Why Don't Households Connect to the Piped Water System? Observations from Tunis, Tunisia

From a study of 82 households in urban areas of Tunis, Tunisia, it appears that the most important obstacle in connecting to the piped water system is the utility-required cash down payment. Results from the study's contingent valuation questions showed that the respondents could easily afford the anticipated monthly charges for piped water and sewer service, and their bids for this service were very close to those for households already receiving them. A further conclusion is that, as the reliability of the piped water system increases, then the importance of a monthly tariff in the connection decision decreases.