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Do economic regulatory agencies matter to private-sector involvement in water utilities in developing countries?

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  • Bertoméu-Sánchez, Salvador
  • Camos, Daniel
  • Estache, Antonio

Abstract

This paper suggests that, for developing countries, the creation of economic regulatory agencies, separate from the ministry in charge of water and sanitation, may not be a necessary or sufficient condition to stimulate large scale private involvement (PPPs) in the sector. The odds of an impact are higher for Latin American countries than other regions and for countries with higher income levels. They are also better when inflation is high. At the margin, the odds are unrelated to the contract type, except for greenfield projects, for which they may be contraindicated.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertoméu-Sánchez, Salvador & Camos, Daniel & Estache, Antonio, 2018. "Do economic regulatory agencies matter to private-sector involvement in water utilities in developing countries?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 153-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:50:y:2018:i:c:p:153-163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2018.01.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Surachman, Eko Nur & Perwitasari, Sevi Wening & Suhendra, Maman, 2022. "Stakeholder management mapping to improve public-private partnership success in emerging country water projects: Indonesia’s experience," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Claude Ménard & Gaetano Martino & Gustavo Magalhães de Oliveira & Annie Royer & Maria Sylvia Macchione Saes & Paula Sarita Bigio Schnaider, 2022. "Governing food safety through meso‐institutions: A cross‐country analysis of the dairy sector," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1722-1741, December.
    4. Aquila, Giancarlo & de Oliveira Pamplona, Edson & Ferreira Filho, José Alberto & da Silva, Antônio Sergio & de Azevedo Mataveli, João Victor & Correa, João Ederson & de Maria, Mateus Sanches & Garcia,, 2019. "Quantitative regulatory impact analysis: Experience of regulatory agencies in Brazil," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1-1.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulation; Regulatory agencies; Water utilities; Privatization; Public-private partnerships;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • L38 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Policy
    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L95 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Gas Utilities; Pipelines; Water Utilities
    • L97 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Utilities: General

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