Quel système d'indicateurs pour comprendre le prix de l'eau ?

Which reference system for understanding the price of water ?

¹ Syndicat professionnel des entreprises de services d'eau et d'assainissement (SPDE) - SPDE, 83 avenue Foch, 75116 Paris
² Bureau d'information et de prévisions économiques (BIPE) - BIPE, l'Atrium, 6 place Abel Gance, 92652 Boulogne Billancourt Cedex

Auteurs de correspondance : spde@spde.org www.bipe.fr

Abstract

A study conducted in October 2001 by the SPDE (professional trade organization for businesses working in the water sector) and the BIPE (Economic information and forecasting bureau) made an assessment of the methods currently used in surveys into the price of water, and suggested some initial ideas for developing a benchmarking system for the price, type and quality of water services. The authors have observed that having numerous surveys into the price of water can prevent full understanding of mechanisms by which prices are calculated, although it is true that public and private stakeholders alike do need a study to which to refer. In addition, these surveys only partially comply with the water sector's information requirements, especially as they tend to focus only on monitoring developments in an average price over a given period of time, which does not correctly reflect the true economic situation. A meaningful reference system of analysis should study the way in which the price of water is influenced by all the different local technical parameters characterising the service, by local government policy for asset management, and by the level of service it wishes to see offered. Such a system should therefore demonstrate that the right price is not necessarily the lowest price.