A Study On Addressing Jamaica's Public Water Supply Problem Through The Use Of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

With the exception of air,water is arguably the most important natural resource on Earth.Existing information suggests that the National Water Commission(NWC)is unable to properly carry out its duties to provide reliable water services to the Jamaican people.At the same time,available data highlights that,in recent decades,governments have been making increasing use of public-private partnerships(PPPs)as they seek to address various challenges confronting their national water utilities.As a result of the current problems faced by the NWC,this study investigated whether a need exists for introducing water-supply PPPs in Jamaica,and also the possibility of implementing these PPPs in Jamaica's water sector to address the prevailing issues.Critical success factors(CSFs)and implementation strategies for implementing water-related PPPs were also examined in this research.The study was conducted using extensive literature review,case study analyses,a strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,threats(SWOT)analysis,a Delphi survey,and a general survey.The findings confirmed the inability of the NWC to effectively meet the current water demand needs of the country.It was also highlighted that the water utility is operationally inefficient,financially challenged,unable to provide reliable water services,and suffers from management-related issues.To assess the possibility of introducing PPPs in the water sector,a SWOT analysis was conducted.It revealed that government support of PPPs(in the water sector),present use of similar arrangements along with various wastewater PPPs in the pipeline,inadequacies of the national water utility,and citizens' support of water-based PPPs all currently encourage the use of PPPs in the country's water sector.The fourteen CSFs used in this study were derived from existing literature,three case study analyses,and modifications provided by a PPP specialist who has over 16 years of PPP experience.The CSFs were then verified using a three-round Delphi survey which revealed that the five most important CSFs are(in order of importance):adequate financing,effective legal and regulatory mechanisms,ensuring public and private partner capability,transparency of the PPP process,and active engagement with stakeholders.The factors deemed the least important were(in order of least important):clearly defined pro-poor policies,public acceptance/support,a competitive bidding process,and strong political support and stability.Based on the findings of the study,it was concluded that the NWC is unable to function effectively on its own,and that various factors make it possible for water-supply PPPs to be implemented in the country's water sector.The study recommended that a management-based contract,with measurable built-in targets,first be utilized in carrying out water-supply PPPs in Jamaica.It was also recommended that PPPs initially be implemented in the urban areas before expanding nationwide.