The importance of community-based informal water supply systems in the developing world and the need for formal sector support

Bibliographic Data

ID4641205
AuthorsElisabeth S Liddle (Department of Geography University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand, corresponding author), Sarah M Mager (Department of Geography University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand), Sarah Mager (0000-0001-6610-5874, University of Otago), Etienne Nel (0000-0002-8401-3698, University of Otago), Etienne L Nel (Department of Geography University of Otago Dunedin 9054 New Zealand)
Year2016
Volume182
Issue1
Pages85-96
Publication date2016-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeographical Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-7398 • E-ISSN: 1475-4959
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/geoj.12117
OpenAlexW2167726889
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited19

Informal community-based supply, characterised by abstractions from surface water and shallow wells, is the main water supply source in the urban areas of developing nations. Formal sector supply has failed to extend their services to many urban areas yet the formal sector continues to view these community-based practices as small-scale, traditional and 'backward', and ones that must be eradicated from urban areas. While the formal sector continues to idealise the notion of the 'modern infrastructure ideal', based solely upon the expansion of piping networks, this paper argues against this ideal, instead presenting an opportunity for 'institutional bricolage' between the formal sector and the techniques that have arisen as a part of informal community-based water supply in developing nations. Based on interview and questionnaire data, this paper uses the city of Ndola, Zambia to demonstrate the resilience that has arisen within communities as a response to the failure of the formal sector, and hence the value of informal supply systems in the future water provisioning policies for developing cities. Informal supply is abundant in Ndola and local communities have taken their pre-existing rural customs and adapted these to provide water in the urban context; so that hand dug shallow wells now dominate supply. These practices have been successful in providing daily water, however, challenges remain, for example ensuring safe water quality with appropriate well protection. Herein lies the opportunity for the formal sector to become involved in informal community-based supply; instead of aiming to marginalise the residents of informal areas out of urban centres, the formal sector should adopt and better support the techniques used in informal areas, for example, through well protection education and provision of resources, to help in achieving the MDG for safe water

Business · Context (archaeology · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Informal sector · Water supply · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Environmental Engineering · Environmental Science · Urban and Rural Development Challenges · Water Governance and Infrastructure

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