Effects of Non-revenue Water on the Operational Efficiency of Water Utility in the Republic of Benin: A Case Study of SONEB in Parakou

Djigbo Félicien BADOU^{1, 2,} , Okombawa Adolphe SODJAHIN³ and Agnidé Emmanuel Lawin²

¹School of Horticulture and Green Space Management, National University of Agriculture, Kétou, Benin

²Laboratory of Applied Hydrology, National Water Institute, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Benin

³Institute for Water and Energy Sciences (Including Climate Change), Pan African University (PAUWES), Abou Bekr Belkaid University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria

Cite this paper:
Djigbo Félicien BADOU, Okombawa Adolphe SODJAHIN and Agnidé Emmanuel Lawin. Effects of Non-revenue Water on the Operational Efficiency of Water Utility in the Republic of Benin: A Case Study of SONEB in Parakou. American Journal of Water Resources. 2026; 14(1):17-26. doi: 10.12691/ajwr-14-1-3

Abstract

Non-revenue water (NRW) presents a critical challenge to water security in Sub-Saharan Africa, directly undermining the financial viability and operational efficiency of public utilities. However, comprehensive studies quantifying its multifaceted impacts and root causes within specific utility contexts remain limited. This study addresses this gap through a mixed-methods assessment of the Société Nationale des Eaux du Bénin (SONEB) in Parakou, Benin. Analysis of utility records (2012-2024), household surveys (n=204), and semi-structured staff interviews (n=17) quantified NRW and evaluated its impacts across technical, commercial, financial, institutional, and customer-oriented performance dimensions. Results identify an NRW rate of 39% in 2024, significantly exceeding best-practice thresholds. While 96.6% of customers reported a reliable water supply, a critical service paradox exists: satisfaction is severely undermined by billing inefficiencies, with 54.1% experiencing delayed bills and 68.1% perceiving tariffs as excessive. Financially, the utility is crippled by a revenue collection efficiency averaging only 50.7%. The drivers are systemic, encompassing aging infrastructure, frequent leaks, absence of network sectorization, illegal connections, metering inaccuracies, and the critical institutional gap created by the dissolution of the dedicated NRW management unit. The study concludes by proposing evidence-based recommendations for SONEB, which are scalable to comparable utilities in the region to transition towards financial sustainability and improved service delivery.

Keywords:
non-revenue water management water utility performance SONEB Parakou Benin

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