Title: Assessing the Effectiveness of Public-Private Partnerships in Urban Water Supply Service Delivery: Evidence from Hossana City Administration, Ethiopia
Authors: Melese Tassew and Workenh Eshatuu Sime (PhD)
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 38-49
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become an important mechanism for improving urban water service delivery by combining the resources, expertise, and capacities of the public and private sectors. This study examined the effectiveness of PPPs in water service delivery in Hossana City, Ethiopia, using a mixed-methods research design. Quantitative data were collected from 382 household respondents through structured questionnaires, achieving a response rate of 96.2%, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with officials of the Hossana Water and Sewerage Authority. The findings indicate that rapid urbanization, inadequate water infrastructure, limited financial resources, weak institutional capacity, and ineffective governance have significantly constrained the provision of reliable and equitable water services. Respondents reported frequent water supply interruptions, poor service quality, and inadequate customer complaint-handling mechanisms, resulting in low levels of consumer satisfaction. Although PPPs were introduced to enhance service delivery, the existing partnership arrangements have not fully achieved their intended objectives due to weak stakeholder coordination, limited private sector participation, insufficient infrastructure investment, and inadequate institutional oversight. The study concludes that improving water service delivery requires strengthening institutional and technical capacity, expanding and rehabilitating water infrastructure, enhancing governance, transparency, and accountability, improving customer service systems, and establishing more effective and sustainable public-private partnership frameworks. Implementing these measures would contribute to a more reliable, efficient, and sustainable urban water supply system in Hossana City.