Water in rural areas can act as a catalyst for development. This paper presents a brief theoretical overview of trends of rural domestic water usage in southern Africa. It highlights missing links in contemporary research, project design and implementation, and gives ~pecific emphasis to. organisati_onal aspects. 'f!1e failure to give adcq~atc attention to human infrastructure, specifically organisational issues, often results in unsustainable water projects. Grassroots legal issues have received scant attention. The evolutionary process of organising can be assisted by utilising and adapting conventional legal principles and frameworks. These frameworks can increase the community's capacity to access, and control, the resources it requires for development. This paper outlines a variety of organisational options and examines their legal implications. These are illustrated by a specific case study.