Emerging partnerships in water service provision in Owerri city, Nigeria

The central question of this study is: what should be the approach to municipal water provision in Owerri city? Is it through reliance on the government, NGOs, International actors or the private water investors? For the study both primary and secondary data were obtained and analysed. The study found that though most residents of Owerri city rely heavily on commercial borehole owners and water tanker drivers/water peddlers for their daily supplies, the government through its SWA is in control, and there is an absence of a popularly acceptable regulatory framework/water policy. It also found out water projects by international agencies and donors such as World Bank in water service provision in Owerri city which improved supply in the past also led to the emergence of fragmentation in service provision. The study equally found that, water governance and its institutions in the study area which operated under national and local forces is now tending towards the international. The study recommends that government should have a robust collaboration with the private sector and other community based organizations for its initiated tripartite partnership to be successful.