Perceived Impact of Private Sector Involvement In Water Supply on the Urban Poor in Dar es Salaam

Abstract

This article expounds that the involvement of the private sector in water supply in Dar es Salaam is not perceived to be a panacea to the water problems facing the urban poor. This is chiefly because they have consistently experienced poor water supply regardless of the service providers. The article reveals that public provision of water to the urban poor have been grappling with huge demands for water resulted from poor water infrastructure, high operation costs, mismanagement, illegal connections, poor urban planning and limited investment in water supply services just to mention few. These bottlenecks have proven to be too stubborn even for business principles under privatisation to reverse. As a result the urban poor turn to informal alternatives which cost them dearly financially and health wise. Reversing the situation requires the public and private sectors to massively invest in the water infrastructure development and improve its management to meet the huge water demands of the urban poor.

Keywords: water supply, private sector, privatisation and urban poor