Access to clean water is crucial. The Bezos Earth Fund is financing small-scale utility providers across the Global South to bridge the gap between energy inefficient infrastructure and lasting water and sanitation solutions.
Improving Water & Sanitation Infrastructure for Climate Mitigation and Resilience in the Global South
Over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate and inefficient. Communities already struggling with water access in the Global South will suffer first and worst from the impacts of climate change on freshwater supply and sanitation infrastructure.
For 15 years Water.org has improved household and community access to safe drinking water and clean sanitation in developing countries. This project will apply Water.org’s tested microfinance methods to small-scale water utilities in target countries to upgrade aging infrastructure. Old and wasteful water and sanitation systems are prevalent in communities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and oft-overlooked small-scale utilities need resources to improve and expand reliable infrastructure. Fixing leaky community water systems across the Global South will reduce energy loss and carbon emissions that result from purifying and pumping water.
The Bezos Earth Fund’s $10 million grant will provide 20 million people access to lasting water and sanitation solutions. Funding will support the development and launch of infrastructure financing, including hiring staff in local geographies to work with local utility partners on capacity building and solution implementation. The Earth Fund’s support will leverage an additional $200 million in private investments to expand Water.org’s efforts to improve infrastructure, reduce emissions, and increase climate resilience.