Initiatives to meet the challenge of providing water services to the most underprivileged communities: tools and oportunities--the case of Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EEPPM).

Due to problems such as migration from rural areas to cities and to the difficulties generated by those displaced by violence, the water utility companies in developing counties are faced with the challenge of supplying this service to communities that have settled in an irregular and disorganized manner. The challenge public utility services face is solving the problem without letting such circumstances impinge on the financial feasibility of the company. In order to achieve this, it is essential to design programs with a prominent degree of community participation and self-management, which may even change this social problem into a commercial opportunity. This paper portrays EEPPM's experience in four successful programs within this field, illustrating their benefits as regards sustainability and replication.