Abstract
This paper describes the serious water shortages that have been a feature of life in Karachi in recent years, and how community-managed public tanks (awami tanks) have been used in Orangi, Karachi’s largest informal settlement, to cope with the situation. These tanks are an example of a water supply service developed as a cooperative arrangement between informally developed community organizations and public sector agencies. The paper explores the partnerships between service providers, recipients of the service and other related stakeholders.