The role of policies, institutions, and regulation for the Portuguese water utilities

Abstract Water utilities collect, store and manage vast data sets using many information systems (IS). For infrastructure asset management (IAM) planning those data need to be processed and transformed into information. However, information management efficiency often falls short of desired results. This happens particularly in municipalities where management is structured according to local government models. Along with the existing IS at the utilities' disposal, engineers and managers take their decisions based on information that is often incomplete, inaccurate or out-of-date. One of the main challenges faced by asset managers is integrating the several, often conflicting, sources of information available on the infrastructure, its condition and performance, and the various predictive analyses that can assist in prioritizing projects or interventions. This paper presents an overview of the IS used by Portuguese water utilities and discusses how data from different IS can be integrated in order to support IAM.

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Pushing the Governance Boundaries: Making Transparent the Role of Water Utilities in Managing Urban Waterways

Water Resources Management ◽

10.1007/s11269-016-1457-9 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 31 (8) ◽

pp. 2429-2446 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bethany Cooper ◽

Lin Crase ◽

Darryl Maybery

Keyword(s):

Water Utilities ◽

Urban Waterways

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Performance of Portuguese water utilities: how do ownership, size, diversification and vertical integration relate to efficiency?

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2010.032 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 343-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Tânia Correia ◽

Rui Cunha Marques

Keyword(s):

Vertical Integration ◽

Economies Of Scale ◽

Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽

Stochastic Frontier ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Economies Of Scope ◽

Translog Cost Function ◽

Water Sector ◽

Frontier Analysis ◽

Portuguese Water

This research applies the stochastic frontier analysis benchmarking method to measure the performance of the water sector in Portugal. It estimates a multiproduct translog cost function in order to study the efficiency of the water and sewerage services, using an unbalanced panel comprising 68 Portuguese water utilities for the biennium 2004–2005. The sample is formed by concessionaire companies, municipal companies and semi-autonomous utilities which represent approximately 61% of the Portuguese population, around 6.4 million inhabitants. The water utilities studied have a satisfactory level of efficiency (89% on average). The study points to the assumption that private utilities are, on average, more efficient than public utilities and that there are benefits if the companies specialize in providing a single activity. It also leads to the conclusion that there are increasing economies of scale and decreasing economies of scope associated with the Portuguese water sector.

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THE PERFORMANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES: EVIDENCE ON THE ROLE OF OWNERSHIP

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A ◽

10.1080/15287390490492340 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 67 (20-22) ◽

pp. 1861-1878 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Steven Renzetti ◽

Diane Dupont

Keyword(s):

Water Utilities ◽

Municipal Water

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Paying Returns to Shareholders of Water Utilities: Evidence from Italy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11072033 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 2033 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Giulia Romano ◽

Andrea Guerrini

Keyword(s):

Water Utilities ◽

Water Industry ◽

Water Utility ◽

Managerial Decisions ◽

Strategic Model ◽

Quality Water ◽

Utility Managers ◽

Privately Owned ◽

New Infrastructure

The debate about the role of corporations with regard to water also involves the influence that paying returns to shareholders could have on the investment policy of utilities, influencing the development of new infrastructure or the renewal of existing ones. This study investigated the dividend policy of water utilities by analyzing the data of 128 Italian firms during 2009–2014. Data show that the majority of utilities do not distribute any return to shareholders. On average, large utilities pay more frequent returns than medium-sized and small ones. Moreover, water utilities that are part of a group, multi-utilities, and those located in the center of Italy pay more frequent returns than do others. Southern firms usually do not pay returns. As expected, privately owned water utilities pay dividends more frequently and have higher returns to equity. In all the observed years, at least one-third of such utilities paid returns. Empirical results provide water regulators, water utility managers, and stakeholders with information that can impact future regulatory and managerial decisions related to management and strategic model choices in the water industry and how these decisions affect investments to improve water quality, water quantity, and/or water services.

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Overall assessment of environmental sustainability: The Portuguese water industry case

Notas Económicas ◽

10.14195/2183-203x_47_4 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 47-58

Author(s):

Sandra S. Tralhão ◽

Rita Martins ◽

João Paulo Costa

Keyword(s):

Best Practices ◽

Decision Analysis ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Regulatory Authority ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Water Industry ◽

Sustainability Performance ◽

Portuguese Water ◽

Regulation Model ◽

Regulatory Model

Similarly to what happens worldwide, environmental sustainability is one of the pillars of the Portuguese water industry regulatory model. Taking into account the criteria and preference profiles defined by the Portuguese regulatory authority, the overall sustainability performance of the Portuguese water utilities is assessed using multicriteria decision analysis methodologies. The results showed that about half of the utilities have an overall unsatisfactory performance, which is not shown by the item-by-item assessment by the regulatory authority. The overall assessment allows not only highlighting and exposing the best practices of the sector, in line with the sunshine regulation model, as it proves appropriate to the valorization, in each regulatory period, of the priorities established in the sectoral plans for the sector.

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Application of performance indicators to control losses - results from the Portuguese water sector

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2003.0095 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (1-2) ◽

pp. 127-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

R. Cunha Marques ◽

A.J. Monteiro

Keyword(s):

Water Supply ◽

Performance Indicators ◽

Economic Value ◽

Water Utilities ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Water Losses ◽

Portuguese Water ◽

Accounting Control ◽

The One ◽

Supply Systems

More and more the problem of water losses and leakages in water supply systems is becoming important in the management of water utilities. No matter how developed a country is, there is a growing and general awareness of this subject. Among the several motivations that contribute to this growing concern are, without doubt, the shortage of resources availability in several water supply systems on the one hand and, on the other hand, the economic value of the volume of water lost. Portugal is no exception. In recent years, there has been some dynamism in the sector in the accounting, control, leakages and loss detection, mainly in the biggest systems. This paper presents an approach to the control of water leakages and losses through the setting of performance indicators that allow the evaluation and characterization of the management entity for this aspect. Some results of those indicators will also be described here, as well as their application to several Portuguese water utilities and the assessment methodology of the results obtained. This paper also puts into evidence expressions and correlation curves between the different indicators and factors that directly or indirectly interfere in the result of the water utilities’ performance with relation to the water losses and leakages presented.

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