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Resources 12
Water costs to consumers


Direct cost comparisons between public and private water companies were produced in a study carried out by consultants ITT for the Stockholm water company. Comparisons were made between Swedish and English cities of comparable size. In every case the publicly-owned Swedish company had lower production costs than the privately-owned UK counterparts.

Table 3.2.1 Water Cost Comparisons Swedish & English Cities, 1995

(M=municipally owned, P=privately owned)

Cost per cubic meter of water delivered, Purchasing Power Parities in USD

Water company

Owned by:

Cost to customer

Cost of operation

Capital maintenance

Return on capital

Stockholm

M

.28

.17

.03

.09

Manchester

P

.91

.40

.20

.31

Bristol

P

.83

.48

.19

.15
           

Gothenburg

M

.38

.11

.05

.21

Kirklees

P

.99

.52

.31

.15

Hartlepool

P

.73

.35

.08

.29
           

Helsingborg

M

.42

.42

.05

-0.05

Waverley

P

.82

.48

.22

.12

Wrexham

P

1.25

.57

.35

.32
           

Swed Average

 

.36

.23

.04

.08

UK Average

 

.93

.48

.20

.23
           
Source: ITT