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dc.titleFragmentation, Scale, and Management: Determinants of Public Spending Efficiency in Colombia's Water and Sanitation Sector
dc.contributor.authorPérez Urdiales, María
dc.contributor.authorLópez-Luzuriaga, Andrea
dc.contributor.authorCastillo, Adriana
dc.contributor.authorCouto Ribeiro, Beatriz
dc.contributor.orgunitWater and Sanitation Division
dc.contributor.orgunitInfrastructure and Energy Sector
dc.coverageColombia
dc.coverageLatin America
dc.date.available2025-09-26T00:09:00
dc.date.issue2025-09-26T00:09:00
dc.description.abstractAchieving universal and equitable access to water and sanitation remains a critical challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This paper assesses the efficiency of public spending in providing water and sanitation services across Colombian municipalities. Efficiency levels are estimated using a stochastic frontier analysis that accounts for unobserved heterogeneity. The results show that the organizational and governance characteristics of service providers play a significant role in shaping spending efficiency. Municipalities with more service providers tend to be less efficient. In contrast, efficiency improves when providers operate across multiple jurisdictions. Additionally, municipalities where the head of the service provider is appointed--rather than elected--demonstrate greater efficiency. Overall, the findings indicate that public expenditures could be reduced by approximately 18\% without compromising service quality, highlighting the potential for substantial gains through improved provider organization and governance.
dc.format.extent36
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0013721
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Fragmentation-Scale-and-Management-Determinants-of-Public-Spending-Efficiency-in-Colombias-Water-and-Sanitation-Sector.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectMunicipal Government
dc.subjectWater Supply and Sanitation
dc.subjectService Provider
dc.subjectDrinking Water
dc.subjectPublic Expenditure
dc.subjectFiscal Management
dc.subjectSewage
dc.subjectWater Quality
dc.subject.jelcodeQ25 - Water
dc.subject.jelcodeO54 - Latin America • Caribbean
dc.subject.jelcodeH42 - Publicly Provided Private Goods
dc.subject.jelcodeH54 - Infrastructures • Other Public Investment and Capital Stock
dc.subject.jelcodeH72 - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
dc.subject.jelcodeL95 - Gas Utilities • Pipelines • Water Utilities
dc.subject.keywordswater;Sanitation;fiscal management;public spending;Public Expenditure Review
dc.typeWorking Papers
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01761
idb.operationRG-T3982
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