Municipal services are in place to ensure citizens get the basic services they need.

Forward-thinking authorities recognize how important these services are in ensuring a good quality of life for its residents.

For this to happen, they typically receive grants than the national government collects from taxpayers. They do, at times, also collect some taxes or rates from residents.

Here are some of the best municipal services for citizens the world over.

1. Transportation

For residents in any city, a sound transportation system greatly supports most aspects of day to day living.

Getting to work, school and social places is dependent on both the infrastructure and transportation system in place.

This is especially true for residents without private vehicles.

Another innovation making inroads in developed countries is the bike-sharing program concept. With these, individuals can get a bike from different stations and drop them off at their destination. Aside from being a means of transportation, this concept also encourages cycling, which is known to have a myriad of health benefits.

1. Sewage Disposal and Garbage Disposal

As you can imagine a community without a proper sewage disposal system and garbage collection services will easily become inhabitable.

You would expect vermin, disease and poor air quality.

This makes this a fundamental municipal service. In developed cities, this function has been interwoven with recycling. This is an added benefit as it supports sustainability and people that are conscious about the environment.

2. Water Supply

Water is a basic need that essentially supports all aspects of life.

And not just water, but this should be good quality, safe, uncontaminated water.

For this to happen, a municipality is required to monitor its piped water systems and take occasional steps to test the water quality.

In addition to this, municipalities are tasked with;

• helping to prevent contamination
• detect and solve water contamination problems in a timely manner
• enforce water safety regulations and laws
• support information dissemination regarding the importance of safe drinking water

4. Electricity and Gas Supply

Electricity and gas are central to life in developed countries.

Municipalities have to ensure that there are in steady supply year-round and that any interruptions are managed within the shortest timelines. During cold winter months, an electricity outage can shut off heating which can lead to casualties.

The best municipalities around the world put mitigating measures in place, including having backup systems for their central lines.

Ultimately…

The best municipal services embody three things: affordability, access and reliability.

This is what makes residents feel their taxes have been channelled to their proper use and that they are getting value for money as well as adequate support from their local authorities.