Almost 100% of the urban population has access to drinking water and as of 2007 about 82% of it was connected to a sewerage network with treatment (Figure 10.3). This is the result of a modern and effective institutional and policy framework that was made possible by a proactive process of privatisation of water utilities initiated in the late 1990s. The framework combines: i) high-quality regulation; ii) water operators (in most cases private sector providers) being allowed to recover the full cost of service provision, thereby enabling investment in assuring coverage and quality of service; and iii) an innovative system of subsidies targeted to poor consumers to ensure affordability.