Water vending and development : lessons from two countries

In fact, data show that households supplied by vendors generally pay more for 20 liters of water than those supplied 500 liters per day from a piped system. (In one area studied, a new piped system with yard taps could be built for an annual per capita cost of about $10-$15.) However, funds from donor agencies and national governments are simply not sufficient to supply piped systems universally. This paper reviews the characteristics of water vending, based mainly on data drawn from two case studies, conducted in rural Kenya and periurban Tegucigalpa, Honduras, which surveyed the sources and patterns of water use, the distribution of water, and the supply and demand for vended water. Findings suggest that in some circumstances vending may be the most appropriate and least costly water delivery systems. A final chapter on improving water systems analyzes the justifications, possible methods, and costs for public sector intervention in water vending. Fourteen figures and 7 tables are included.