Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Costs Involved

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Water Funding

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Natural Resource Management ((PSNRM))

  • 102 Accesses

Abstract

Considerable data is available about the cost elements involved in water distribution and distribution and water and sewage treatment. This may be per person, per connection (household) or per unit of water or wastewater. This cost data is adapted to country circumstances. Developed economy spending is being driven by both higher standards and the need to replace or rehabilitate ageing assets. Cost estimates are driven by national approaches, with ‘gold-plating’ sometimes evident.

Comprehensive attempts to quantify global water spending needs are rare. Estimates developed round 2000 for partial and universal access to ‘improved’ or safe water and sanitation varied widely in their scope, detail and estimated costs. Three recent surveys based on meeting the SDG 6 targets (World Bank, GWI and WRI) provide useful comparators.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bluefield Research (2019) Segmenting Utility CAPEX: U.S. Municipal Water Infrastructure Forecast, 2019–2028. Bluefield Research, Boston, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booz Allen Hamilton (2007) Lights! Water! Motion! Infrastructure Spending Needs, 2005–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briscoe, J. (1999) The changing face of water infrastructure financing in developing countries. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 15 (3), 301–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnside & Associates (2005) Water & Wastewater Asset Cost Study. Prepared for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Ontario, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • DANCEE (2004) FEASIBLE Model, DANCEE—Danish Co-operation for Environment in Eastern Europe. Ministry of the Environment, Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danish EPA (2001) The Environmental Challenge of EU Enlargement in Central and Eastern Europe, DANCEE—Danish Co-operation for Environment in Eastern Europe, Ministry of the Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark.

    Google Scholar 

  • DG Environment (2010) Compliance Costs of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. COWI for DG Environment, Lyngby, Denmark.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobbs, R., H. Pohl, D-Y Lin, J. Mischke, N. Garemo, J. Hexter, S. Matzinger, R. Palter & R. Nanqavatty (2013) Infrastructure Productivity: How to Save $1 Trillion a Year. McKinsey Global Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • EEA (2005) Effectiveness of Urban Wastewater Treatment Policies in Selected Countries, Report 2/2005, EEA, Copenhagen, Denmark.

    Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Resources Management (2003) The European Union Water Initiative: Final Report of the Financial Component. ERM, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • EU (2010) Compliance Costs of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive: Final Report, COWI for the EU, Brussels: DG Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • EU (2017) 9th Technical assessment on UWWTD implementation. Umweltbundesamt, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • GLAAS (2019) National systems to support drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: global status report 2019. UN-Water global analysis and assessment of sanitation and drinking-water (GLAAS) 2019 report. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Intelligence (2007) Global Water Market 2008. Media Analytics Limited, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Intelligence (2011) Global Water Market 2011. Media Analytics Limited, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Intelligence (2014) Global Water Market 2015. Media Analytics Limited, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Intelligence (2018) Financing Water to 2030. Media Analytics Limited, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • GWI (2016a) Chart of the month: Utility vs discretionary spending. Global Water Intelligence, 17 (11), p5.

    Google Scholar 

  • GWI (2018) Meeting the US stormwater challenge. GWI, 19 (12), 42–47. Global Water Intelligence, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • GWPFA (2000) Global Water Partnership, Towards Water Security: A Framework for Action.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutton, G. & Bartram, J. (2008) Global Costs of Attaining the Millennium Development Goal for Water Supply and Sanitation. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 86, 13–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutton, G. & Verughese, M. (2016) The Costs of Meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal Targets on Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. World Bank, Washington, DC, USA.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hutton, G., Haller, L. & Bertram, J. (2006) ‘Economic and health effects of increasing coverage of sanitation interventions.’ Human Development Report Office Occasional Paper. Report prepared for the UNDP Human Development Report 2006 and cited in WaterAid (2007) Sanitation and economic development, WaterAid America, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyman, E. et al. (2010), “High Investment Requirement Mixed with Institutional Risk”, Deutsche Bank Research, Current Issues, June 1, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyman, E. et al. (2011), “Water: Investments of EUR500 bn Required – Every Year!” Deutsche Bank Research, Research Briefing, June 6, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • JMP (2019) Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000–2017. Special focus on inequalities. JMP UNICEF/WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenton, R. & Wright, A. (2004) Interim Report of Task Force 7 on Water and Sanitation. Millennium Project, United Nations, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd Owen, D. A. (2011) Infrastructure needs for the water sector. OECD, Paris, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd Owen, D. A. (2016) InDepth: The Arup Water Yearbook 2015–16. Arup, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mejia, A. (2011) Responding to Global Changes: Water in an Urbanizing World, Challenges for Urban Water Provision in Latin America and the Caribbean, Stockholm August 24, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (2007) Infrastructure to 2030: Mapping Policy for Electricity, Water and Transport. OECD, Paris, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ofwat PR14 (2014) Setting price controls for 2015–20. Ofwat, Birmingham, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prynn, P. & Sunman, H. (2000) Getting the Water to Where it is Needed and Getting the Tariff Right. Presentation at the Financial Times Energy Conference, Dublin 11-2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Royan, F. (2010) Presentation for Frost & Sullivan, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strong, C., Kuzma, S., Vionnet, S. & Reig, P. (2020) Achieving Abundance: Understanding the Cost of a Sustainable Water Future. Working Paper. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • UN Millennium Project (2005) Health, dignity and development: what will it take? UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation. Earthscan, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP (2005) Water and Sanitation Needs Assessment Model User Guide, UN Millennium Project (www.unmillenniumproject.org).

  • US EPA (2016) Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2012: Report to Congress. US EPA, Washington DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (2018) US EPA drinking water infrastructure needs survey and assessment 2015. US EPA, Washington DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vision 21 (2002) Vision 21. World Water Council, Cairo, Egypt.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2000) Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2008) Regional & Global Costs of Attaining the Water Supply and Sanitation Target of the MDGs. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Water Council (2000) World Water Vision: A Water Secure World. WWC, Cairo, Egypt.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Envisager, Newcastle Emlyn, UK

    David Lloyd Owen

Authors
  1. David Lloyd Owen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Lloyd Owen .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lloyd Owen, D. (2020). The Costs Involved. In: Global Water Funding. Palgrave Studies in Natural Resource Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49454-4_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49454-4_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-49453-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-49454-4

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation