Impacts of water supply utility privatization on urban households and the environment in Benin

Privatization of state-owned utilities has become a cornerstone principle of economic reform program implemented in LDC under the auspices IFIs as state-led interventions have become discredited on behalf of economic efficiency. This study assessed potential effects of water privatization utility on urban households and environment in Benin (West Africa). I hypothesized that the privatization of the public run water utility which offers subsidized service to urban households will negatively affect both households' socio-economic conditions and the environment. Using primary information and data collection through key informants' interviews with the utility management and secondary sources of data, I found that households' levels of wealth or poverty are strongly associated with accessibility to safe sources of drinking water. Results also indicate a weak negative correlation between access to clean water and child mortality. Finally, results suggest that privatization of water utility, as an argument to reduce unaccounted water is not clearly warranted.