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Privatising Water Utilities and User Perception of Tap Water Quality: Evidence from Spanish Urban Water Services

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  • Miguel García-Rubio
  • Cecilia Tortajada
  • Francisco González-Gómez

Abstract

This paper seeks to contribute to the current debate about public versus private management of urban water supply services. The main purpose of urban water supply is to ensure the provision of a sufficient quantity of good quality water to users. This article examines water quality by using a subjective indicator: user satisfaction with tap water quality. The goal of the paper is to determine whether users perceive a difference in tap water quality supplied by public operators on the one hand, and by private-sector operators on the other. Data is sourced from a survey carried out in 64 Spanish cities. A number of different subjective determinants of water quality have been considered: the socio-economic characteristics of those surveyed, objective indicators of water quality, as well as environmental and economic factors of urban water services. Data analysis, using an ordered logit regression model, shows that when urban water services are in the hands of a private company, the quality of the tap water, as perceived by users, deteriorates. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel García-Rubio & Cecilia Tortajada & Francisco González-Gómez, 2016. "Privatising Water Utilities and User Perception of Tap Water Quality: Evidence from Spanish Urban Water Services," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(1), pages 315-329, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:30:y:2016:i:1:p:315-329
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-015-1164-y
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    Cited by:

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    2. Alberto Ruiz-Villaverde & Miguel A. García-Rubio, 2017. "Public Participation in European Water Management: from Theory to Practice," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(8), pages 2479-2495, June.
    3. María A. García-Valiñas, 2018. "Spain," Post-Print hal-03191536, HAL.
    4. María Luisa de Lázaro Torres & Pilar Borderías Uribeondo & Francisco José Morales Yago, 2020. "Citizen and Educational Initiatives to Support Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-23, March.
    5. M. Isabel Sanchez-Hernandez & Juan José Maldonado-Briegas & Ramón Sanguino & Ascensión Barroso & M. Cristina Barriuso, 2021. "Users’ Perceptions of Local Public Water and Waste Services: A Case Study for Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    6. Graziano Abrate & Clementina Bruno & Fabrizio Erbetta & Giovanni Fraquelli & Anna Giolitti, 2017. "Efficiency in the Consolidation of the Italian Water Sector," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(8), pages 2447-2463, June.
    7. Barrios Ramos, Iris & Espinoza Tenorio, Alejandro & Mesa Jurado, M. Azahara & Tovilla Hernández, Cristian & Mendoza Carranza, Manuel, 2021. "Percepción social de la salinización del agua para uso doméstico en Puerto Madero, Chiapas, México," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 21(01), June.
    8. Reza, Rajibur & Tularam, Gurudeo Anand & Li, Bin, 2021. "A review of global research on private investment in the water sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

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