Low-income Customer Support Units: How utilities are successfully serving poor people
Over the last decade, it has become common knowledge that residents of low-income urban communities are paying for effective, affordable pro-poor WASH services. A few smart utilities have pioneered ways of providing viable inclusive services. WaterAid has worked with some of these utilities over the last two decades, resulting in a win-win scenario for both customer and utility. In recent times, more utilities have approached WaterAid for similar support to help them establish specialized Low-income Customer Support Units.WaterAid has compiled a set of case studies to explore how utilities have set up and sustained successful Low-income Customer Support Units in urban areas. It is hoped that this will deepen understanding and share lessons on the critical context and professional conditions necessary to establish successful pro-poor units.We draw on the experiences of utilities through three case studies in Uganda, Malawi and Bangladesh, and desk research in Zambia and Kenya.