Water access in global South cities: The challenges of intermittency and affordability

The article analyzes water access in cities in the global South. We examine two challenges to water access from the perspective of households: intermittent services and affordability. The article analyzes primary and secondary data from 15 cities and one corresponding informal or low-income settlement in each city in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. In 12 out of 15 cities analyzed, households connected to the municipal piped system received water intermittently, which compromises quality. In the 15 informal settlements studied, seven receive water less than 17 hours a week. Households that lack access to publicly provided water obtain water from alternative sources which can cost up to 52 times as much. In informal and low-income settlements in three cities, Cochabamba, Kampala, and Mzuzu, basic supplies of water appear unaffordable to households with average income. Our analysis points to the need for cities and water utilities to work together to extend the public piped networks, address intermittent services, and ensure adequate supplies of water are affordable. Looking forward it will be increasingly difficult for cities to keep pace with the growing demand for water, hence the urgency to change our collective ethos about water access and improve modalities of provision now.