Water Privatization and Public Rights in the DRC: The Case of Community-Managed Water Systems (ASUREP) in Kinshasa’s Peri-Urban Neighborhoods of Kisenso and Nsele

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to more than half of Africa’s freshwater resources, yet it is a striking irony that millions of its people still struggle to find clean drinking water. This issue isn’t due to a lack of water; rather, it is a result of ongoing governance problems, insufficient investment in infrastructure, rapid urban growth, and deep-rooted corruption. In Kinshasa and other semi-urban cities, the challenges are particularly severe, especially in the outskirts, where government services lack proper reach, as the current infrastructure struggles to keep up with the rapidly growing population. To address this problem, decentralized initiatives like Associations d’Usagers de l’Eau Potable (ASUREP) have stepped in to create community-driven mini water networks. This article takes a closer look at the ASUREP model in the slum areas of Kinshasa, highlighting its effectiveness in improving water access, social unity, and strengthening local governance. Although the DRC’s legal and institutional frameworks acknowledge water as a basic right and consider integrated water resource management, there are still significant gaps in how these policies are put into action. The findings suggest that community-driven approaches like ASUREP, along with necessary regulatory changes and local empowerment, could pave the way for sustainable water management in the rapidly expanding urban areas of the DRC.