A Comprehensive Framework for Water Affordability Analysis

Water and sanitation affordability has emerged as a significant concern in recent years due to economic crises and the increasing reliance on tariffs to finance public services. Governments have often depended on inadequate affordability analyses, if any, to identify constraints faced by vulnerable families in accessing water supply and sanitation services. This paper proposes a comprehensive affordability analysis framework, considering six key dimensions: coverage rates, conventional affordability ratio, community poverty conditions, affordability ratio for poorer households, access to water social programs, and the burden of connection fees. The framework was applied to Brazil, focusing on its state-owned providers, which serve more than 70% of the population. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework offers a simple yet robust tool for decision-makers globally, with the flexibility to adapt to various contexts. The case study revealed that the Brazil’s conventional affordability ratio masks affordability issues faced by poorer families, along with low access to social tariffs, high incidence of poverty, and low coverage in several areas. These findings provide critical insights for stakeholders, enabling the development of targeted public policies and the design of appropriate subsidy mechanisms.