Publication:
The Buenos Aires Water Concession

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dc.contributor.authorAlcázar, Lorena
dc.contributor.authorAbdala, Manuel A.
dc.contributor.authorShirley, Mary M.
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-20T15:28:20Z
dc.date.available2015-05-20T15:28:20Z
dc.date.issued2000-04-30
dc.description.abstractThe signing of a concession contract for the Buenos Aires water and sanitation system in December 1992, attracted worldwide attention, and caused considerable controversy in Argentina. It was one of the worlds largest concessions, but the case was also interesting for other reasons. The concession was implemented rapidly, in contrast with slow implementation of privatization in Santiago, for example. And reform generated major improvements in the sector, including wider coverage, better service, more efficient company operations, and reduced waste. Moreover, the winning bid brought an immediate 26.9 percent reduction in water system tariffs. Consumers benefited from the systems expansion and from the immediate drop in real prices, which was only partly reversed by subsequent changes in tariffs, and access charges. And these improvements would probably not have occurred under public administration of the system. Still, the authors show information asymmetries, perverse incentives, and weak regulatory institutions could threaten the concessions sustainability. Opportunities for the company to act opportunistically - and the regulator, arbitrarily - exist, because of politicized regulation, a poor information base, serious flaws in the concession contract, a lumpy and ad hoc tariff system, and a general lack of transparency in the regulatory process. Because of these circumstances, public confidence in the process has eroded. The Buenos Aires concession shows how important transparent, rule-based decision-making is to maintain public trust in regulated infrastructure.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2000/04/437846/buenos-aires-water-concession
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-2311
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/21922
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Papers;No. 2311
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectCONCESSION AGREEMENT
dc.subjectCONCESSION AREA
dc.subjectCONCESSION CONTRACT
dc.subjectCONSTRUCTION
dc.subjectCONSUMER SURPLUS
dc.subjectCONTAMINATION OF GROUNDWATER
dc.subjectCOST OF WATER
dc.subjectCPI
dc.subjectCREEKS
dc.subjectCUBIC METER
dc.subjectCUBIC METER OF WATER
dc.subjectDEBT
dc.subjectDECISION MAKING
dc.subjectDEFICIT SPENDING
dc.subjectDISCHARGE
dc.subjectDIVIDENDS
dc.subjectDOWNSTREAM USERS
dc.subjectDRINKING WATER
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC POLICIES
dc.subjectEFFLUENT
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectEXCHANGE RATE
dc.subjectEXTERNAL COSTS
dc.subjectEXTERNALITIES
dc.subjectGAS
dc.subjectGROUNDWATER
dc.subjectHEALTH PROBLEMS
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLDS
dc.subjectINCOME
dc.subjectINFLATION
dc.subjectINFORMATION ASYMMETRIES
dc.subjectLITERS PER CAPITA PER DAY
dc.subjectMAINTENANCE COSTS
dc.subjectMARGINAL COST
dc.subjectMUNICIPAL SYSTEM
dc.subjectMUNICIPALITIES
dc.subjectNATURAL WATER RESOURCES
dc.subjectNEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS
dc.subjectNUMBER OF CONNECTIONS
dc.subjectOIL
dc.subjectPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS
dc.subjectPERVERSE INCENTIVES
dc.subjectPIPED WATER
dc.subjectPOLITICAL ECONOMY
dc.subjectPOLLUTION
dc.subjectPOOR WATER QUALITY
dc.subjectPOPULATION GROWTH
dc.subjectPOPULATION GROWTH RATE
dc.subjectPOTENTIAL INVESTORS
dc.subjectPRIVATE PARTICIPATION
dc.subjectPRODUCTIVITY
dc.subjectPROFIT MARGIN
dc.subjectPROGRAMS
dc.subjectPROVINCIAL WATER
dc.subjectPUBLIC HEALTH
dc.subjectPUBLIC TRUST
dc.subjectPUBLIC WORKS
dc.subjectRAW WATER
dc.subjectREGULATORY FRAMEWORK
dc.subjectRIVERS
dc.subjectSANITATION COVERAGE
dc.subjectSCARCE WATER
dc.subjectSEPTIC TANKS
dc.subjectSEWERAGE SERVICES
dc.subjectSEWERAGE SYSTEM
dc.subjectTRANSPARENCY
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectURBAN WATER
dc.subjectURBAN WATER SUPPLY
dc.subjectWAGES
dc.subjectWATER COMPANIES
dc.subjectWATER COMPANY
dc.subjectWATER CONNECTIONS
dc.subjectWATER CONSUMPTION
dc.subjectWATER COVERAGE
dc.subjectWATER NEEDS
dc.subjectWATER PRICES
dc.subjectWATER PRODUCTION
dc.subjectWATER RESOURCES
dc.subjectWATER SECTOR
dc.subjectWATER SECTOR REFORM
dc.subjectWATER SHORTAGES
dc.subjectWATER SUPPLIES
dc.subjectWATER SYSTEM
dc.subjectWATER SYSTEMS
dc.subjectWATER TARIFF
dc.subjectWATER TARIFFS
dc.subjectWATER USAGE
dc.subjectWATER UTILITY
dc.subjectWELLS
dc.titleThe Buenos Aires Water Concessionen
dc.typeWorking Paperen
dc.typeDocument de travailfr
dc.typeDocumento de trabajoes
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleThe Buenos Aires Water Concession
okr.date.disclosure2010-07-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T10:55:13.775379Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2000/04/437846/buenos-aires-water-concession
okr.globalpracticeWater
okr.guid718361468769245711
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-2311
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000094946_00042605364386
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum437846
okr.identifier.reportWPS2311
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurl/IB/2000/05/06/000094946_00042605364386/additional/116516322_20041117153534.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeLatin America & Caribbean
okr.region.countryArgentina
okr.sectorOther Water Supply Sanitation
okr.sectorWater, sanitation and flood protection
okr.topicWater Supply and Sanitation::Town Water Supply and Sanitation
okr.topicEnvironmental Economics Policies
okr.topicWater Resources::Water and Industry
okr.topicPublic Sector Development::Decentralization
okr.topicHealth Economics Finance
okr.topicWater Supply and Sanitation::Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions
okr.topicWater Resources::Water Conservation
okr.unitRegulation and Competition Policy, Development Research Group
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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