Before gaining independence in 1990, both Namibia and Lithuania were part of a
country ruled by a strong central government. Since independence, both countries
have decentralized their administrative structure to a large degree, and local
authorities have assumed a vital role as providers of services to citizens. Public
water services are among the key responsibilities of local authorities. The conditions
under which municipalities provide water services are quite different in these
two countries. Lithuania was independent between the two world wars, and water
supply was the responsibility of municipalities but transferred to state water companies
during the Soviet regime. In Namibia, only a few of the largest towns operated
their own water services before independence, and the rest of the country was
taken care of by the centrally managed Department of Water Affairs. This article
examines how well this worthy principle of decentralization has succeeded and
how well local authorities have managed in their task to provide water services to
the citizens.