Relatively little is known about the concept of social value co-creation in networks as a management agenda for construction projects. Although researchers of value co-creation have expounded it in the context of marketing services, little is investigated in construction projects. This study challenges the traditional bureaucratic management of the delivery of social projects and provides the process of joint production of sustainable benefits to end-users. Abductive reasoning, including exploratory sequential mixed methods research design, were applied in two water service systems. The qualitative-quantitative stage created social network-driven value co-creation features using the purposive sampling of 72 semi-structured interviews and 72 questionnaires analysed using NVIVO 11 and UCINET 6.5, respectively. The first phase of the qualitative analysis unearthed the bottom-up, partnership features of social value co-creation features which include a sense of social unity, end-user empowerment, behavioural transformation and knowledge transfer. Meanwhile, the second phase of quantitative social networks highlighted the statistical relationships between independent variables such as influential actors, informal and formal relationships as highly significant in predicting the dependent variable of knowledge transfer (a form of value co-creation). Although the examination of value co-creation is made more compelling in social network analysis, nonetheless, elements of value destruction also emerged among interactions of the actors. Meaning that social network is not a guarantee for value co-creation; it is subject to the institutions of the service system. The researcher recommended the operation of realistic financial plans, including the re-design of contracts and procurement of community-based water supply projects to accommodate service system. This research is the first to attempt to develop social network-driven value co-creation framework to manage the Nigerian water service system.