The problem of rivers particularly in the context of governance and management is one of the preeminentrnproblems in the contemporary era. The causes of the urban river resource crisis emerge from differentrnfactors. The current river crisis has been mainly caused not just by a lack of technology but also by a failurernin the governance structures. In the same way, the problem of weak cross-sectoral collaboration for therngovernance of rivers is one of the concerns in Addis Ababa. Akaki River is facing serious deterioration duernto many factors. It is the most polluted river due to it surrounded by industries. The main objective of thisrnthesis was to assess the existing practice of responsible institutions' collaboration towards sustainablernwater quality of Akaki River and to investigate challenges affecting the successful collaboration ofrnresponsible government institutions. A mixed type of research method with a descriptive case studyrnapproach was employed. Both primary and secondary data were used for this research and data wererncollected through questionnaires, key informant interviews, and document analysis. The research assessedrnthe existing policy and regulatory frameworks for surface water quality management and existing practicesrnof responsible governmental institutions towards the water quality of Akaki River. Based on the findingsrnthe existing collaboration among responsible institutions is very problematic. Lack of regularrncommunication among institutions, lack of integrated planning, lack of shared governance and jointrndecision making practice, lack of clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, lack of adequate humanrnand financial resources and lack of trust between collaborators institutions were the main problems thatrnwere identified. The challenges affecting their collaborative effort for the management of Akaki River arernthe situation-specific, institutional, process-related, and social context. Therefore, a collaborative effort ofrnall responsible institutions is highly needed to minimize and control the water quality problem of the AkakirnRiver. Follow-up and monitoring of the water quality of the river is of utmost importance. Such regularrnfollow-up is also required for the sources that discharge into it. In relation to this, institutional capacity inrnlaboratory facilities and technical workforce are areas that need focus. Together with supportive legislationrnfor protecting water quality, capacity building in these aspects will ultimately bring about improvement ofrnthe water quality of Akaki River. There is a need for the city of Addis Ababa to plan for and manage itsrnwater resources holistically and also different sectors in government have to work together to protect riverrnsystems.The government should fill the gap in policy and legal frameworks in order to address the waterrnpollution problem effectively. It should also define clear roles and responsibilities to each institution withrna cosnsistent and clear organizational structure.