A multi-decadal and social-ecological systems analysis of community waterpoint payment behaviours in rural Kenya

Abstract

Community-based financing of rural water supply operation and maintenance is a well-established policy principle in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet evidence from over 90,000 waterpoints in five sub-Saharan African countries suggests a majority of communities fail to establish and sustain a revenue collection system. As a result, insufficient finances to repair waterpoints can lead to lengthy downtimes or abandonment, threatening the health and welfare of millions of water users forced to revert to unsafe or distant alternatives. Applying a social-ecological systems framework to community waterpoints in rural Kenya, we empirically assess the prevalence and determinants of financial contributions among water users. The analysis draws on multi-decadal data covering 227 years' worth of water committee financial records consisting of more than 53,000 household payments. Results reveal that non-payment and late payment are prevalent, and payment behaviours are predicted by groundwater quality, waterpoint location, productive water use, and rainfall season. The findings reflect the socio-ecological nature of waterpoint sustainability in rural sub-Saharan Africa and confirm that households are not always willing and able to pay for an improved water supply. This situation is symptomatic of a fundamental operation and maintenance financing challenge that must be addressed if the Sustainable Development Goal of universal access to safe water is to be achieved.

Factors Influencing Revenue Collection for Preventative Maintenance of Community Water Systems: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

“…Overall, these results align with previous studies correlating water quality and users' willingness to pay for water [47,49,57], and studies assessing CBM performance that make reference to the importance of an active and well-organized WUC to promote service sustainability [1,17,57]. Our findings highlight the importance of these same user committees for PM model success under a PPP framework.…”

“…Thus, the six conditions included in the fsQCA were: previous experience with breakdown and funds misusage (BreakDown); alternative improved water sources (AltSource); water quality and availability perception (WatAvail&Qual); WUC organization (WUCorg); ongoing support and communication (Supp&Com); and, perception about water payment (PayPerception). These conditions are also reflective of the findings from a number of key studies that analyzed factors influential to collective payment [1,12,17,20,47] and are cited as being significant in water user payment compliance. Table 1 shows the selected list of conditions that were analyzed for association with payment compliance in fsQCA with their respective definition and source.…”

“…For example, the literature showed (e.g., [45]; Terry et al [46]) that the lack of training programs (condition WUC Ongoing Training and Support) can result in poor management and disorganized WUC, which in turn would lead to water users' mistrust and reduced willingness to contribute with water payments. Another condition identified was Alternative Improved Water Sources, whereby the literature showed that existence of alternative water sources reduces community members' willingness to pay for water from protected sources [12,17,[47][48][49]. These conditions, and the other listed in Table S1, were used to develop the interview questions.…”

Applying Policy Process Theories to Environmental Governance Research: Themes and New Directions

“…Some of these differences may be rooted in the nature of theories and proclivity to capitalize on existing data. The emphasis on over-time data is sensible for IAD studies because many investigate factors influencing the management of common-pool resources over time, using multiple methods (Blythe et al, 2017;Foster & Hope, 2016). Similarly, time plays an inherently central role in IDM studies (Arnold, Anh, & Long, 2018, Bromley-Trujillo, Butler, Poe, & Davis, 2016.…”

Water versus Wireless Coverage in Rural Mali: Links and Paradoxes

“…As explained, cost and quantity appear to be relatively unimportant in the case at hand, but the existence of inactive and contaminated water sources suggests that national figures are also likely to overestimate the share of the population with actual access to safe drinking water. In this sense, Mali appears to be similar to other low-income countries [72][73][74][75].…”