Munyayi, RennieSwatuk, Larry AMazvimavi, DominicChiramba, ThomasMapani, Benjamin2026-05-072026-05-072026Munyayi, R., Swatuk, L.A., Mazvimavi, D., Chiramba, T. and Mapani, B., 2026. Household Water Insecurity Severity Across Urban Areas with Varying Aridity Levels in Sub-Saharan Africa: Examples from Namibia. Water Security, 28, p.100200.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasec.2026.100200https://hdl.handle.net/10566/22346Water insecurity is shaped not only by water availability but also by governance and service systems, an issue that is increasingly pressing in cities. In the African policy context, the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, positions water security and safe sanitation as central to achieving Agenda 2063. Framing household water insecurity through reliability and spatial equity, speaks directly to these continental aspirations. This study examines household water insecurity in three Namibian towns, (Ongwediva, Rundu, and Windhoek), which differ in their hydroclimatic conditions and water supply systems. Drawing on the 12-item Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale and supplementary survey data, we examine how the severity of household water insecurity varies across towns and across socio-spatial groups within each town. The findings show significant between- and within-town differences. Windhoek, the capital city and economic hub of the country, faces severe physical water scarcity. Respondents in Windhoek report lower water insecurity scores, which could be explained by the city’s long-standing investment in augmenting the water supply and consistent promotion of water demand management strategies. Rundu, the second-largest town, is located in a water-rich basin (the Okavango Basin) and has the highest household water insecurity scores. These findings could result from inadequate and ageing water infrastructure and institutional constraints that affect the continuity of supply. In Ongwediva, relatively high levels of service coverage do not fully protect households from insecurity, as the system remains vulnerable due to its dependence on a long-distance transboundary transfer corridor that is affected by other factors, such as power cuts. In town comparisons reveal that informal and higher-density suburbs tend to have higher insecurity scores than other residential areas. These findings suggest that household water security is rarely the result of hydrology alone. Infrastructure constraints, institutional capacity, and climate variability often intersect in ways that shape the reliability of water services.enGovernanceInequalityIntermittencyNamibiaReliabilityArticle