In 2024, at the mid-term point of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 3.6 billion people – almost half the world’s population – use sanitation services that leave human waste inadequately treated, causing 1.4 million preventable deaths each year. Evidence highlights that effective regulation is key to accelerating progress on water and sanitation. Yet, many consumers do not yet have the benefit of regulated services. Although many countries are taking progressive steps to strengthen governance and regulatory frameworks for water and sanitation services, progress is uneven.

There is an urgent need to increase political commitment to improving regulation and support for water and sanitation service delivery. In response to this need, a group of partners in the water and sanitation sector, including regulators and regional regulators’ associations, utility / service provider associations, international agencies and external support agencies, national governments and civil society are leading a Global to Call to Action on improving water and sanitation regulatory systems.

The Call to Action aims to focus attention at the highest political levels on the importance of water and sanitation regulation as a core component of WASH systems and its critical role in not only delivering safely managed and affordable services but also sustaining them.

To ensure that the Call to Action is comprehensive, inclusive and actionable, a survey was conducted from 23 Sept to 18 Oct 2024 to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders. This interactive webinar will share initial results from the survey, and provide a platform for wider feedback and discussion on priority focus areas that will help shape the Call to Action.

The working language of the session will be English, interpretation will not be available.

In case you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Isabela Espindola, IWA Membership Engagement Senior Officer at isabela.espindola@iwahq.org.