Domestic Private Sector Participation in Small-Town Water Supply Services in Ghana: Reflections on Experience and Policy Implications

Abstract

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) with domestic private operators were introduced in Ghana to improve water supply services, to ensure management and operational efficiencies, and to expand access. Based on two case studies carried out in the Ghanaian small-town water subsector, this paper explores the specific characteristic of the applied management model, takes stock of the experiences of projects implemented under the model, and provides useful lessons and policy actions for policy-makers and urban planners. The experience of domestic private sector’s involvement in small-towns’ water supply of Ghana raises the very issues that feature in the urban water PPP debate, including financing, cost coverage, water demand, regulatory and monitoring issues, stakeholder relationships, and risks and risk allocation. The current study contributes to filling the knowledge/research gap that exists in evidence-based reporting of the issues around domestic private sector participation in small-town water supply services.