EU-WOP
The European Union Water Operators' Partnerships Programme, or EU-WOP, is funded by the European Union and managed by the GWOPA Secretariat at UN-Habitat. 

 

Initiated in 2020, the first phase of the Programme is supporting 22 Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) projects across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Extended until 2030 with €14 million of additional support from the European Union, GWOPA will invite WOP project proposals for consideration in April 2025.

EU-WOP 2

A second phase of the EU-WOP Programme, launched in 2024, will run until 2030. The new phase will support the development of 15-20 new Water Operators' Partnerships while expanding or scaling up successful partnerships from Phase I for four more years. 

The EU-WOP 2 will continue to support utilities in developing, anchoring and applying capacity for sustainable performance improvements. The new phase will further emphasize the potential of digitalization, investment and human rights frameworks to leverage capacity improvements for sustainable services.

Utilities in eligible countries that are committed to making transformative improvements towards the SDGs or supporting their peer utilities are encouraged to seize the opportunity presented by the new phase of the programme. The call for partnership proposals will be disseminated in April 2025. 

For information on the 2025 call for proposals to the EU-WOP Programme, please sign up for our newsletter.

Partnerships

Discover the EU-WOP 1 Projects

Why EU-WOP?

2.2 billion people cannot count on safe, clean water, available on premises whenever they need it, and 3.5 billion people lack sanitation systems that protect them from disease. Effective local water and sanitation service providers are key to ensuring this situation improves. Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) have a proven track record of helping these service providers improve their operations, increase their efficiency and effectiveness, and make local progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6.

About the European WOPs Programme

WOPs are peer support arrangements between two or more water operators, carried out on a not-for-profit basis. Through mentorship, WOPs aim to progressively strengthen beneficiary utilities’ capacity and performance on management, financial and technical levels to implement operational and organizational changes that lead to better and more sustainable services. Rather than substituting capacity, WOPs help local utility staff to make lasting improvements that continue well beyond the life of the partnership.
The EU-WOP Programme selects, funds and supports Water Operators' Partnerships projects. In selected partnerships identified through a competitive call for proposals, utility peers work together to improve their capacity and performance towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Each WOP project receives approximately €100,000 per year to engage in dedicated co-learning and capacity development activities. 
 

Highlights from EU-WOP 1

Training
Over 1,800 utility staff so far have boosted job skills, safety and satisfaction by collaborating with peers to gain new knowledge and implement fresh solutions.
Enhancing Partnerships
22 peer utility partnerships, supporting 35 utilities across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa are realizing improvements in utility performance
Accelerating SDGs
The EU-WOPs are supporting utilities to achieve various SDGs, for example, by raising water and sanitation service levels for low-income customers, improving energy and water use efficiency, supporting wastewater monitoring and treatment, and building climate resilience.
Financial Linkages
EU-WOP initiatives are helping utilities strengthen their financial management and leverage ongoing investments, contributing to the wise use and sustainability of the resources.

EU-WOPs Resources