Water Privatization and Regulation in England and Wales

In 1989, the United Kingdom embarked on one of the first modern privatizations in the water sector, selling assets under license and setting up an independent economic regulator. An important regulatory innovation is its use of price caps and yardstick competition. The author highlights two lessons from U.K. regulatory experience: effective price cap regulation has heavy information requirements, and the necessary data and analytical tools take time to assemble. And such built-in checks and balances as financial autonomy for the regulator and status as an independent government department are not always enough to prevent political interference.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	van den Berg, Caroline
Format:	Viewpoint biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 1997-05
Subjects:	ASSET VALUATION, CERTIFICATION, COST SAVINGS, CROSS-SUBSIDIES, CROSS-SUBSIDIZATION, DEBT, DIVIDENDS, DRINKING WATER, EFFICIENT WATER USE, FINANCIAL VIABILITY, INCOME, INVESTMENT DECISIONS, LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, MANAGING WATER RESOURCES, PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, PRICE CAP REGULATION, PRICE DISCRIMINATION, PRIVATE COMPANIES, PRIVATE UTILITIES, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, QUALITY STANDARDS, REGULATORY AGENCY, REGULATORY REGIME, RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, RIVER WATER, RIVERS, SERVICE STANDARDS, SEWERAGE COMPANIES, SEWERAGE SERVICES, TARIFF STRUCTURE, UTILITIES, WATER AUTHORITIES, WATER COMPANIES, WATER CONSUMPTION, WATER INDUSTRY, WATER METERS, WATER POLICIES, WATER PRICING, WATER QUALITY, WATER RESOURCE, WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, WATER RESOURCES, WATER SUPPLY, WATER SUPPLY COMPANIES, WATER USE, WILLINGNESS TO PAY WATER SUPPLY, DENATIONALIZATION, PRICING, REGULATIONS, PUBLIC ENTERPRISES, WATER UTILITIES,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/1997/05/441652/water-privatization-regulation-england-wales http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11585
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