Willingness to pay to improve water quality in Zapopan

Abstract

The objective of this article is to explore the factors that are associated with the willingness to pay (WTP) to improve water quality in the Mexican city of Zapopan, Jalisco. A survey of four hundred households is carried out. It shows that the respondents drink bottled water (99%), consider that the supplied water smells bad (53%) and that it is contaminated (69%), they fear for their health or that of their family members from drinking from the tap (74%) but would to drink water from it if the quality improved (77%). However, more than half would not be willing to pay for an improvement in water quality or pay up to a limit of 40 pesos (31 and 22% respectively). Through an orderly logit model, it is found that there is a significant and positive relationship between the willingness to pay for improving water quality and being open to drinking tap water if it happens, perceiving the authorities responsible for water sector do the right actions, a belief of water scarcity in the colony, having people with health problems at home, and the income level. On the other hand, more willingness to pay relates negatively and significantly with the perception that water smells bad, the level of trust in others, and age.