Rural self-empowerment: the case of small water supply management in Northwest, Cameroon

• Published in: GeoJournal Vol. 85; no. 1; pp. 159 - 171
• Main Authors: Tantoh, Henry Bikwibili, McKay, Tracey J. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Access; Community health; Drinking water; Empowerment; Environmental Management; Geography; Households; Human Geography; Labour; Money; Rural areas; Rural communities; Social Sciences; Water consumption; Water conveyance; Water resources management; Water shortages; Water springs; Water supply; Water supply systems; Cameroon; Rural; Cameroon; Small water supply management; Accessibility; Community-based organizations
• DOI: 10.1007/s10708-018-9952-6
• ISSN: 0343-2521

Although water is critical for human wellbeing, being able to access a reliable supply of water remains a major challenge affecting rural communities in the developing world. Regrettably, most governments of the developing world have not managed to provide potable water to their rural communities. In some cases, such communities have had to build and manage their own water systems. This study examines one such case in rural Northwest Cameroon. It was found that the community, despite its meagre resources, had mobilized themselves, contributing money and labour to establish their own small scale water system. As a result, some 34% of households now have a private water connection, while 66% use communal taps. Despite this, some still relied on streams, springs and wells. Although households with private water connections consumed more water than those using communal taps, overall water consumption levels were still below acceptable universal standards. In addition, many residents still had to walk a considerable distance to collect water. What is more, there is no evidence that the water provided to households is safe to drink. Thus, although this community demand-driven approach improved access to water, all households could still be considered ‘water poor’. In addition, operational and maintenance challenges associated with the water supply systems impede long-term community health and development. Thus, while such small water supply systems are providing an essential lifeline of water to poor rural communities, the existing network needs to be upgraded and extended if full access to appropriate piped water is to be accomplished in rural Northwest Cameroon.