Abstract
In order to evaluate “ability to pay” and “willingness to pay” to drinking water for low-income residents in Kathmandu, Nepal, we have conducted a field survey, mainly consisted of interview to the residents. As a result, we conclude that (1) there is big difference between the have and the have-not of the piped water in regard of economic and health burden, therefore urgent counteraction is needed, (2) there is distribution in household income even in low-income settlements, and relatively rich group has higher income than average household income in whole Kathmandu, (2) residents, even the poor, show willingness to pay for water, namely beneficiary to pay principle is adaptable even to the poor, (3) incremental tariff structure will be crucial for controlling water demand.
