The core of it is collecting up small organisations into a few larger ones that service a million or so people brings about efficiencies that aren’t available to small dispersed water providers.

There are big promises about just how much efficiency this buys. Like several 10’s of %s. Cant remember of the top of my head.

For example, some (read a lot) water providers are just running on a glide slope, they get fleeced by contractors, don't plan long term, and don’t coordinate with other nearby providers. There are no long pipelines of work like we have with highway maintenance/ building so contractors have to make all their money to pay of equipment off few jobs, as theres no promise of more work. Disencentivises investment in productivity from contractors.