Today, UN-Habitat's Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) and WaterWorX have re-launched the new Global WOPs Community platform, introducing an upgraded digital environment designed to strengthen networking, collaboration, peer learning and knowledge exchange across the Alliance, with financial support from the Dutch Government funded Water and Development Partnership Programme and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The renewed platform provides a modern and interactive space where water and sanitation operators, partners and sector practitioners can continue to connect easily, share operational experience, access technical resources and participate in ten thematic Communities of Practice along with several regional and programme level groups. The upgrade reflects continued efforts to strengthen digital collaboration tools that support practical capacity development across utilities and partner organizations.
The platform introduces several new features aimed at improving accessibility, engagement, and knowledge sharing. These include an integrated community feed tailored to users’ group participation, a centralized events hub with a cross-community calendar, structured courses and learning paths with progress tracking, and a strengthened knowledge library with centralized search. The platform also introduces an AI chatbot, Rio, to support navigation and knowledge access, along with curated content spaces for news, publications, and newsletters. Together, these upgrades make the Communities of Practice more accessible and dynamic, supporting both ongoing peer exchange and structured learning across regions and operating contexts.
Existing members can access the new Global WOPs Community using their previous login credentials. All discussions, shared materials, and community contributions have been fully migrated, ensuring continuity while expanding opportunities for interaction and learning.
The platform will also host a new series of online courses, expert sessions, and community learning activities, further strengthening its role as a central hub for practitioner-driven exchange across the Alliance, kicking off with the Drinking Water Safety Planning Course this month. With the launch of the new Global WOPs Community, GWOPA reinforces its commitment to peer-to-peer cooperation, practical knowledge sharing, and sustained professional exchange to support improved water and sanitation services worldwide.
By strengthening peer-to-peer capacity development among water and sanitation service providers, the Global WOPs Community directly supports implementation of the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan, including its focus on inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development. The platform helps operationalize the links between SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) by connecting utilities, local authorities and partners around practical solutions that improve service delivery, reduce vulnerability and strengthen urban resilience. This is also timely in the lead-up to the 2026 UN Water Conference, where evidence of what works in practice – including Water Operators’ Partnerships – will be essential to inform policy dialogue, mobilize investment and accelerate implementation at scale.
Members and partners are invited to log in, explore the new features, and actively contribute to the next phase of global WOPs collaboration. For those not yet members, GWOPA membership solidifies commitment to a global coalition which supports improved water and sanitation access to all, with membership being free and available to individuals and institutions. Read more on membership here.
