An investigation of a partnership approach for providing water services to informal settlements in Dar-Es-Salaam and Lilongwe

This thesis investigates whether adoption of partnerships between water utilities and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in Sub-Saharan Africa can improve water services to informal urban settlements. The study is particularly relevant because over 1 billion of the world's population have no access to clean water supply with many living in urban areas. The lack of adequate resources coupled with insufficiency of conventional approaches has rendered it impossible for urban utilities to deliver sustainable water services to all customers, including the informal settlements. The thesis proposes that partnership between water utilities and CBOs is a viable approach for improving water services to informal settlements. The thesis enhances understanding of the context in which such partnerships could be developed.