What is the fund?

​

The Water Operators Partnerships (WOPs) is a water utility twinning program designed to increase the capacity of water utilities and promote knowledge sharing. It brings together an experienced, efficient utility (known as the mentor) and a utility seeking service improvement (known as the recipient) for this capacity development exchange.

​

Objectives

• To enable the water utility recipient to improve its service coverage and delivery, finacial stability, and other critical aspects of its operations by adopting the applicable best practices of the mentor  

• To support ADB investments in water and sanitation by providing cost-effective capacity building to help utilities operate, maintain, and manage their assets sustainably

​

What is the fund?

 

Through the WOPs Program, ADB identifies and profiles recipient partners among its clients; finds appropriate mentors and matches the partners; and facilitates diagnostic visits by mentor.

 

In turn, the partners agree and carry out the work plan through supervision and exchange visits, eventually adopting relevant best practices to improve performance.

​

Who supports the fund?

​

Various funds have supported the program for 10 years. These include the Japan Special Fund (JSF) in 2007, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia in 2010, Japan Poverty Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) in 2011, Pacific Regional Infrastructure Fund (PRIF) in 2012, Australian Water Partnership (AWP) in 2015, Canadian Cooperation Fund on Climate Change in 2016, and recently, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) under the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund.

​

Who is eligible to receive the fund?

​

All developing member countries are eligible for the program.

​

What is the support or selection criteria?

​

For a twinning exchange to be arranged, there should be link to an ADB investment and there should be willingness from both mentor and recipient to commit to the program, contributing time, knowledge, and their best people to ensure the twinning works.