Ambition

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Dutch WASH strategy, the programme started in 2017 and has a horizon up to 2030. In this period the programme envisions to contribute to well-performing utilities that provide sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient water services to their current customers and to an additional 10 million people. This long-term strategy is divided in three phases, accompanying the growing ambition in improved performance and realization of SDG6. 

Long term programme

In Phase 1 (2017-2021), the Dutch utilities established a solid foundation of trusted Water Operators Partnerships (WOPs) with 39 water utilities in Africa and Asia. During these first years, the WOPs focused on staff and organizational capacity development in among others leadership, revenue generation, low-income customer services provision and long-term water supply security. In addition, investments were made into network extensions and toilets, impacting 1.6 million people with first or improved access to water and/or sanitation. WaterWorX also worked on the development of an infrastructure investment pipeline and supported enabling environment activities in three countries. 

Phase 2 (2022-2026) builds on the partnerships, lessons learned and results of Phase 1 and seeks to further strengthen the performance of the partner utilities and accelerate on SDG6 impacts with the objective of reaching an additional 3.5 million people towards the 10 million target. Further intensification of knowledge management will enable current local utility partners to share their gained knowledge and experience with colleague utilities in their country and region. Phase 2 has a stronger emphasis on the DGIS focus regions which has resulted in adding several new partner utilities and the phasing out others.

In Phase 2 WaterWorX works in three workstreams to realize its goal:  

  1. Utilities embark on a planned trajectory of performance improvement to improve technical, commercial, financial and organizational work processes. 
  2. Utilities reach financial close from different financiers to realize the pipeline of climate resilient investment proposals contributing to SDG6 realization.
  3. Local actors take policy, contracting and oversight measures that facilitate the turnaround agenda. Utilities are organized to bring this change.