Drinking Water Safety Governance and Accountability in Small Towns in Imo State, South East Nigeria

Governance and accountability frameworks for drinking water safety in small towns occupy an institutional gap between urban water utility management and rural community water supply approaches, and their effectiveness in Nigeria remains poorly studied. This study analyzed drinking water safety governance and accountability mechanisms in eight small towns in Imo State, South East Nigeria. A governance assessment framework adapted from the UN Economic Commission for Europe Protocol on Water and Health was applied through key informant interviews with local government officials, community-based water management committees, state water board representatives, and civil society organizations. Document reviews covered local water safety plans, budget allocations, audit reports, and water quality monitoring records. Community household surveys were administered to 400 residents. Results revealed that only three of eight towns had functioning community water management committees, and none had a documented water safety plan. Accountability mechanisms including public reporting of water quality data were absent in all eight towns. Budget allocations for water system maintenance averaged 1.3 million naira per town per year, covering less than twenty percent of estimated maintenance needs. Water quality testing was conducted irregularly in all towns, with no standardized frequency. Only seventeen percent of residents reported being informed about their water quality by any authority. The study provides an original governance assessment contributing to the limited literature on small-town water safety governance in Nigeria. Recommendations include community water safety plan development support, strengthened state oversight, and citizen score card accountability mechanisms. Keywords: water safety governance, accountability, small towns, Imo State, WASH policy.