The promise of a sustainable future rests on the foundation of clean water and safe sanitation. Yet, for billions, this foundation is fragile or absent.
According to the WHO, 1 in 3 people lack access to safe sanitation facilities across the globe. At the 2023 United Nations Water Conference, the global health body said that nearly 2 billion rely on water sources contaminated by human waste, placing them at continuous risk of preventable diseases. Such a reality poses significant challenges to individual health and undermines broader efforts to eradicate poverty, promote gender equality, and secure environmental sustainability.
As climate change accelerates and the world’s population grows, the water scarcity crisis looks set to deepen. Data from the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas shows that annually, 25 countries are exposed to high water stress—a situation where the water demand surpasses the available supply or where poor water quality limits its use. Projections by UN Water indicate that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could face an acute shortage. Conventional sanitation systems, which often rely heavily on clean water and infrastructure, are ill-equipped to address this crisis.
This is why transformative solutions like innovative technologies and methods and grassroots efforts must ensure sustainable, inclusive, and resilient sanitation systems.
India's Fight Against the Sanitation Crisis
India’s journey toward addressing its sanitation challenges stands as a testament to its commitment to public health and human dignity. According to a World Bank 2013 report, over 600 million people, or 53% of Indian households used to defecate in the open due to the absence of toilets. However, India has made remarkable progress in the last few years. In 2013, for example, only 41% of rural and 67% of urban households in India had access to improved sanitation, according to UNICEF-WHO estimates.
However, a decade since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (2014) the country has not only been declared Open Defecation Free but also gone beyond building toilets to foster dignity, empowerment, and prosperity. SBM has paved the way for a cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive India, aligning with the larger goal of Sustainable Development Goal 6.
While significant progress has been made, challenges such as sustained usage, effective waste management, and the impact of water scarcity and climate change remain. With nearly half the global population predicted to live in water-stressed regions by 2025, the reliance of traditional sanitation systems on clean water makes them unsustainable. To address these challenges, innovative, climate-resilient solutions are essential.
Innovations in Sanitation
The story of sanitation is as old as civilization itself. The Indus Valley Civilization pioneered intricate drainage systems that carried waste away from homes, while the medieval era relied on basic toilet chambers. More recently, modern sanitation has evolved with Fecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) systems, complemented by smart toilets designed for water efficiency and health monitoring. This development reflects humanity’s ingenuity, but today, the challenge lies not just in designing toilets but in managing waste sustainably.
In 2011, our foundation launched the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge under our Water, Sanitation & Hygiene program. It promotes transformative sanitation technologies to address the global need for safe, affordable sanitation by eliminating pathogens and recovering valuable resources like water and energy. A standout innovation is the Community Reinvented Toilet in Khichripur, East Delhi. At first glance, this public toilet appears ordinary—clean, well-maintained, with running water.
But behind the scenes, its magic lies in a five-step fecal treatment system that recycles 8,000 of the 10,000 liters of water it uses daily. This self-sustaining system reduces the energy footprint by avoiding sewage transport and conserves vast amounts of water, vital in a water-stressed world.
Similarly, the electronics giant, Samsung has developed a waterless toilet prototype in collaboration with our foundation. This innovation uses heat treatment and bioprocessing to turn human waste into ash, safely eliminating pathogens while minimizing environmental impact.
Community Impact: WASHAway Disease Campaign
While innovative technologies are redefining sanitation solutions on a global scale, grassroots efforts remain the backbone of lasting change. Localized initiatives bridge the gap between advanced systems and real-world implementation, demonstrating the power of community-led action.
The Gates Foundation’s #WASHAwayDiseases campaign is an impactful initiative highlighting the essential link between sanitation and public health. Proper hygiene and sanitation promoted by the campaign are essential for preventing deadly diseases like diarrhea and cholera that still claim millions of lives worldwide.
The #WASHAwayDiseases campaign places clean toilets at the forefront of the fight against preventable diseases. The campaign’s call to action resonates deeply with local change-makers. In 2016, one such change-maker, Sunita Devi from Udaypura, Jharkhand led an inspiring grassroots movement, training women to construct toilets and helping her village become open defecation-free. Her efforts accelerated toilet construction, reducing the time from a week to just four days transforming societal norms around hygiene. By uniting large-scale advocacy like #WASHAwayDiseases with local initiatives, the fight against sanitation-related diseases can become a shared mission.
Safe and accessible toilets are key to achieving SDG 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. With untreated sludge posing a serious health threat, only good quality, efficient sanitation systems can address this crisis. To advance safe sanitation for the 21st century, integrating grassroots efforts, smart technologies, and collaborative action from communities, governments, and innovators will be key. Doing so will help safeguard water resources, improve public health, and pave the way toward equitable and sustainable development.
India’s Swachh Bharat Mission promises a transformative future with its comprehensive focus on sustainable waste management, behavior change, and community participation.
By improving public health, reducing infant mortality, ensuring safer spaces for women, and upholding the dignity of sanitation workers, it envisions a cleaner, healthier India where cleanliness itself becomes a way of life.
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