The Urgent Need for Comprehensive WASH Solutions
Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is a fundamental human right, yet millions of people around the world continue to live without these basic necessities. This challenge is particularly acute in informal urban settlements, where rapid population growth, inadequate infrastructure, and limited resources often leave residents without reliable access to essential services.
The impacts of this WASH crisis are wide-ranging and severe. Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to the transmission of deadly diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis, and typhoid. According to the World Health Organization, 1 million people die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Lack of access to WASH services also perpetuates poverty, as people must spend time and resources collecting water or dealing with health issues, rather than pursuing economic opportunities.
Recognizing the critical importance of universal WASH access, the United Nations has set a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 6) to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. However, progress has been slow, with the UN reporting that 2.2 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water services and 4.2 billion are without safe sanitation services.
Innovative Financing Approaches to Bridge the WASH Gap
Achieving universal WASH access will require substantial investment, estimated at $114 billion annually. While governments, development banks, and philanthropic organizations have increased WASH funding in recent decades, reaching the 2030 targets will necessitate new and innovative financing approaches.
One promising strategy is the use of “results-based” contracts, which tie payments to service providers to their ability to maintain water infrastructure and deliver reliable services. This model, pioneered by the nonprofit Uptime, helps build the creditworthiness of small water enterprises, making them more attractive to investors. By ensuring consistent water access and revenue collection, results-based contracts reduce the risks that often deter private investment in the WASH sector.
Another innovative approach is “blended finance,” which combines public, philanthropic, and commercial capital to fund WASH projects. Blended finance can attract impact investors seeking social and environmental returns, as well as commercial investors interested in the long-term stability of WASH services. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports that between 2012 and 2017, $2.1 billion in blended finance was invested in WASH initiatives around the world.
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s WASH-FIN program is also demonstrating the value of capacity-building support for utilities and service providers. By helping utilities improve their operations, strengthen their creditworthiness, and develop finance skills, WASH-FIN has enabled partners in Africa and Asia to secure millions in new funding from local banks and other sources.
Unlocking the Value of Waste
While the focus is often on drinking water and sanitation, the management of wastewater and fecal sludge is equally critical to achieving universal WASH access. Innovative approaches that transform waste into valuable resources are emerging as a sustainable solution.
For example, the Kenyan company Sanergy collects waste from its network of container-based toilets in informal settlements, then processes it into animal feed, fertilizer, and other products. This “waste-to-value” model not only improves sanitation but also generates revenue to sustain the operations. Similarly, the Dutch enterprise Safi Sana operates a waste-to-energy factory in Accra, Ghana, converting fecal sludge and organic waste into electricity and fertilizer.
By treating waste as a resource rather than a liability, these initiatives demonstrate how WASH services can become financially viable, reducing the reliance on external funding and subsidies. As the World Bank explores the potential of non-sewered sanitation in Kenya, the waste-to-value approach could unlock new pathways to sustainable WASH access in informal settlements around the world.
Strengthening Community Engagement and Advocacy
Effective WASH solutions must go beyond infrastructure and financing; they must also prioritize community engagement and advocacy. Residents of informal settlements, especially women and marginalized groups, should be empowered to participate in the design, implementation, and monitoring of WASH services.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has emphasized that the human right to water and sanitation includes principles of accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accountability. By incorporating these principles, WASH programs can ensure that services are responsive to local needs and that communities have a meaningful voice in decision-making.
Community-led initiatives, such as the Community-Led Total Sanitation approach, have shown the power of grassroots advocacy in driving sustainable WASH improvements. When residents take ownership of their WASH challenges and work collaboratively with service providers, the results can be transformative, both in terms of infrastructure and long-term behavior change.
Integrating WASH with Electricity Access
For WASH services to be truly comprehensive and sustainable, they must be integrated with reliable access to electricity. Lack of power can compromise the ability to treat and distribute water, operate pumps and sanitation facilities, and maintain hygiene practices.
Renewable energy solutions, such as solar-powered water systems and waste-to-energy plants, offer promising models for linking WASH and electricity access, particularly in informal settlements where grid-based power is often unreliable or unavailable. By combining WASH and energy investments, communities can build resilient and self-sufficient infrastructure that addresses multiple, interconnected needs.
The World Health Organization has emphasized the importance of integrating WASH and energy services, noting that “sustainable provision of water and sanitation services requires a reliable and affordable supply of energy.” As the global community works to achieve universal WASH access, it must also ensure that these services are supported by universal access to electricity.
Conclusion: Collaborative Action for Lasting WASH Solutions
Delivering universal water, sanitation, hygiene, waste, and electricity services in informal settlements will require a multifaceted approach that combines innovative financing, sustainable waste management, community engagement, and integrated service delivery. By leveraging the expertise and resources of governments, development institutions, private sector actors, and local communities, the WASH sector can overcome the significant challenges and realize the transformative potential of these essential services.
The Joint Action for Water initiative is committed to supporting this collaborative effort, fostering knowledge-sharing, advocacy, and on-the-ground action to ensure that no one is left behind in the pursuit of universal WASH access. Together, we can build a more equitable and resilient future where all people have the clean water, safe sanitation, and reliable electricity they need to thrive.
