Water for daily life: Estimating basic household water needs in Lima and Quito

This paper estimates the basic water needs, understood as the volume of water necessary to fulfill a household's core domestic activities, among low-income households in Lima (Peru) and Quito (Ecuador). It utilizes water utility records, detailed socioeconomic characteristics from a novel survey, and climate variables. In Lima, basic water needs are estimated at 15.9 m 3 per household in July (winter) and 17.8 m 3 in January (summer). With fewer seasonal variations in Quito, basic water needs are 20.2 m 3 per household in both months. These results provide important insights for the design of water policies and tariff structures. • The concept of basic water needs is key for tariff design. • On average, basic water needs are higher in Quito than in Lima. • The seasonality of basic water needs depends on climate and geography. • Tariff design must account for the particularities of each context.