June 2001 Insights Issue #37

Back to Insights #37

Site for sore eyes

A useful starting point is the search engine of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, www.wsscc.org where 'public-private partnership' will produce a wealth of information.

The WSSCC's Institutional and Management Options Working Group www.wsscc.org/activ/imo/index.html has been looking at Anglo-French PPP models. Other WSSCC partners include the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre www.irc.nl, (host of the useful Interwater portal www.wsscc.org/interwater/index.html), the DFID-sponsored PPP project of the Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) http://info.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/projects/ppp-poor/index.htm (with an informative quiz and excellent links) and the International Water Association www.iwahq.org.uk

The Global Water Partnership (GWP), www.gwpforum.org, funded by a number of major public and private donors, has papers reviewing private participation, links to its many regional technical advisory committees and a calendar of upcoming events. The University of Greenwich's Public Services International Research Unit, has several relevant reports at www.psiru.org/reportsindex.htm. The World Bank's WaterHelpDesk site, www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/, lists a number of PPP publications and online reports at www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/water/topics/serving.html.

Among the profusion of pro-PPP advocacy websites is the International Private Water Association www.ipwa.org, a coalition of major commercial water players. The Business Partners for Development Water and Sanitation Cluster (hosted by the UK NGO, WaterAid www.wateraid.org.uk) promotes PPPs at www.bpd-waterandsanitation.org. The US Water Works Association www.awwa.org has a comprehensive directory of water utility sites.

WEDC's Global Applied Research Network (Garnet) at www.lboro.ac.uk/garnet, is a useful source of information on water supply and sanitation for researchers, practitioners and funders. Other sites focusing on broader water and development issues include: WatsanWeb, developed by the Swiss Agency SKAT, www.skat.ch/ws/ws.htm, with a useful overview of links at www.skat.ch/ws/link/watsan/ww_index.htm; Sanitation Connection, www.sanicon.net; Water and Sanitation Programme, www.wsp.org/english/index.html a broad-based partnership administered by the World Bank; the International Office for Water www.oieau.fr; and the Water Page at www.thewaterpage.com/ incorporating the African Water Page, with a wider international outlook.