Bribes for illegal (re-)connections
Staff might use knowledge and equipment to set up illegal connections in exchange for bribes.
Risk type:Ā Practice
Risk driver: Internal; External
DESCRIPTION
Utility staff members know how to set up water connections and have good knowledge of the distribution network. Using this knowledge, they may set up illegal connections in exchange for payments. For a bribe, technicians may also illegally re-connect customers that had been disconnected for not paying their bills. Furthermore, bribesĀ might be paid to avoid the reporting of illegal connections. Such connections to the utilityās network increase the level of unaccounted-for water, and reduce revenues available to the utility. The customer might collude with field staff to get (re-)connected or get pressured by field staff to pay bribes.
RED FLAGS
- High levels of non-revenue water
- No or very few illegal connections reported in areas with high non-revenue water and where illegal connections could be expected
- Few re-connections in comparison to reported disconnections
KEY GUIDING DOCUMENTS
Davis, J., 2004, Corruption in Public Service Delivery: Experience from South Asiaās Water and Sanitation Sector. World Dev. 32, 53ā71
TARGETED EXAMPLES
Illegal connections through private plumbing market1
Target group: Utilities
Location:Ā South Asia
In one city, we learned about a vigorous private plumbing market in which a household can obtain a water supply connection for roughly half the official fee charged by the public provider. Recurrent costs of service for an illegal connection are simply the costs of maintaining it and concealing its existence, perhaps including payment to a line worker who discovers it.
Illegal connections by licensed plumbers in India2
Target group: Utilities
Location: India
In one Indian metropolis, water services are provided by the Water Department. However, connections may be made by ālicensed plumbersā, who are independent contractors, not department staff. The licensed plumbers are authorized to make legal connections for slum dwellers and other citizens. However, the ālicensed plumbersā systematically delay making legal connections, instead being paid directly by slum dwellers to make illegal connections. This is exacerbated because the licensed plumbers must pay the Water Department for their licences. Thus Water Department employees have an incentive to be slow in approving legal connections to the slum dwellers, in order to sustain the illicit business of the licensed plumbers (and hence the licence āfeeā payments to themselves).
FULL REFERENCES
- Davis, J., 2004, Corruption in Public Service Delivery: Experience from South Asiaās Water and Sanitation Sector. World Dev. 32, 53ā71
- Halpern, J., Kenny, C., Dickson, E., Ehrhardt, D. & Oliver, C., 2008, Deterring Corruption and Improving Governance in the urban Water Supply & Sanitation Sector: A Sourcebook, Water Working Notes, Note No. 18, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development &The World Bank