet, S. and Halpern, J. (2006) Regulation of Water and Sanitation Services: Getting Better Service to Poor People, World Bank. Available from: http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf
UN-Habitat (2005) Cities Without Slums: Situational Analysis of Informal Settlements in Kisumu [online], UN Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi. Available from: www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1 [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1
Water Utility Partnership for Capacity Building (WUP) Africa (2003) Better Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor: Good Practices from Sub-Saharan Africa, WUP, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Gulyani, S., Kariuki, R.M. and Talukdar, D. (2005) Water for the Urban Poor: Water Markets, Household Demand, and Services Preferences in Kenya, World Bank. Available from; www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf
Hicks, J. (1998) Sub-Saharan Africa: Enhancing the Productivity of Urban Africa, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen
Inocencio, A.B. (2001) ‘Public–private partnerships in Metro Manila, Philippines’, Waterlines 21(3).
Kessides, C., et al (2000) Cities in Transition: Urban and Local Government Strategy, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument
Tremolet, S. and Halpern, J. (2006) Regulation of Water and Sanitation Services: Getting Better Service to Poor People, World Bank. Available from: http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf
UN-Habitat (2005) Cities Without Slums: Situational Analysis of Informal Settlements in Kisumu [online], UN Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi. Available from: www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1 [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1
Water Utility Partnership for Capacity Building (WUP) Africa (2003) Better Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor: Good Practices from Sub-Saharan Africa, WUP, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Gulyani, S., Kariuki, R.M. and Talukdar, D. (2005) Water for the Urban Poor: Water Markets, Household Demand, and Services Preferences in Kenya, World Bank. Available from; www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf
Hicks, J. (1998) Sub-Saharan Africa: Enhancing the Productivity of Urban Africa, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen
Inocencio, A.B. (2001) ‘Public–private partnerships in Metro Manila, Philippines’, Waterlines 21(3).
Kessides, C., et al (2000) Cities in Transition: Urban and Local Government Strategy, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument
Tremolet, S. and Halpern, J. (2006) Regulation of Water and Sanitation Services: Getting Better Service to Poor People, World Bank. Available from: http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf
UN-Habitat (2005) Cities Without Slums: Situational Analysis of Informal Settlements in Kisumu [online], UN Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi. Available from: www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1 [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1
Water Utility Partnership for Capacity Building (WUP) Africa (2003) Better Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor: Good Practices from Sub-Saharan Africa, WUP, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Gulyani, S., Kariuki, R.M. and Talukdar, D. (2005) Water for the Urban Poor: Water Markets, Household Demand, and Services Preferences in Kenya, World Bank. Available from; www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/pdf/WSS_UrbanPoor.pdf
Hicks, J. (1998) Sub-Saharan Africa: Enhancing the Productivity of Urban Africa, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban%2BDevelopment/06FCBF7D26772E6885256B18007BA532?OpenDocumen
Inocencio, A.B. (2001) ‘Public–private partnerships in Metro Manila, Philippines’, Waterlines 21(3).
Kessides, C., et al (2000) Cities in Transition: Urban and Local Government Strategy, World Bank. Available from: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/External/Urban/UrbanDev.nsf/Urban+Development/6F8D329C20CF7AFD85256B18007BA52D?OpenDocument
Tremolet, S. and Halpern, J. (2006) Regulation of Water and Sanitation Services: Getting Better Service to Poor People, World Bank. Available from: http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf [accessed 10 July 2008]. http://www.gpoba.org/docs/obawp_no8.pdf
UN-Habitat (2005) Cities Without Slums: Situational Analysis of Informal Settlements in Kisumu [online], UN Human Settlements Programme, Nairobi. Available from: www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1 [accessed 10 July 2008]. www.unhabitat.org/pmss/getElectronicVersion.asp?nr=2084&alt=1
Water Utility Partnership for Capacity Building (WUP) Africa (2003) Better Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor: Good Practices from Sub-Saharan Africa, WUP, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
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