Access to drinking water remains a major challenge in several West African cities, particularly in Parakou (Benin), where existing public water infrastructure is struggling to meet growing demand. Faced with this deficiency, populations are developing alternative solutions such as Autonomous Water Posts (AWP), which are becoming essential levers of resilience. The research analyzes their role in helping populations adapt to the lack of water infrastructure. It is based on a mixed methodology that combines field surveys, semi-structured interviews, and direct observations. The results reveal that Parakou needs 1,631 water points, while it only has 184 functional structures, representing a coverage rate of 11.28% and a deficit of approximately 89%. This deficit is aggravated by an insufficient supply from SONEB, despite a 70% increase in production between 2019 and 2023. As a result, a deficit of approximately 2 million cubic meters of water remained in 2023. In this context, family (76.56%), community (7.34%) or denominational (16.09%) AWP have multiplied, particularly in the 2nd district and contribute 2.94% to meeting household water needs. All AWP contribute 41% of the water needs of the households concerned. Eighty percent of respondents considered AWP a sustainable alternative, while the remaining 20 percent cited the high cost of implementation as the main obstacle to their adoption. The research suggests that these local initiatives should be supervised and integrated into public policies to strengthen equitable and sustainable access to drinking water.