With the unexpected impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, last year brought many shifts to existing trends in the sector at large and to the Water Operators’ Partnerships (WOPs) as well that may indicate more of what’s to come in the future of water management.
In reviewing data from GWOPA’s database and the various Regional and National WOP Platforms, GWOPA has identified several global trends of WOPs. Overall, the top three thematic areas of focus most important to water operators are non-revenue water (NRW) and water loss, operations and maintenance, as well as asset management. Over half of all WOPs were South-South cooperation, with 49% of partnerships lasting between 12–35 months (medium term duration).