The water sector stands at a critical juncture: The mounting investment gap demands innovative financing approaches. Our survey reveals overwhelming support for collaborative models that balance public oversight with private sector capabilities, efficiency and capital. Two-thirds of the respondents prefer minority private sector investment in water infrastructure, while only a quarter support full privatization, signaling a clear preference for partnerships rather than wholesale private ownership. This sentiment is particularly strong among infrastructure funds (81 percent), multinational corporations, contractors and pension funds (all more than 70 percent), suggesting that they recognize the value of governmental oversight while leveraging private sector expertise and funding.

View full image: Views on privatization of water supply by organization type (%) (PDF)

When examining investment structures, the preference for hybrid models becomes even more apparent. Mixed ownership structures (33 percent) and concession models (24 percent) emerge as the clear favorites across the sector, with long-term management contracts (20 percent) also gaining significant support. Pension and infrastructure funds prefer mixed ownership (43 percent and 39 percent, respectively), suggesting a focus on balanced risk-sharing arrangements that protect long-term investments, whereas multinational corporations and technology providers support structures that facilitate operational involvement without full ownership, such as long-term management contracts and concession models.

View full image: Preferred investment structures by organization type (%) (PDF)

Regional attitudes toward privatization could also be reflective of different historical experiences and regulatory environments. Respondents from France and the US showed the strongest support for minority investment (72 percent and 70 percent, respectively), while interestingly, respondents from the UK showed the highest tolerance for full privatization (33 percent). More polarized views emerge in South Korea and Australia where roughly the same percentage of respondents support full privatization (27-29 percent) and oppose any privatization (21-27 percent). Germany shows higher than average opposition to privatization (18 percent), reflecting a regional preference for public service delivery models.

“The results reflect the duality in water,” says Christopher Gasson, Owner / Publisher, Global Water Intelligence. “On one hand, it needs to be participatory, especially in the context of climate change and water-related risks, as the public needs to be involved in deciding where and how money is invested. Conversely, there’s a need for economic efficiency. If water is treated as a public sector monopoly, there’s little incentive to innovate. Without innovation, you run the risk of failing to meet customers’ needs—which in turn, only exacerbates the funding challenges. It’s a delicate balance,” adds Gasson.

View full image: Views on privatization of water supply by primary location (%) (PDF)

The findings underscore a fundamental shift from the privatization debates of previous decades toward a recognition of the complementary roles that the public and private sectors can play in the water sector. Unsurprisingly, government bodies have the strongest preference for public ownership (40 percent), while private equity funds and technology providers are the most supportive of full privatization (41 percent and 44 percent, respectively). 

What emerges from this global consensus is that closing the water investment gap will require something other than full privatization or exclusively public funding. It will require thoughtful collaboration that leverages the strengths of both sectors, namely, financial capacity and operational efficiency from the private sector combined with public oversight, stewardship, long-term commitment to service quality and accessibility.

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