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Public versus private water delivery, remunicipalization and water tariffs

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  • Bel, Germà

Abstract

Evidence regarding the drivers and the effects of remunicipalization remains in short supply. In this paper we exploit existing analyses of earlier historical phases of the remunicipalization of water delivery services to disentangle the role played by a range of different factors – most notably overpricing and corruption under private ownership – in the decision to remunicipalize these services. Additionally, we discuss what the effects of remunicipalization might be in the light of the, as yet, somewhat sketchy evidence. In the specific case of water tariffs, our analysis casts some doubt on whether the initial price reductions introduced following remunicipalization are sustainable over time.

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  • Bel, Germà, 2020. "Public versus private water delivery, remunicipalization and water tariffs," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:62:y:2020:i:c:s0957178719303352
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2019.100982
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    Cited by:

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    2. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel & Francisco González-Gómez & José C. Hernández-Gutiérrez & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, 2023. "Remunicipalization of Local Public Services: Policy Drivers and Changing Prices," IREA Working Papers 202319, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Dec 2023.
    3. Marques, Rui Cunha, 2021. "Public interest and early termination of PPP contracts. Can fair and reasonable compensations be determined?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. D'Amore, Gabriella & Landriani, Loris & Lepore, Luigi, 2021. "Ownership and sustainability of Italian water utilities: The stakeholder role," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    5. Massimiliano Agovino & Massimiliano Cerciello & Antonio Garofalo & Loris Landriani & Luigi Lepore, 2021. "Corporate governance and sustainability in water utilities. The effects of decorporatisation in the city of Naples, Italy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 874-890, February.
    6. Hanna, Thomas M. & McDonald, David A., 2021. "From pragmatic to politicized? The future of water remunicipalization in the United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Bennich, Amelie & Engwall, Mats & Nilsson, David, 2023. "Operating in the shadowland: Why water utilities fail to manage decaying infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Di Vaio, Assunta & Trujillo, Lourdes & D'Amore, Gabriella & Palladino, Rosa, 2021. "Water governance models for meeting sustainable development Goals:A structured literature review," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel & Francisco González-Gómez & José C. Hernández-Gutiérrez & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, 2024. "Changing prices after the reform of local public services: remunicipalization versus privatization," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 65(1), pages 1-26, June.
    10. Zhang, Xue & Rivas, Marcela Gonzalez & Grant, Mary & Warner, Mildred E., 2021. "Water Pricing and Affordability in the US: Public vs Private Ownership," SocArXiv 7mc4r, Center for Open Science.
    11. Rivas, Marcela González & Schroering, Caitlin, 2021. "Pittsburgh's translocal social movement: A case of the new public water," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

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