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Water Prices in CEE and CIS Countries. Volume I: Main Text Appendix 4
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Person # |
Pensioner |
Adult |
Child |
Employed? |
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(preferably at end of interview)25
What is the average (monthly) income for your household?
(preferably at end of interview) Do you think your household will be financially
better off next year?
Cold Water Supply
How is your consumption measured?
Do you have a block meter or household meter?
If yes: Why did you get a meter?
If no: Have you considered installing a meter?
Do you get hot water centrally supplied or do you heat your own?
Assessment of present cold water service
What is your opinion of the present level of cold water quality/services?
Do you get cold water 24 hours a day?
If no: probe when do you not get water? Is this scheduled?
Do you (also) get other interruptions in water supply? Probe whether planned or unplanned
What is the cold water pressure like? Does it vary?
What is the colour of the water like? Does it vary?
Do members of your household drink cold water directly from the tap?
If yes: What is the taste like? Does the quality vary? Do you always drink it?
If no: why not?
Do you buy bottled water?
If yes: How much (in typical summer month/winter month)? Why? (Probe if health, taste, status, adverts etc), Cost?
If no: Why not?
Do you have a water filter? Why? IF NO: Have you considered getting a water filter? Why? Have you noticed any change in the quality of your water or level of service (including bills) in the last few years?
Assessment of present wastewater service
What is your opinion of the present level of wastewater treatment? Probe
Have you noticed any change in the wastewater services in the last few years?
Do you know who manages the wastewater services?
Are you aware of any problems with the present wastewater treatment? (Probe local environment, rivers and lakes etc)
Political Issues
Did you vote at the last election? (if no, why not)
What do you think of the current mayor?
Is the city council responsive to the needs of the citizens of ____ [city]?
How much influence do you think the city council has on the water company?
In your opinion, how much influence does political opinion have on the water tariffs? Why do you say that?
How do you think water services and investments in water services are currently financed? Probe - taxes, bills, other
(If relevant) Currently water is paid for through a mix of taxes and customers bills. What do you think of the idea of all water costs, including investments in the infrastructure, being paid for through bills instead of taxes?
(If relevant) What is your attitude to EU membership? Does your household regularly recycle anything? Probe
Attitudes to Water Company
What is your opinion on the overall effectiveness of ___ [the water company] in managing the water supply and wastewater treatment?
Does ___ [the water company] keep you well informed about their operations?
Where do you get information about water services?
Have you had to call ___ [the water company] for any problem or query with regard to the supply of water or wastewater in the last few years? Probe quality of service/any problems
Payment of water bills
Are you responsible for paying the water services bill?
Where and how do you pay your bill? Frequency of bills?
When did you last pay your water bill?
How are the cold water bills calculated?
Are the water bills easy to understand? What is included in the bill? Probe, cold water, wastewater, hot water etc
(If relevant) Do you know how much is the total cost of water per cubic metre?
(If relevant) Do you know how much is for cold water supply and wastewater?
Do you get a subsidy for your bills?
If yes: Probe details
If no: Do you know when and how you can get a subsidy?
What happens if you do not pay? Should non-payers be cutoff?
How much water does your household consume a year? Has this gone up or reduced in the last few years? Why?
Could you reduce your water consumption and wastewater generation (leaks, watering the garden, habits in kitchen and bath-room etc)
Willingness to pay
What do you think about the amount you have to pay for water and wastewater?
What about payment for electricity, rent, garbage collection, lifts, gas/oil/heating, hot water?
Do you think the price of water and wastewater services have increased more or less than other prices in the last three years?
If water prices were to increase, do you think electricity, gas, rent and heating would also increase by a similar rate? Why do you say that?
What are the most important improvements that could be made to the water service? Probe
How much more would you be willing to pay for this?
(If no improvement is foreseen) How much more would you be willing to pay to avoid the current service getting worse, for instance interruptions to supply, even lower water quality?
If the cost of electricity, gas and heating increased by 20%, how much would you then be willing to pay for improvements to your water services?
Would you prefer to pay less and have worse water quality?
If prices are increased 50%/100%/200%, what would you do?
| 25 | This and the following question may make respondents uncomfortable. It is therefore preferable to ask these questions towards the end of the interview / discussions. |