Civil Society Organizations (2 seats open)
Safe Water Network
Representative: Chris Williams, CEO | safewaternetwork.org
Safe Water Network brings a practical, operator-focused perspective grounded in over a decade of experience supporting decentralised and community-based water service models in underserved urban and peri-urban communities. Chris Williams brings 30+ years of global experience in water, urban development, and community-led economic development across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including leadership roles within the United Nations.
📄 Endorsement letter | [email protected]
East & Southern Africa — Public Water and Sanitation Utilities (1 seat open)
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Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company (KACWASCO)
Representative: Ms. Christabell Ashiono, Principal Legal Officer & Company Secretary | Kenya
KACWASCO emerged as the best-improved utility after WOP1, rising from WASREB IMPACT rank 39 to rank 5. Ashiono has 10+ years of experience in advocacy, human rights and institutional development, is an individual GWOPA member and moderates communities of practice.
Luapula Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC)
Representative: Mr. Golden Manyanga, Director of Operations and Technical Services | Zambia | lpwsc.co.zm
A results-driven water and sanitation utility with a strong track record in improving service delivery, operational efficiency, and knowledge sharing. LWSC actively aligns its work with GWOPA principles of peer-to-peer collaboration, capacity development, and sustainable utility performance — demonstrated through its EU-WOP partnership with Stadtentwässerung Dresden and the launch of Zambia's first biogas-powered wastewater treatment plant.
📄 Endorsement letter | [email protected]
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Nakuru Water & Sanitation Services Company Ltd (NAWASSCO)
Representative: Ms. Emmaculate Mutuku | Kenya
Drives inclusive urban sanitation through CWIS, faecal sludge management, pro-poor service expansion and blended financing approaches including sanitation levy financing. Vice Chair of the Pro-Poor Task Group under WASPA Kenya, spearheading peer learning across utilities on inclusive sanitation interventions.
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Nkana Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited
Representative: Ms. Schalla Mwakazanga / Dr Eng Steven Mwale, Managing Director | Zambia
Active in EU-WOP SEWATSAN, WaterWorX (Vitens Evides) and GIZ NEWZA. Growing centre of excellence for NRW management and institutional strengthening in Southern and Eastern Africa. Dr Mwale leads reforms focused on operational efficiency, customer service improvement, and sustainable water management.
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Rand Water
Representative: Dr Asief Alli, Programme Manager (Rand Water Academy & AWSISA) | South Africa
Leading public utility advancing sustainable water supply, institutional strengthening, and sector innovation. Dr Alli leads capacity development programmes at Rand Water Academy and convenes high-level dialogues through AWSISA, bridging policy, practice, and innovation to support GWOPA's utility strengthening mission.
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Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Tanga UWASA)
Representative: Mr. Geofrey Hilly | United Republic of Tanzania
Issued Africa's first local-currency green bond (~USD 20.8 million), listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange and cross-listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Won the IJ Global Award 2024 — Water Deal of the Year Africa. A model of governance, performance and ethical compliance in the public utility sector.
West & Central Africa — Public Water and Sanitation Utilities (1 seat open)
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Ghana Water Ltd
Representative: Ms. Faustina Boachie, Chief Manager, Low-Income Consumer Support | Ghana
Ghana's sole government-owned urban water utility, serving approximately 14 million people through 84 water systems. Boachie grew GWL's low-income function from a one-person desk into a strategic department, with pro-poor connection programmes exceeding targets. Active in GWOPA EU-WOP partnership with Guma Valley Water Company in Sierra Leone.
Togolese Water Company — Société Togolaise des Eaux (TdE)
Representative: Mr. Gbati Yawanke Wake, General Director | Togo | tde.tg
State-owned utility responsible for production and distribution of drinking water and collective wastewater treatment in urban and semi-urban Togo. Founding member and Executive Committee member of the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWA/AAEA). Has benefited from WOPs since 2014 with results including a new water analysis laboratory and ISO 9001 certification. Aims to become a reference drinking water operator and key player in climate resilience for West and Central Africa.
Latin America — Public Water and Sanitation Utilities (1 seat open)
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Companhia Estadual de Águas e Esgoto do Rio de Janeiro (CEDAE)
Representative: Mr. Aguinaldo Ballon, Director-President | Brazil
One of Brazil's leading public water utilities, operating the world's largest continuous water treatment plant and providing drinking water to approximately 10 million people. Strong champion of South-South cooperation and amplifying Latin American utility voices within the global network.
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Corporación del Acueducto y Alcantarillado de La Vega (CORAAVEGA)
Representative: Mr. Bartolo Omar Beato Díaz, Director General | Dominican Republic
WOP-LAC member committed to solidarity, peer support, technical cooperation, and knowledge exchange. Beato Díaz is the founding Director General; previously served on the ALOAS/WOP-LAC Steering Committee (2015–2018), with prior experience at INAPA and INDRI.
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EMAPAG-EP — Empresa Municipal de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado Guayaquil
Representative: Mr. David Ortiz | Ecuador
Guayaquil is approaching 100% wastewater treatment — a first for Latin America. EMAPAG-EP seeks to share this technical and political roadmap and exchange knowledge on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) to strengthen flood mitigation and climate resilience.
