Analysis of Water Point Management and Maintenance Systems in Tropical Environments: Case Study of Okola Municipality (Cameroon, Central Africa)

Rural water infrastructure sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa is significantly hindered by weak management and maintenance systems. This study assessed water point governance in Okola Municipality, Cameroon, to identify factors affecting infrastructure sustainability and evaluate maintenance practices. Using a mixed-methods approach—field observations, household surveys (n = 80), and interviews across 12 villages—data were collected on 38 facilities (28 boreholes, 10 wells) and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and SWOT analysis. Findings show that 50% of facilities were non-functional (χ2 = 12.4, p < 0.01), resulting in only 26% water coverage. Management structures were largely inadequate: 57% of water points lacked committees, and 58% of existing committees were untrained (p < 0.05). Conflicts were common, with 75% involving users and committees, and 35% related to operational issues. India Mark II pumps dominated (64%), while pump aging explained 62% of failures. Financial management was also weak, as only 43% of committees kept operational accounts and none established renewal funds. Overall, results indicate that current maintenance practices are insufficient to ensure sustainable service delivery. Strengthening preventive maintenance, improving financial transparency, and building stakeholder capacity are essential. Cost-benefit analysis suggests that raising annual household contributions from 6,000 to 12,045 FCFA would significantly improve long-term sustainability.