Awards & Competitions
World Bank – Utility of the Future Challenge

World Bank – Utility of the Future Challenge

About World Bank – Utility of the Future Challenge

What do you think the water utility of the future will look like? Will it feature drones that inspect pipes internally and fix leakages? Will customer feedback be collected automatically and inform service changes? Will you be able to pay for services using cryptocurrency? Or will it entail the existence of contingency plans that are informed by the latest climate data? There are persistent problems that utilities face every day that limit their ability to provide water supply in their service areas. These problems span from challenges in covering operational costs, to inability to supply water 24 hours a day to all residents. These challenges are being exacerbated by the effects of climate change and other threats such as COVID-19. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to think outside the box and not only focus on immediate needs but rather about taking utilities beyond the next level and fostering long-lasting changes that will allow utilities to deal with short-term and long-term challenges and provide safe and reliable universal water supply and sanitation services. The recently launched Utility of the Future (UoF) Program entails a close collaboration between the World Bank and utilities, with the end goal of igniting a transformative process that allows utilities to reach a desired performance and maturity level by applying international best practices throughout its value chain. Moreover, this approach allows utilities to craft their own path to reach their vision of the future.