Arab States — Public Water and Sanitation Utilities (1 seat open)
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Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA)
Representative: Mr. Eng. Khaldon Khashman, Secretary General | Jordan
Over 45 years in water and wastewater management. Secretary General of ACWUA since 2009; former Chair of Miyahuna (Jordan Water Company) and Secretary General of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Member of the UN-Water Strategic Advisory Group on SDG 6 monitoring.
Private Water and Sanitation Utilities and Their Associations
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Banka BioLoo Limited
Representative: Mr. Sanjay Banka, Executive Chairman | India
Decentralised private water operator treating wastewater at source for 14 years. The Bioloo — flagship solution — converts fecal matter to water and biogas via a multi-chambered bio-digester. Banka is a prolific SDG 6 advocate who has spoken at the United Nations on sustainable WASH.
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Pan African Association of Sanitation Actors (PASA)
Representative: Mr. Kitchinme Bawa | Senegal
Connects non-sewered sanitation operators with government recognition and contracting frameworks across 31 African member states. Runs a continental NSS Operator Certification Protocol compliant with ISO 30500, ISO 24521, WHO FSM Guidelines, and the N'gor Declaration.
Others — NGOs, UN Organisations, Academic and Learning Institutions, Development Agencies, Regulators, Civil Society
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ESAWAS Regulators Association
Representative: Ms. Yvonne Magawa | Zambia
Regional body supporting WASH regulatory systems strengthening across Africa to improve sector governance, accountability, service provision performance, quality of service standards, affordability, sustainability and capacity development to accelerate SDG 6.
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Ministry of Water and Environment — Eastern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation (EUWS)
Representative: Mr. Deneth Ngabirano / Eng. Patrick Kayizzi, Partnership Liaison Officer | Uganda
Regional utility serving over 1.5 million people in Eastern Uganda. Completed EU-WOP Phase I as beneficiary alongside Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and WaterAid UK; transitions to supporting partner in EU-WOP Phase II alongside WaterAid Sweden and Karamoja Umbrella.
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HYDROAID — Water for Development Management Institute
Representative: Ms. Mercedes Bresso / Federico Perotti, Project Manager | Italy
27 years of experience in water sector training and capacity development; 9,000+ alumni; 62 international projects and 25 partnerships. Active WOP partner in Turin–Odisha (India) since 2022.
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International Water Association (IWA)
Representative: Ms. Daniela Bemfica / Prof. Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director | United Kingdom
Over 9,500 members across 140+ countries. Utilities are IWA's second-largest membership segment. The 2025–2030 Strategic Plan places utilities at the centre of IWA's work on resilient, inclusive and sustainable water services.
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National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Representative: Ms. Dr Mahreen Matto | India
India's premier urban think tank with 40+ years of experience. Leads the Sanitation Capacity Building Platform (SCBP). Dr Matto brings 15 years of multidisciplinary experience in urban water and wastewater management across South Asia and Africa, with 25+ publications.
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Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI)
Representative: Mr. Temple Oraeki | Nigeria
Multi-award-winning national civil society network advancing inclusive, rights-based WASH governance in Nigeria. Bridges service providers, government institutions and parliament; fosters accountability, climate justice, and the enabling environment for effective WOPs.
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Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN)
Representative: Mr. Sean Furey / Euphresia Luseka | Switzerland
Global network raising standards of knowledge, technical competence and policy influence in rural water supply. Focuses on connecting urban utilities with rural and small-town systems, Leave No One Behind, and human rights-based approaches to service delivery.
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SUPSI — University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland
Representative: Ms. Giulia Celentano / Prof. Claudio Valsangiacomo | Switzerland
Runs an SDC-supported WOP linking the water utilities of Hawassa (Ethiopia) and Lugano (Switzerland) together with their respective universities. Valsangiacomo organised and moderated the "Art of Partnering" session at the GWOPA 2025 Congress in Bonn.
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Tana Water Works Development Agency (TWWDA)
Representative: Mr. Francis Kiura, Manager Research, Strategy and Planning | Kenya
State corporation providing bulk water infrastructure and technical capacity development to 20+ water service providers across five counties in central Kenya. Brings practical experience at the intersection of infrastructure development, utility strengthening and climate resilience.
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WaterAid UK
Representative: Ms. Lungi Biyela | United Kingdom
Active in 22 countries. Runs Sanitation and Water Operator Partnerships (SWOPs) since 2017; currently three SWOPs in Southern Africa and one in South-East Asia. Additional partner in EU-WOP Phase I in Nepal and Uganda.
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Water.org
Representative: Mr. Benjamin Mandell | United States of America
Global nonprofit working at the intersection of water access, utility finance, and institutional strengthening. Mobilises blended and commercial capital for public utilities in emerging and climate-vulnerable contexts, improving utility creditworthiness and long-term service delivery.
Worker and Trade Unions
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Water Services Workers Union (WaSWU)
Representative: Mr. Francis Makokha, National Chairman | Kenya
Collective voice of water and sanitation workers across Kenya, advocating for workforce considerations in utility reform, occupational health and safety, and capacity development. Participation in GWOPA Steering Committee would ensure Water Operators' Partnerships recognise human resources as a key pillar of sustainability and resilience.