ANDREW NICKSON is Reader in Public Management and Latin American Development, School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham, where he directs the Masters in Governance and Development Management programme of the International Development Department (IDD). He has extensive worldwide experience of teaching, research and consultancy on public administration reform, decentralisation, and regulation of privatised public utilities. RICHARD FRANCEYS is Senior Lecturer in Water and Sanitation Management at Cranfield University and a member of 'WaterVoice Central', the Central Customer Services Committee of OFWAT, the UK water regulator. He has previously spent several years working with an NGO in Sudan.

• Reform of the Urban Water Sector and the Role of Government The Structure and Performance of Urban Water Utilities Explanations of Performance and Reform Responses Choosing Public Private Partnerships The Challenge of the Concession Model Addressing the Water Needs of the Urban Poor Regulating and Enabling the Direct Providers Taking Account of Capacity Reforming Urban Water Sector Reform