WHO WE ARE

The Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) is a non-profit organization established in 1994 to address water challenges across the Pacific region at both national and regional levels. Initially formed through voluntary membership of utilities and individuals dedicated to highlighting Pacific water issues, PWWA has since evolved into a recognized regional organization with a permanent Secretariat, established in 2017 after significant reforms. Its headquarters is located in Samoa, staffed by a team of four, including the Chief Executive Officer.

The transformation and modernization of PWWA, including the establishment of its governance framework and Secretariat, were made possible through valuable support from key partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Australian Water Partnership (AWP). Thanks to this collaboration, PWWA has successfully hosted an annual conference for over a decade, providing a vital platform for its members to discuss water-related challenges and solutions. These programs have also been pivotal in strengthening the human resource capacities and capabilities of member utilities and fostering leadership development within the Pacific water sector.

Notable achievements include the formation of the Pacific Water Ministers Forum as part of the annual conference in 2015 and the highly successful Young Professionals Programme, launched in 2017 with support from AWP. The Association now boasts 30 water utility members representing 21 Pacific countries. As the “one voice across the Pacific” peak organisation, PWWA’s current mission is to strengthen advocacy, collaboration and capacity building for sustainable and resilient water and sanitation in the Pacific.

PWWA emphasizes the importance of sustainable, collaborative partnerships to address challenges in water and wastewater management. Building on its network of utility and industry members and partners, PWWA engages in sharing best practices and resources amongst its members and seeking support from its partners with a focus to improving the efficiencies and effectiveness of utility operations and performance, and investing in appropriate technology and infrastructure to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG-6, which prioritizes clean water and sanitation.

Through its Pacific Water Ministers Forum, PWWA advocates for regional water and sanitation priorities to Pacific Forum Leaders. This initiative strengthens connections between PWWA’s efforts, the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, and other regional initiatives, ensuring that its work adds significant value to collective goals, while pushing for greater priority for water security for the Pacific.