Publications

This Practice Brief shares experiences from SNV’s practice in supporting small town water companies in several African countries. As part of sector-wide reforms being undertaken in these countries and elsewhere in Africa, dedicated agencies have been created to deliver water and sanitation services to local populations. Their emergence marks the transition from poorly-managed and inefficient water utilities to more commercially viable service providers that can expand and sustain access to affordable basic services. SNV has provided extensive capacity building support to enable the nascent utilities to improve their service delivery, with a focus on enhancing their planning and operational capacities. Linked to this, significant efforts have been made to strengthen relations between small town water companies, their customers and other stakeholders.

One of the arguments commonly advanced against commercialisation is that this will take place at the expense of the poor. While this risk is acknowledged, the experiences discussed in the Practice Brief confirm that poorer groups in small towns and peri-urban areas - who are disproportionately affected by inadequate services - can benefit from socially responsible commercialisation. However, targeted support needs to be combined with pro-poor policies if it is to deliver the desired results.