Strengthening Water and Sanitation Regulatory Systems: A Global Call to Action

09 September 2024

On 14 August 2024, the International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress in Toronto hosted a session titled "Strengthening Water and Sanitation Regulation: A Global Call to Action", to mark the launch of a new collaborative effort to elevate the importance of water and sanitation regulation as a vital driver of progress in improving water, sanitation and hygiene systems and access everywhere.

Boy drinking water using his hand.

The Call to Action is initiated by a number of partners, including IWA, the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, regional regulatory bodies like the Asociación de Entes Reguladores de Agua Potable y Saneamiento de las Américas (ADERASA) and the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation (ESAWAS), and the Luso-American Development Foundation Institute for Sustainable Water and Environmental Research Portugal (LIS-Water).

Discussions focused on the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks to address challenges such as climate change, infrastructure decay and public health risks. The session highlighted how regulation is evolving beyond compliance, becoming a driver for innovation and transformation in the sector.

  • For those interested in being a part of the Call to Action, send an email to wsh@who.int
  • Watch a recording of the session here (52 minutes). 

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