Governance and Civic Capacity for the Provision of Drinking Water in Urban Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyse governance and civic capacity for service delivery in the drinking water sector in urban Sindh, Pakistan. The research was designed to systematically analyse the patterns of success and failure of drinking water initiatives in Hyderabad and Sukkur using qualitative methodology with Focus Group Discussion and interviews to understand the roles of collective action, partnerships, local experiences and cooperation alongside governmental and regulatory oversight related to drinking water. It highlights incentives for different actors involved in infrastructure development and maintenance, pricing and regulation. Case studies of collective action in the drinking water sector across Sindh have also been discussed. The main findings of the study are that piped drinking water quality remains poor in emerging cities like Hyderabad and Sukkur and citizen participation in water governance is very limited due to the obstructionist attitudes of local water management bureaucracy. Participatory approaches in governance can be used to harness action from the community in designing, planning and overseeing water service delivery. When used effectively, such models can help inform policymakers, improve knowledge about existing infrastructure, enhance access to information and reduce corruption.