Dissertation title: 

Pro-poor strategies in urban water provisioning: what Kenyan water utilities do and why they do it

Group: IHE Delft, Water Governance
Promotor: Prof. dr. M.Z. Zwarteveen
Co-promotor: dr. K. H. Schwartz

Abstract:

Water utilities are the main instrument for countries to achieve universal service coverage. In pursuing universal service coverage, water utilities have turned to ‘pro-poor water services’ to extend water services in low-income areas. This thesis discusses the use of pro-poor water services by water utilities in Kenya with the intention of highlighting the dimensions of the approach that require attention of policy makers and practitioners when engaging with pro-poor services. The main conclusions made from this research are:

1. By using the pro-poor strategies, water utilities, are able to address the ‘risks’ of servicing low-income areas and can claim to address universal access in a commercially viable manner.
2. The use of pro-poor strategies is not only a decision of the water utility, but rather the result of a consensus or compromise between the different actors that constitute the broader institutional environment in which the water utilities operate
3. In the absence of well-directed subsidies and proper monitoring, while the water utilities and other stakeholders get to satisfy their interest, low-income households may be left worse off.

Due to the COVID Regulations the defence will take place ONLINE for the audience.
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