Ability to pay for water services
Access to water and sanitation is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Highlights
Law n°15/026 of 31 December 2015 on water declares that "public water services are accessible to all" and stipulates that "they are not free". However, only 34% of the population in rural areas have access to an improved water source (MICS-Palu DRC 2017-2018). The governance of the sector is one of the reasons for this reality. The accountability of the authorities and the involvement of communities in the sustainability of infrastructure and in particular in the establishment of a contribution system must be ensured or strengthened.
Given the vulnerability of the Congolese population and the disparities within it, it seems important to understand the financial capacity of communities to pay for water services and the determinants for these communities to agree to pay, i.e. the subjective criteria leading to willingness to pay.
