Utility Partners

Water & Waste Water

Public Sector

Despite the increasing use of private finance for infrastructure projects in Sub Saharan Africa, the water sector has done very poorly. In the past five years, for example, the energy sector has led in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) (78 per cent), followed by transportation (22 per cent) with water and sanitation (0.5 per cent) trailing.

And yet there are huge financing shortfalls that the public sector and its financing partners will not be able to meet in the foreseeable future.

Kenya’s National Water Master Plan, for example, estimates that to achieve universal access to clean and safe water by 2030, approximately USD 17 billion is required. Considering that the government can only provide USD 6 billion, it leaves a funding shortfall of USD 11 billion.

Water being public good, the sector is highly regulated and bringing a project to fruition requires careful navigation and understanding of key success drivers.

In a typical project development process, Utility Partners will:

  • Prospect, identify and prequalify possible projects. Preliminary project sizing and costing.
  • Map process to closure; engage key stakeholders and decision-makers; identify possible obstacles and establish success factors.
  • If a project meets the threshold of an executable bankable project, seek necessary authorisations to finance and build the project. At the same time, engage with investment partners and agree on a possible framework of participation.
  • Set up Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Company and other legal arrangements to develop the project.
  • As long-term partners, take part of the project equity and continue to provide its unique expertise throughout the project life.

Private Sector

For private sector customers, experiencing unreliable water utility supply, we provide and run the water and sewerage infrastructure (including existing assets), relieving them of the capex burden as they focus on their core business.

Examples of such customers are large industrial, commercial and residential estates. Working with Utility Partners and its investment partners, they need not spend resources on operating water and wastewater services or invest in new assets.

Talk to us to find out more