Public–private partnerships in the water and sanitation sector

Following the growth, employment and redistribution (GEAR) programme in June 1996, South Africa saw an acceleration in the privatisation of service delivery. This paper reports on a study of two longer-term public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the water and sanitation sector undertaken in Queenstown and Dolphin Coast. The case studies offer important insights into a number of factors that determine the effectiveness of PPPs, including quality and quantity of services, workers, municipal tariffs for water and sanitation, customer management and impact on the poor. The case study findings are used to assess the general risks to main stakeholders involved in PPPs (the concessionaire, council and community) and to provide universal lessons on the conditions under which PPPs in the water and sanitation sector work best.