Water services in small towns: at the tail end of development

Mireia Tutusaus and Klaas Schwartz edited a special issue on “Water Services in small towns in developing countries” in the journal Water Policy. They highlight how water services management on the ground diverges from the models officially adopted, and they suggest two main explanations behind this discrepancy.

This special issue builds on ongoing conversations and research within the Water governance Chair Group on water services in small towns. In a previous post we already discussed the importance of paying more attention to the peculiarities of water services in small towns and the need to consider new paradigms to address small town needs, especially if we are serious about reaching the SDGs’ targets.

We also pointed at the fact that water services in small town remain an uncharted field of research, with little case studies available to scholars and practitioners. That’s why, some time back in 2015 (already!), we thought of putting together a special issue that would reflect the ‘real’ approaches and experiences of water supply in small towns.

Finally the special issue has been published by Water Policy! Bringing together empirical testimonies from Burkina Faso, Nepal, India, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, we highlight the challenges in implementing very […]

Full article: Water Services in small towns: at the tail end of development