Worldwide, over a billion people lack access to drinking water and 2.6 billion to basic sanitation. Developing and managing water and sanitation infrastructure constitutes an urgent and major challenge. Just halving the proportion of people without access to drinking water and sanitation by 2015 would require investments of some USD 72 billion per year.
To meet these tremendous needs, many countries seek out the private sector to modernise and expand their water and sanitation infrastructure and/or to improve the efficiency of water systems. To make the most of private sector participation, an effective regulatory framework should be in place and key principles of good partnerships should be followed.
Recognising this, the OECD has developed practical guidance for governments wishing to engage the private sector in water infrastructure, building on the OECD Principles for Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure.
This booklet contains the guidance in the form of a checklist which outlines the main policy considerations unique to private sector participation in the water and sanitation sector. It is extracted from the publication, Private Sector Participation in Water Infrastructure: OECD Checklist for Public Action which also contains a scoping paper and a regional analysis.
This initiative constitutes one element of a major OECD-wide programme on water policies for affordable services and sustainable resource management. It complements recommendations developed by the OECD on pricing and realistic financing strategies.
