A high value may indicate inefficient use of staff, a low degree of automation and/or low wage levels. The staff ratio has remained stable over the period and has not been driven by reductions in volumes of water sold, as the utilities still have to operate the same oversized infrastructure and associated equipment. In the region, this ratio is almost consistently above 1.5 staff per 1 000 people served, except in Azerbaijan where the ratio has consistently remained below 1.