Understanding Factors Affecting Non-Payment Behavior Among Rural Water Users in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: An Application of Structural Equation Modeling

The financial viability of community-based water systems, reflecting the ability of water utilities to sustainably cover their operational and maintenance costs while ensuring reliable water service delivery to the community, is a critical element of sustainable water supply, especially in rural communities. High rates of non-payments threaten the stability of revenue collection systems set in many water schemes in sub-Saharan Africa. This is the case in the region of Idjwi, South Kivu (the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The main objective of our study is to understand the determinants of non-payment behavior for water services in Idjwi. To this end, the current research hypothesized and tested a structural equation model to map the relationships between key factors. The data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 850 beneficiary households. The findings reveal that users’ lack of participation in management meetings strongly influences non-payment behavior. A lack of trust in water management committees also has a significant impact on non-payment behavior. No significant relationship was found between consumer non-payment behavior and dissatisfaction regarding the quantity of water supplied or the timetable of the service. The central implication of this study is that regional water policymakers need to redesign the rules and capacities of water committees. More efforts are required to improve community involvement in management meetings and to endorse trust in water committees to reduce non-payment of water fees and secure the financial viability of water systems.