Solutions that float: tackling wastewater challenges in communities built on water
More than two million people around the world live in water villages, settlements built on or above lakes, rivers and coastlines, often beyond the reach of formal wastewater and sanitation infrastructure. With limited access to safe water and no reliable way to treat wastewater, these communities discharge millions of litres of raw sewage into the very ecosystems they rely on daily.
This technical brief presents practical, cost-effective options for improving wastewater management and sanitation provision in water villages and highlights community-led innovations that reduce pollution, protect public health, and strengthen resilience to environmental risks.
It was developed in cooperation with GRID Arendal and the Global Wastewater Initiative.
