Reliable water and sanitation services are a global challenge – particularly under the pressures of climate change, resource scarcity, and rapid urban growth. A proven approach are Water Operator Partnerships (WOPs): long-term collaborations between public utilities that focus on peer-to-peer learning and building long-term capacity. This session presents practical experiences from different regions, discussing how water operators can enhance their performance through partnerships, how private companies can contribute technological solutions, and how development agencies can use WOPs as an effective tool to achieve international sustainability goals. The session highlights the opportunities WOPs create for all stakeholders and demonstrates how they contribute to secure, resilient, and sustainable water and sanitation services worldwide.

Panel discussion:

Welcome and introduction: Thomas Abel, Geschäftsführer Wasserwirtschaft, Verband kommunaler Unternehmen (VKU)

Impuls lecture: NN, Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)

Panel discussion:

• Dr. Franziska Meinzinger, Leiterin Infrastrukturentwicklung, Hamburg Wasser
• Patrick Nzamba, Geschäftsführer, Kahama Shinyanga Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Tanzania
• Birgit Königsheim, Vice President Sales, Diehl Metering GmbH
• Heiko Heidemann, Project manager, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Moderation: Boris Greifeneder, Geschäftsführer, German Water Partnership