Una aproximación a la determinación de la eficiencia en las empresas de servicio de agua potable y residual en Venezuela

Abstract

In Venezuela the drinking water supply and the waste water collection services, by law is a duty for each one and all of the 330 municipalities in the country. However it is currently provided by 17 operating companies. All of them on the following criteria: quality, efficiency, reliability, fairness, non-discrimination and profitability. The government has call to improve efficiency. The efficiency guarantees the return of investment and better quality of services, promoting the improvement in quality of life. This paper estimated technical efficiency of firms in this sector for the period 1998-2008. The sample included data from 11 companies responsible for more than 80% of the population according to the 2001 Census. A distance function to inputs was applied. Using outputs and inputs suggested by a literature review, it seems that the annual average efficiency has increased for the studied period. The improvement of activities performed by the firms was highlighted. Further implications for public policies in the sector are discussed, considering legal duties of municipalities.