The EU-WOP programme is a new funding instrument that aims to support not-for-profit cooperation projects between European water operators and operators in developing countries. It was launched in 2021 by the European Union and is currently managed by the UN-Habitat initiative Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance (GWOPA).

The first open call for proposals received 140 proposals from water utilities across the world, which after the selection process, ended up with 22 selected proposals. Among these, there are six coming from Aqua Publica Europea members'.

These Water Operators Partnerships (WOPs) projects will last for three years establishing peer-to-peer cooperation projects between utilities based on solidarity. Furthermore, this programme represents an opportunity for utilities to develop not-for-profit partnerships to support access to water and sanitation and so to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation for all through. In particular, APE members' will team up with utilities in projects that will improve equal access to drinking water, capacity and performance of water utilities, access to sanitation for all, water quality and developing capacity building activities.

Aqua Publica Europea members selected proposals

• Water Operators' partnership between Budapest Waterworks and the Water utilities of Lahore and Mardan, Pakistan - Lead partner: Budapest Waterworks (Budapest, Hungary)
• Enhancing sewage network: operation, infrastructures and water maintenance management in Ramallah - Lead partner: EMASESA (Seville, Spain)
• Enacting SDG6 enhancing management capacities of water operator in Gabes towards SDG6 - Lead partner: MM (Milan, Italy)
• Supporting OWSSB (India) un upgrading capacities in wastewater and faecal sludge management (SO-WOP) - Lead partner: SMAT (Turin, Italy)
• Capacity Building for ASUREP and INTER ASUREP in Eastern Kasai and Maniema (DR Congo) - Lead partner: Société Wallonne Des Eaux (SWDE) (Verviers, Belgique)
• Capacity building on water and sanitation services in Magu and Misungwi - Additional partner: HAMBURG WASSER (Hamburg, Germany)
• Connecting communities through sanitation and Water Operators Partnerships - Ethekwini - Bremen - Hamburg, - Additional partner: HAMBURG WASSER (Hamburg, Germany)

The members of Aqua Publica Europea have long been committed to implementing strong not-for-profit partnerships to support access to water and sanitation in developing countries with the set-up of 'Water Operator Partnerships', as is illustrated in the APE's recent publication “Water Operator Partnerships and Solidarity - A global effort to realise the human right to water and sanitation”. 

Find out more about the selected proposals