WOP-LAC is the regional platform for WOPs in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC). It facilitates WOPs and brings together regional operators for knowledge exchange and capacity development activities.
The regional platform was established in October 2007 when the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) hosted the Secretariat in the frame of the initiative of Aqua, launched to support the Millennium Development Goals related to water and sanitation for Latin-America and the Caribbean. Since August 2013, the Secretariat is hosted by AySA, as a contribution to ALOAS, and it receives the permanent support of GWOPA and IDB. WOP-LAC has coordinated over 47 WOPs, involving more than 40 operators form 18 countries in the region. The good practices shared through the WOPs have allowed the beneficiaries to improve their performance in areas such as: water sources protection, drought management, water quality monitoring, metering, sewerage system maintenance and rehabilitation, plant start up, and capacity building.
Cari-WOP
Cari-WOP is the regional platform for WOPs in the Caribbean and is part of the larger geographical WOP platform for Latin America and the Caribbean (WOP-LAC).
Cari-WOP was established in 2011 and held its first Steering Committee meeting in 2013. The permanent Secretariat of Cari-WOP is co-hosted by the two professional water associations in the region: the Caribbean Water and Sewerage Association, CAWASA and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association, CWWA.
National WOP Platforms in LAC
Three national WOP platforms are active under the GWOPA umbrella. These platforms, hosted by national water associations, organize WOPs and other capacity development activities between utilities at country level.
- Argentina’s National Platform – WOP Argentina – is coordinated by Consejo Federal de Entidades de Servicios Sanitarios (COFES) and was created in 2014. In November of the same year the first two partnerships were established between Argentinian operators facilitated by WOP-Argentina.
- National WOP Platform in Honduras (WOP-Honduras) hosted by the Asociación Hondureña de Prestadores del Servicio de Agua Potable y Saneamiento (AHPSAS)
- National WOP Platform in Mexico (WOP-Mexico) hosted by the Asociación Nacional de Empresas de Agua y Saneamiento de México (ANEAS). More about WOP-Mexico.
- National WOP Platform in Bolivia (WOP-Bolivia) hosted by Asociación Nacional de Empresas de Servicio de Agua POtable y Alcantarillado (ANESAPA).