Efffect of poor performance of water utilities in Port Harcourt city, Nigeria

This paper presents the impacts that the poor performance of the Rivers State Water Board (RSWB) had on the residents of Port Harcourt city, Rivers State, –Nigeria. Using questionnaires administered to residents of the city, a study found that only 4.5% depended solely on the RSWB to meet their water needs. This very poor performance by the utility, residents resorted to self-service by drilling individual boreholes and using informal vending services. As a result of this, 78% of respondents depended solely on boreholes, 13% on informal vendors. 4.5% relied on the RSWB and still had boreholes. This paper discusses these access and quality of service issues, and highlights recent reforms in Rivers State.