Publication

This paper presents the findings of one of two country case studies conducted as part of a broader project entitled ‘Analysing the governance and political economy of water and sanitation service delivery’, commissioned by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). After extensive consultation with the DFID-Sierra Leone country office and their development partners, the paper highlights the inability to set, monitor, and enforce appropriate tariffs for urban water services (specifically in Freetown) as a key development problem. Accordingly, the financial sustainability of the sector and, subsequently, the country’s ability to sustain and expand access to clean water to meet the Millennium Development goals, will depend on increasing revenues from tariffs.