Public-private partnerships in the water and sanitation sector

Following the growth, employment and redistribution(GEAR) programme in June 1996, South Africa saw anacceleration in the privatisation of service delivery. Thispaper reports on a study of two longer-termpublic–private partnerships (PPPs) in the water andsanitation sector undertaken in Queenstown and DolphinCoast. The case studies offer important insights into anumber of factors that determine the effectiveness ofPPPs, including quality and quantity of services, workers,municipal tariffs for water and sanitation, customermanagement and impact on the poor. The case studyfindings are used to assess the general risks to mainstakeholders involved in PPPs (the concessionaire, counciland community) and to provide universal lessons on theconditions under which PPPs in the water and sanitationsector work best.