Strengthening Utility and Donor Partnerships for Pacific Water Security

The PWWC26 Impact Summit brought Pacific utility leaders and development partners together around an important question for the region: how can stronger partnerships translate into more resilient utilities, sustainable investment and greater water security for Pacific communities?

Held on Day 4 of the 17th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference (PWWC26) in Papeete, Tahiti, the Summit focused on the theme “Strengthening Utility and Donor Partnerships for Water Security.”

The conversation comes at an important time. Across the Pacific, climate change is placing increasing pressure on water and wastewater systems through droughts, floods, cyclones, saltwater intrusion and changing hydrological conditions. At the same time, utilities are managing ageing infrastructure, rising operating costs, limited data and monitoring, capacity constraints and continuing gaps in access to safe water and sanitation.

Responding to these challenges requires more than infrastructure. It requires capable utilities, skilled people, sound institutions and development partnerships that respond to Pacific priorities and help sustain services over the long term.

Bringing utilities and development partners together

This is what made the Impact Summit particularly important because PWWA members are responsible for delivering essential water and wastewater services across vastly different Pacific environments, while development partners play a major role in financing infrastructure, supporting technical assistance and strengthening institutional capacity.

Bringing these groups into direct conversation creates an opportunity for utilities to articulate the realities they face, while development partners can share how their priorities, financing approaches and programmes can respond to those needs.

The Summit was facilitated by PWWA Chairman and PPUC Chief Executive Officer Frank Kyota, with PWWA Chief Executive Officer Pitolau Lusia Sefo-Leau providing an update on PWWA’s strategic planning process.

Development partners represented in the programme included the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Asian Development Bank (ADB), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and World Bank, with Allison Woodruff of ADB, Richard Cassidy of MFAT and Michael Webster of the World Bank among the identified panellists.

The discussion centred on three areas: the changing water-security context facing the Pacific, alignment between development-partner support and PWWA priorities, and how stronger partnerships and investment can help build more sustainable utilities.

Responding to the realities facing Pacific utilities

Development partners were invited to consider water security through their respective areas of investment and expertise.

DFAT was asked to consider how water security fits within its wider Pacific climate-resilience response. ADB was invited to address priorities for long-term climate-resilient water security and how investment can support them. MFAT considered the balance between immediate pressures such as drought and longer-term infrastructure and policy support, while the World Bank discussion focused on how water-security diagnostics and evidence can help identify priorities and guide action.

These discussions are especially relevant when considering the scale of the challenge.

Currently there are approximately nine million Pacific people who still lack basic sanitation services and five million lack basic drinking water services, with remote, rural, low-income and atoll communities among those facing the greatest barriers.

The issue is therefore not simply how to build more infrastructure, but how to ensure water and wastewater systems can be effectively operated, maintained, financed and adapted over time.

Aligning investment with Pacific priorities

PWWA's strategic direction formed another important part of the conversation. As a regional association representing utilities and Allied Members, PWWA provides an important link between the operational realities of utilities, government priorities, technical expertise and development partners.

The Summit recognised relationships already contributing to this work. ADB has been a longstanding supporter of PWWA, its annual conference and the Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers' Forum, as well as a major investor in Pacific utilities.

The World Bank's long-term partnership with PWWA on utility benchmarking was also highlighted, including the opportunity for utilities to make greater use of performance data to identify gaps, strengthen decision-making and demonstrate where investment and support are needed.

For PWWA, this dialogue helps ensure that regional and development-partner support remains connected to the practical needs of utilities delivering services every day.

Moving beyond individual projects

One of the most important questions raised during the Summit concerned how water security is financed.

Development assistance has traditionally been delivered largely through individual projects. The Summit challenged participants to consider what would need to be in place for greater investment to flow directly into utilities or regional institutions, and what utilities and governments can do to become better positioned to attract finance for both infrastructure and human capital.

This matters because infrastructure alone cannot deliver water security. A new treatment plant, network or storage system still requires effective governance, sound asset management, skilled staff, reliable data, financial sustainability and the institutional capacity to operate and maintain it long after construction is completed.

For utilities, strengthening these areas can also strengthen the case for investment and deepen relationships with development partners.

Investing in people and long-term capability

The Summit also reinforced the importance of investing in the people who operate and lead Pacific water services.

Programmes such as the Pacific Water Academy and Pacific Young Water Professionals Program, alongside benchmarking, peer learning and regional collaboration, help build the technical and leadership capability required across the sector.

For Young Water Professionals, this means professional development is directly connected to the region's long-term water-security goals. For Allied Members, consultants and technical partners, it also highlights the value of knowledge transfer and capacity building alongside technology, engineering services and specialist expertise.

A continuing conversation

The Impact Summit in its 17th year continues to demonstrate why sustained dialogue between PWWA members and development partners is so important.

Utilities bring first-hand knowledge of the challenges of delivering water and wastewater services across Pacific communities. Development partners bring finance, technical expertise and wider development resources. Governments provide policy direction, while Allied Members and water professionals contribute technology, specialist knowledge and innovation.

PWWA's role is to help connect these parts of the sector and ensure that the priorities and experiences of its members remain part of wider discussions about investment and development assistance.

Ultimately, stronger utility and donor partnerships should help build water and wastewater systems that Pacific countries can plan, operate, maintain, finance and adapt over time.That is fundamental to achieving resilient and reliable water services and greater water security for Pacific communities.

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