Water security is a growing issue for cities and a critical factor for urban resilience. Emerging donor interest in mobilising financing of utilities in developing countries is welcome but typically does not consider how these investments rely upon wider management of water resources. As such, investment in the water sector and water resources management in particular is lower than that in other sectors such as energy and transport, and there remains a gap between theory and actual mobilisation of finance. ICED was commissioned to look at potential ways to bridge this gap, looking at water security and innovative financing across the board – water for domestic, industrial and other economic uses within cities as well as management of water risks (floods and droughts) and investment in upstream river basins, which affects the quantity and quality of water available in cities.
On 4 April 2019, DFID and ICED co-hosted a roundtable event to explore mechanisms for mobilising finance for investment in urban water infrastructure. The event summary can be read here.
Below are four summary papers providing an overview of the global water security and related financing challenges, as well as potential innovations and solutions.