Safe Drinking Water and Local Governments: A Study of Bahawalpur Metropolitan Corporation (2000-21)

Abstract

Safe Drinking Water is a fundamental human requirement, which necessitates efficient management for better service delivery. Safe water governance remains hardly understood in Pakistan, even though water-related issues are widespread in the country. Pakistan is a federal state with a three-tier government i.e. national, provincial, and district. Constitutionally, the provision of safe drinking water to all citizens is a provincial responsibility. This research is an analysis of the decentralized water services in Bahawalpur Metropolitan by focusing on the nature of consecutive local governments during 2000-21. The paper examines decentralized initiatives, institutional design, and implementation strategies in the water sector. The study uses primary data from a survey involving 300 respondents and records of water-related institutions. Secondary evidence from published sources has also been utilized. Findings of the research point to the importance of decentralization particularly in stakeholder participation on water issues, power, and responsibilities in the water sector.