Water is both a natural and a social resource. As a natural resource, it is necessary for human survival; as a social resource, inequality in access to clean water makes it difficult to overcome other inequalities.

Few places understand both aspects of water better than South Africa. In 2018, the rest of the world watched in awe as the city of Cape Town nearly ran out of water after a historic drought. After Apartheid, the country’s constitution codified access to water as a basic right, recognizing this as a necessary step on the long road towards creating a less unequal society.

Ensuring sustainable access to water that delivers social benefits requires more than just building pipelines. Incentives are needed to reduce waste and ensure that water is used in a socially efficient way - this requires thoughtful pricing strategies. Consumers need to be able to manage their water use and pay their bills - this requires information. This collection of projects investigates how each of these aspects of the water delivery system can be improved.

The value of free water: Analyzing South Africa’s Free Basic Water Policy

Reducing nonpayment for public utilities: Experimental evidence from South Africa