Characteristics of Well Performing Public Utilities (WB)

This report presents findings on attributes of well-run public utilities and attempts to identify important factors that influence their performance. The scope is also largely oriented to utilities that serve urban communities, but with varying characteristics and service objectives. The report is primarily intended for policy makers in central and local governments but can be also useful to utility managers as well as sector professionals supporting utilities and governments in such endeavors.

The route to change for a given utility is unique, and there is no predetermined action plan of corrective measures that must necessarily be followed in sequence. Yet, as the findings of this study reveal, there is a broad process and some basic norms that are fundamental to success or, by contrast, similar actions that have helped to cause organizations to fail. The intent is therefore to share with practitioners such findings but allow them sufficient flexibility to structure these into a coherent reform program that would be appropriate to the specific conditions of the utility and the environment in which it operates. As such, the intention of this report is to move away from “one size fits all” and “best practice” approaches to one of “best fit” given the unique circumstances surrounding a given utility.