Most low-income prepaid customers surveyed for this review were mainly positive about prepayment, despite its drawbacks, A key benefit for standpipe users is cheaper water and more autonomy. For those with a prepaid connection, better risk management is a big advantage, they can not run up bills they can not afford or get disconnected for nonpayment.
Disconnection of postpaying low-income households for nonpayment is widespread. Service providers in seven of the eight cities reviewed here didconnect their postpayment customers for arrears beyond a certain threshold. The exception is Mogale City, South Africa, where access to water is a constitutional right, and poor households, defined very broadly, get at least 6m3 of free water per month, The flow of water can only be restricted, not stopped.