Cameroon Public Utilities Forum

Water   

Efforts to get adequate quantities of safe drinking water to every home continue to face formidable obstacles.

In urban areas, where the National Water Corporation (SNEC) operates, many still rely on wells and streams of doubtful quality for water supply. Very few have access to water from taps (public or private). In rural areas and urban centers that do not have SNEC, no coherent strategy appears in place for drinking water supply to the whole population. A strategy for the satisfaction of water needs all over Cameroon was expected to be defined during the Sixth Plan (1986-91) that was not implemented.

Also, in the SNEC areas, many complain of lack of information on SNEC operations, slow SNEC response to customer needs, demand from SNEC workers for extra money from customers on the pretext of having to pay transport to render services to customers, arbitrary billing of customers, etc. Getting redress from SNEC is also not easy, even through courts at local level (see proceedings of our test case before the Magistrate Court in Kumba).

And, in non-SNEC areas, several water supply projects are independently organized and operate, sometimes, in isolation and often without due consideration of inevitable increases in the living standards of some communities. The effect is often a quick return to an increasing state of inadequate supply of clean water.

We are always interested in your views on or experiences with SNEC and other water supply initiatives, to help develop the policies, laws and other resources that are now needed in Cameroon, to quickly supply every home with safe drinking water at the least possible cost.

Please let us know your water supply views and experiences. Click here to contact us.