Despite efforts by the government and numerous non-governmental organizations, access has not much improved since the end of the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2002, stagnating at about 50% and even declining in rural areas.

[8] However, estimating the number of people with access to safe drinking water in a developing country is a challenging task.

Open wells, unprotected springs, rivers, lakes and ponds are not considered improved water sources.

[9] Sierra Leone is endowed with abundant water resources, including seven major rivers: the Kolenté (Great Scarcies), Kaba, Rokel, Pampana (Jong), Sewa, Moa, and Mano.

The main source of piped water for Greater Freetown, an urban agglomeration of about two million, is the Guma dam located in the Western Area Forest Reserve.

According to a study by the consulting firm Atkins and Oxfam the dam “is the answer to the water supply crisis in Freetown”.

[11] A joint study by the WHO and the World Bank recommended the introduction of cost recovery and the establishment of a national water company.

As a result, a law was passed in 1988 that introduced the principle of cost recovery and established the Sierra Leone Water Company (Salwaco).

Only for commercial customers and public institutions meters were installed and bills began, in principle, to be based on consumption.

The Sierra Leone Civil War - which erupted in 1991, escalated in 1996-98 and finally ended in 2002 - was a tremendous setback for the country.

The social fabric of the country was severely damaged with child soldiers having committed atrocities and families disrupted.

The dam, water treatment plant and transmission pipelines serving Freetown had been rehabilitated and their capacities were expanded between 1996 and 2002 in the midst of the Civil War with support from the World Bank.

The return of peace and of external donors allowed not only an expansion of investments in water supply, but spurred also a renewed debate about sector reforms.

For example, the establishment of an autonomous public utilities regulatory body that would approve requests for tariff increases has been discussed.

Salwaco is also supposed to assist local councils in other parts of the country in planning, building, operating and maintaining water systems, but has little capacity to do so.

Water supply and sanitation departments were supposed to be set up in 2007 in local councils, but it is unclear to what extent this has happened.

[2] For more recent and detailed information see: World Bank:Sierra Leone Public Expenditure Review for Water and Sanitation 2002 To 2009, retrieved on 7 November 2012 The EU, UNICEF, GIZ from Germany, the World Bank, Danida from Denmark, and JICA from Japan supported water supply in Sierra Leone.

[18] The Islamic Development Bank provided a loan of US$4.8 million for water supply in Kailahum, Kenema, Kono and Tonkolili Districts.