Private Sector Participation in the Water Sector

In this presentation, Mr Johan Lubbe, who is the Head of South Africa’s Water Partnership Office (WPO), will unpack how private sector participation can drive innovation, investment, and improved service delivery in the water sector. As public resources become increasingly constrained, strategic collaboration with the private sector offers a powerful avenue to strengthen water infrastructure and enhance operational efficiency. Drawing on real-world examples from South Africa and beyond, Mr Lubbe explore various partnership models and highlights how these approaches are being used to improve water security, reduce service delivery backlogs and build long-term resilience in the sector. The session also covered key lessons learned, practical frameworks for implementation, and the enabling conditions required to make partnerships successful, inclusive, and accountable.