Small Local Service Provision for Water and Sanitation Services: Mozambique Inception Report

Summary

Most cities in low- and middle-income countries are unable to keep up with rapid urbanization and provide citywide coverage of piped water and sanitation services. Typically, small, local providers, who are often not recognized or regulated officially, will informally serve a significant proportion of the people without access to sewerage or piped water connections in the absence of reliable public service provision. In Mozambique, USAID URBAN WASH is partnering with the directorate, Direcção Nacional de Abastecimento de Água e Saneamento (National Directorate for Water Supply and Sanitation or DNAAS), and the national regulator, Autoridade Reguladora de Água (Water Regulatory Authority or AURA), to conduct implementation research in several cities on how cities have begun to formalize these local private water providers and emptiers. Both authorities and communities recognize the role of the private sector in extending the coverage of water and sanitation services in the country, with several interventions to formalize these providers already being implemented. This research will inform decision-making regarding formalizing these service providers by:

Understanding the choices made by utilities to engage private water providers and emptiers.
Understanding how cities implement engagements with private water providers and emptiers.
Measuring and understanding the impact of engaging private water providers and emptiers from the perspective of households and vendors.

This research inception report provides background information on water and sanitation services in Mozambique, summarizes key evidence gaps, and details the planned research methods.