International capacity building to achieve SDG6 : insights from longitudinal analysis of five water operator partnerships

In pursuit of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, water operator partnerships (WOPs) have grown in popularity. However, the literature supporting their effectiveness is lacking. We conducted mid-term interviews and surveys with five participating utilities in a Viet Nam–Australia WOP, followed by post-programme interviews with two managing associations and 10 utilities. We found that while partnerships initially focused on technical training, the need for broader institutional learning emerged as participants gained experience. Communication and relationship-building were consistently reported as success factors for achieving desired outcomes. Expanding the scope to involve governance and policy organizations, together with funding to collaboratively implement upgrades, could enhance future programmes.