Drinking water & Sanitation

Often referred to as the “small water cycle” or the “domestic water cycle”, drinking water and sanitation management includes all steps involved in the abstraction, purification, conveyance and distribution of drinking water to taps or collective distribution points, plus the collection and treatment of wastewater for subsequent discharge into the natural environment. The infrastructure required to perform these tasks is managed by specialised public and private stakeholders, in most cases operated as a public service and entrusted to local authorities, as is the case in France for example.

Globally, drinking water and sanitation pose major health challenges. Levels of public access to these essential services vary significantly across countries and regions. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, part of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, focuses specifically on these two challenges. Significant, fundamental work remains to be done in terms of building knowledge, providing training and organising regulatory and management institutions.