Water delivery and the creation of hydrosocial routes: Comparing five neighborhoods in Niamey, Niger

Abstract

In cities of the Global South, including many African cities, large segments of the population are underserved by the city’s formal water regime. In these situations, informal or hybrid methods of water access emerge, often in the form of small water enterprises (SWEs). Spaces occupied, traveled through, and served by SWEs lead to new spaces of access in cities where they are present. We introduce the concept of hydrosocial routes, or pathways established by human processes involved in linking water sources to consumers. This article examines the routes created by one SWE in Niamey, Niger: that of house-to-house water delivery. It draws from the concept of hydrosocial territories, but extends the discussion to include the pathways that exist within, extend, or connect hydrosocial territories. Using participant observation and geographic information systems to map delivery routes of house-to-house water vendors, we show how cultural norms of the water delivery economy in Niamey create hydrosocial routes. We argue that while hydrosocial territories are often defined by conflict, the hydrosocial routes, in this case, help to prevent conflict and encourage equity among vendors in the hybrid system of water delivery. Understanding the context of how these routes are established and maintained helps us better understand urban water vending and water access challenges in Niamey and elsewhere.