This paper proposes the use of directional distance functions and Data Envelopment Analysis techniques to assess technical efficiency in the provision of the different stages of the urban water cycle in Andalusia, a Southern European region. Evaluating performance in the management of specific stages of the urban water cycle provides utility managers and regulating authorities with relevant information that may not be detected by more conventional approaches based on assessing performance at utility level. We find that Andalusian water and sewage utilities could achieve significant increases in the volume of water delivered without diminishing the output of their other services and using the same quantities of inputs. Potential increases are also important for the volume of sewage collected, thus entailing significant environmental benefits in a territory where water scarcity has seen the efficient management of this natural resource become a pressing obligation.
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Research Article|
May 26 2011
Assessing performance in the management of the urban water cycle Available to Purchase
Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo;
Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo
aDpto Economía Aplicada II, Universidad de Valencia, Avda dels Tarongers s/n. 46022, Valencia, Spain
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Francisco J. Sáez-Fernández;
Francisco J. Sáez-Fernández
bDpto Economía Internacional y de España, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Cartuja. 18011 Granada, Spain
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Francisco González-Gómez
cCorresponding author. Dpto Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Cartuja, 18011 Granada, Spain
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Water Policy (2011) 13 (6): 782–796.
Article history
Received:
June 25 2010
Accepted:
February 23 2011
Citation
Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, Francisco J. Sáez-Fernández, Francisco González-Gómez; Assessing performance in the management of the urban water cycle. Water Policy 1 December 2011; 13 (6): 782–796. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2011.068
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