From morning until night and even while we sleep, the water operators are working 24 hours a day, and seven days a week, to deliver sustainable services that keep each of us safe and healthy.

The complex processes put in place to meet the challenges of delivering these services are adapted to their specific local circumstances. They depend on factors such as population density, the type and available quantity of water resources, required treatment levels, local topography and many other elements. Additional factors influencing prices, costs and asset values include the scope of the service, salary levels, taxes and the facility running costs.

The survey is one of the most comprehensive currently available. It includes national technical, economic and managerial data ranging from population connection rates to drinking water production to waste water treatment levels to prices and governance. The results testify to the diversity of the sector. They also show some of the immediate challenges the sector is facing, particularly regarding investment needs.