Water and Sanitation

USAID’s Vision for Water Security

Water and sanitation are essential to advance global health, prosperity, stability, and resilience. Reliable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene saves lives, improves livelihoods, and makes communities more resilient. Investments in water resources management power economies, support agriculture, and safeguard ecosystems. Despite the challenges posed by global pandemics, increased conflict, and climate change, more people have access to safe drinking water and safely managed sanitation services than ever before.

USAID works every day with governments, other local stakeholders, and partners to accelerate progress toward universal water and sanitation access and a water-secure world.

In support of the White House Action Plan on Global Water Security and the U.S. Government Global Water Strategy, USAID programs across four strategic objectives:

1. Strengthen water and sanitation sector governance, finance, institutions, and markets(link is external)

2. Increase equitable access to safe, sustainable, and climate-resilient water and sanitation services and adoption of key hygiene behaviors (links are external)

3. Improve climate-resilient conservation and management of freshwater resources and associated ecosystems (link is external)

4. Anticipate and reduce conflict and fragility related to water (link is external)