“Government, pay your water bills!”

Much of water and sanitation sector financing and sustainability depends on the ability of utilities to cover operation, maintenance and investment costs from tariff collection. The ability to collect tariff revenue for services provided thus plays an important role in financing infrastructure (especially for the poorest) and sector governance functions. If utilities are starved of resources, they cannot improve the services for their customers, neither can they expand the network to underserved populations. In some already instable societies, which are unable to ensure the human right to water and sanitation, financially starving water utilities additionally jeopardize any development efforts in the sector.

The GIZ funded campaign project “Government, pay you water bills!” aims at triggering either government or their agencies to pay their water bills, as well as bringing this issue and people (as tax payers and water users) and their WASH priorities into the public domain for policy dialogue on water sector financing.

Based on plenty of anecdotal and some structural evidence, SWIM was involved in comprehensive background research aimed at framing the issue as well as making geographical hotspots visible. Main deliverables are a policy brief based on an ample background research report as well as the provision of demand-based background insight. Success story and best-practice research subsequently enable SWIM to participate in campaign strategy development.

SWIM presented the results of the research in the Stockholm World Water Week 2020 during the launch of the Government pay your water bills campaign. To watch the session click here.

Find further information about the global campaign here.

Join us at #GovernmentPayYourWaterBills