Water for Cities
Keeping water in the
taps so cities can thrive


One in three cities is at high risk of water stress. The 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG)
helps cities prevent, respond to, and recover from water crises. We do this by facilitating
partnerships between governments and businesses to manage water more effectively
and create resilient and water-secure cities.




BUILDING RESILIENCE IN WATER-STRESSED CITIES
WRG is an impact-focused global partnership between the private and public sectors. As a trust fund housed
within the World Bank, we provide a platform for businesses, governments, and civil society to work together
to close the gap between water supply and demand.

We help cities ensure reliable water supply in the face of growing demand, unpredictable weather patterns,
and limited resources. Through our multi-stakeholder platforms, we facilitate collaboration between
government agencies, private companies, and local communities to use water more efficiently, diversify their
water sources, tackle pollution, and improve water management.

We develop strategies to address water risks over the medium and longer term, while attending to social,
environmental, economic, and financial sustainability. Our analysis and insights enable decisions to be
prioritized, and our platforms strengthen accountability for implementation. We work with the World Bank
to scale up successful projects so they can have a wider impact.




WATER FOR THE FUTURE: WATER SECURE CITIES
Our public-private collaboration models have unlocked new possibilities. We are leveraging these successes
to pursue bold solutions that were previously out of reach. Our new Water Secure Cities initiative is designed
to help governments avoid water crises by supporting the development of tools and integrated strategies
that address water risks over the medium and long term.
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK
Shaping a water security strategy for Bogotá, Colombia
Bogotá’s water system serves 11 million people and is vital to the national
economy, but faces a significant gap between water demand and supply.
We are working with the city and its water utility to craft a comprehensive
water security strategy outlining actions to improve the resilience of the
water supply system. This includes establishing a multi-stakeholder forum
that will bring together public institutions, private sector representatives,
and civil society to collaboratively address the city’s water challenges.



                                         Creating water-secure cities in Gauteng, South Africa
                                         The Gauteng city region, which has insufficient supply to meet current water
                                         use, accounts for one-third of South Africa’s gross domestic product and a
                                         quarter of its population. WRG, working closely with the government, has
                                         established the Platform for a Water Secure Gauteng to bring government,
                                         business, and civil society together to agree on priority actions and monitor
                                         implementation. The short-term goal is to reduce demand by 10 percent,
                                         alongside initiatives to ensure the better distribution and management of
                                         water across the region. The platform is also exploring innovative financing
                                         mechanisms to both reduce demand and increase supply.




                                         FIRSTS IN URBAN
                                         WATER MANAGEMENT
                                         For the past decade, we have worked alongside city governments, water
                                         utilities, and technology partners to develop first-of-their-kind solutions that
                                         help cities secure reliable water supplies. These successful projects provide a
                                         foundation for other cities and regions to adopt and scale similar approaches.

                                         In India, we assisted in designing and ratifying a National Blueprint
                                         for Water Accounting. The blueprint is a comprehensive plan aimed at
                                         improving water use efficiency and water quality management, and ensuring
                                         sustainable funding and financing for water projects. The implementation
                                         of the blueprint has improved transparency and accountability within
                                         India’s water management framework; equipped government agencies to
                                         make informed decisions about water allocation, quality improvement, and
                                         investment prioritization; and strengthened collaboration between public
                                         institutions and private companies to address critical water issues.




                                        FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR WORK
    WRG works with governments, corporations, and civil society to address water risks affecting food, cities, and ecosystems.

                                         www.2030wrg.org             2030wrg@worldbank.org