Sanitation-focused Water Operator’s Partnerships
The situation is alarming, over 3.6 billion people lacking safely managed sanitation services, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 on safe access to sanitation services remains off track.
Despite progress, in 2022, only 57% of the world’s population (3.6 billion people) used sanitation services that leave human waste untreated, threatening human and environmental health. Of these, 419 million still practice open defecation.(1 www.sdg6data.org). Even high-income economies are confronted with the challenge of sustaining wastewater management and adapting to changing consumption and production patterns affecting wastewater quality.
The "world we want" will only be possible if we achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6, the SDG Water Goal
The impact of poor sanitation is a contrete the threat. The lack of adequate sanitation facilities and services poses significant risks, including the pollution of groundwater sources through the infiltration of faecal matter into aquifers. This not only jeopardizes water quality but also contributes to disease outbreaks and poor hygiene conditions, underscoring the urgent need for improved sanitation coverage.
Achieving universal access to sanitation requires a multifaceted approach that addresses technical, institutional, and financial challenges. Many local authorities, utilities, and service providers focused on water supply lack the necessary methods, governance frameworks, and resources to scale up sanitation and wastewater services effectively.
Conventional sanitation methods must be adapted to incorporate innovative technologies, business models, and governance structures. While promising solutions exist, their widespread adoption has been hindered by various barriers. It’s imperative to prioritize the adoption of mixed technologies, blended financing mechanisms, pro-poor services, and private sector participation to drive progress in sanitation service delivery.
Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) are peer-support exchanges between two or more water and sanitation operators, carried out on a not-for-profit basis.
WOPs work by harnessing the skills, knowledge and goodwill within a strong utility to build the capacity and improve the performance of another utility that needs assistance or guidance with the objective of strengthening their capacity, enhancing their performance and enabling them to provide a better service to more people. WOPs have a proven track-record and can be highly cost-effective. Critically, WOPs follow a Code of Conduct (French/Spanish) that sets out the principles for practice.
Useful resources
Water and sanitation utilities are essential in providing safe, accessible, and affordable water and sanitation services to communities. They work tirelessly to ensure that basic services meet international standards and are available to marginalized and vulnerable populations.
WOPs facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building among utilities, fostering innovation and improving operational efficiency. These partnerships enable utilities to learn from each other’s experiences, adopt best practices, and enhance service delivery.
Utilities and WOPs engage communities in decision-making processes, empowering them to actively participate in the management and governance of water and sanitation services. This involvement ensures services are tailored to meet local needs and preferences.
Through collaborative efforts, WOPs support and strengthen utilities in their work towards building resilient and sustainable water and sanitation systems.
Join the GWOPA Membership
We invite stakeholders, partners, and practitioners to join us in our efforts to improve sanitation services globally.
Together, through knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation, we can create healthier, more sustainable communities for all.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Stay informed about SWOPs and sanitation-related initiatives.
Connect with us on our online platform and participate in knowledge sharing events and communities of practice focused on city-wide inclusive sanitation approaches.
