Observed Water Supply Priorities

Correcting sources of or lack of water supply which directly and immediately affects adversely community health and safety, e.g., by causing cholera or dysentry.
Providing assured water supply services which directly and immediately increase prospects for community employment and investment, e.g., to new industries and to tourism facilities.
Providing water supply service improvements which can be turned readily into cash for the supplier, e.g., to tanker trucks.
Providing water supply services to higher-income areas of cities and urban regions where customers can pay for improvements, and/or, have political leverage.
Improving efficiency of existing water supply services, e.g., by repairing leaks in watermains, where lending from International Financial Institutions is provided, and/or a private sector concession is being granted.
Improving efficiency of individual household and building water use, e.g., through subsidized installation of flow meters and/or water-conserving devices, where lending from International Financial Institutions is provided, or where a private sector concession is being granted.
Improving water conservation by charging higher rates for supply.
Improve both supply and conservation of water by reengineering the system to capture rainwater locally, to reuse "grey" water, and to decentralize water supply facilities.

Note: It is recognized that the "cheapest" and most expedient way of dealing with water supply in many developing economy cities is to permit individual households to secure their water from open rivers or nearby aquifers. There may also be private sales of water from trucks, and in bottled form in retail stores. The aim of this outline of priorities is to help decision-makers and residents to begin to consider a more comprehensive approach.

Priority Ranked Item	Current Approximate Volume in our City	Current Supply Pratice in our City	Current Approximate Cost of Supply Services in our City	Estimated Size of Opportunity in our City
Direct health and safety effects
Direct employment effects
Immediate cash potential
Immediate return from municipal charges to households that can pay
Conservation potential in street mains
Conservation potential among households
Conservation potential through higher user charges
Conservation potential through system reengineering

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