News & Learning

Access to piped water services from Private Water Enterprises in Rural Vietnam

This research demonstrates the existence of inequitable outcomes in the provision of piped water services by both private and other service providers in rural Viet Nam. It highlights the need for effective governance mechanisms to ensure inclusive service delivery, and provides examples of how these might be developed.

Private enterprises are increasingly providing piped water services in rural Viet Nam, supported by incentives from the Government of Viet Nam and international donors. While research shows that enterprises are performing a critical role in increasing access to safe water, challenges remain. Rural areas lag behind urban areas, and efforts are needed to improve access for the poorest. This research fills a critical gap, as there is no existing evidence on whether or not small water enterprises are reaching poor people, and what this means for government policy and the role of civil society organisations and donors.

This study is the first of its kind in Viet Nam. It provides robust evidence on who accesses water services from private enterprises. Qualitative research in 61 communes was followed by a quantitative study in six locations. The qualitative research phase comprised 443 semistructured interviews with householders, government representatives and water service providers (private enterprises and other service providers including government and community-managed systems). The quantitative study comprised GPS mapping of 800 households which were poverty certificate holders. We used spatial and statistical analytical techniques to detect differences in rates of water service delivery and access between poor and non-poor households.

See the full study here: Access To Piped Water Services From Private Water Enterprises In Rural Vietnam

‘Enterprise in WASH’ is a joint research project led by the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) at the University of Technology Sydney, which investigates the role of private and social enterprises in the delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for the poor.