WaterLinksBackground and establishment of a regional network for implementing WOPs in Asia

WaterLinks ForumBangkok, September 29, 2009

Niels Van DijkWATSAN Team Leader USAID Environmental Cooperation - Asia (ECO-Asia)

water operatorPARTNERSHIPS

Initiated by Hashimoto Action Plan Calling for breakthroughs in vital areas of water services delivery, especially through water operator partnerships, to help reach MDGs

Range of donors and organizations support WOP globallyGlobal WOP Alliance led by UN-Habitat; regional WOP networks in Latin America, Africa, Middle East and Asia

Focus on practical knowledge sharing and partnership Capacity building through twinning partnerships between water operators, training, and knowledge products

aboutWATERLINKS

Regional partnership network affiliated with UN GWOPA to facilitate WOPs in Asia

Founded by ADB, IWA and USAID in August 2008

Aims to coordinate, develop and implement WOPs

Leverage comparative advantages and avoid duplication of efforts

Aims to promote and coordinate efforts by other development partners and regional networks

Support regional capacity building initiatives and facilitate selected water operator twinning partnerships

Support dissemination and knowledge sharing, and promote and broker twinning partnerships

Establish and facilitate water operator twinning partnerships, develop website, contribute to regional capacity building initiatives

partnerROLES

WaterLinksACTIVITIES

Brokering and facilitating twinning partnerships

Strengthening capacity through regional training and toolkits

Disseminating best practices via publications, events and a website (www.waterlinks.org)

Facilitating over 15 ongoing “twinning” partnerships

Most are Asia-Asia partnerships

Mentor operators from 9 countries, including Cambodia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and U.S.

Recipient operators in 10 countries, including Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

Partnerships focus on operational efficiencies, water quality, continuous water supply, service expansion for the urban poor, and sanitation.

facilitatingTWINNING

Over 65,000 people now have continuous water supply in Badlapur

Utilities in Bac Ninh, Davao, and Cebu reduced NRW in pilot DMAs and are now expanding to other service areas

Medan adopted a pro-poor service model from Manila benefiting over 3,500 poor households

Phnom Penh conducted its first ever WASH campaign based on experiences in Iloilo.

PWA developed SOP for water quality management now being applied in Nakorn Nayok

twinningIMPACTS

regionalTRAINING

Technical training workshops (e.g., NRW) for SEAWUN and SAWUN member utilities

Twinning facilitation guidelines

WATSAN promotion toolkit

Septage management study

Secretariat

Website operational since early 2009

Twinning examples, resources inventory, and news and events

Newsletter

sharingINFORMATION