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In 1992, Mayor Gabriel Garcia Romero confronted a situation all too familiar in developing countriesùan inadequate and under capitalized water system. Only 28 percent of Cartagena's households had reliable drinking water. Thirty percent were not hooked-up to the system, and the remaining 42 percent had access, but their supply was frequently interrupted. Less than half the population had sewerage services, and there was no wastewater treatment - a problem with serious implications for public health. The water system had not been maintained adequately for more than a decade, and losses were estimated at 52 percent of the total supply. Only a percentage of the customers received bills, and many of these were never collected. Prices remained below cost, so even if the bills were collected, revenues would not have covered expenses.