The Devil We Know: Environmental Hazards and Policy Action in Urban Pakistan

• In Event: The Politics of Climate Change in South Asia

Abstract

Climate change is likely to exacerbate the lack of access to clean drinking water for many of the world’s urban residents. In particular, as extreme heat impacts parts of South Asia, the presence of bacterial contaminants in water supply are likely to challenge municipal and state efforts to provide potable water to residents. The quality of public services, such as water, is historically difficult to monitor in low-income contexts dominated by clientalism. Studies suggest that voters and politicians alike prefer visible infrastructure, such as a paved road or a water pump, to signal political efficacy. Unlike the installation of pipes or hand pumps, which are a form of visible infrastructure, the quality of drinking water is a less tangible public good.
I suggest that absent tangible means to monitor the quality of a service, individuals will prefer visible infrastructure, such as hand pumps or water tankers. I also argue that individuals will be more motivated to hold elected officials accountable when information about the quality of a service is provided to them. The study leverages a proprietary dataset of over 1400 residential sites in Lahore that were tested by an independent lab, with 7 low-income localities testing positive for coliform and heavy metal contaminants in. 2000 households in contaminated and non-contaminate sites are delivered a face-to-face survey, including an embedded survey vignette that provides information on local water quality, and the quality of water in a contrasting, proximate neighborhood. The study measures the willingness of residents to choose improvements in quality, monitored through more frequent testing and outreach, versus a new hand pump or water tank installation. Finally, it asks whether respondents are willing to send a text to a newly-elected Member of Parliamentary Assembly demanding greater attention to water contamination. This study joins emerging literature on the ability of citizens to mobilize around issues of environmental degradation and climate change if provided adequate information and tangible alternatives.

Author

• Erum Aly Haider, Georgetown University