AquaRating - the World's First Water Rating Agency

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Water Association (IWA) have jointly set up the world's first rating agency for the water sector

The world's first rating agency for the water sector has been launched by theInter-American Development Bank(IDB) and theInternational Water Association(IWA).

CalledAquaRating, the new agency aims to help water and sanitation utilities worldwide to work towards management and performance improvement.

Developed by IWA and IDB, which is the main source of multilateral financing in Latin America, AquaRating establishes an international standard for assessing water and sanitation services provision. It offers a comprehensive, impartial and credible evaluation of utilities' performance and best management practices and has been licensed to set up the first rating agency for water and sanitation service providers.

The AquaRating rating system gives a detailed evaluation of 112 elements across the following key areas:

• Access to service;
• Quality of service;
• Operating efficiency;
• Planning and investment execution efficiency;
• Business management efficiency;
• Financial sustainability;
• Environmental sustainability;
• Corporate governance.

It then validates information through an independent auditing process, enhancing accountability and transparency. Water and sanitation services providers are assessed according to three dimensions: performance indicators, best practice and information quality.

As a standard, AquaRating sets the baseline for utilities to monitor their performance and plan for improvements.

The rating system has already been piloted in 13 utilities in nine countries in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. A worldwide market introduction is planned for later in 2015.

Source: Energy & Environment

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• Water Utility
• Water Management
• Finance and Markets