Water For People

Water For People is a nonprofit international development organization founded in 1991 by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) as a response to the increasing water scarcity in developing countries. Its stated mission is to promote the development of high-quality drinking water and sanitation services, accessible to all, and sustained by strong communities, businesses, and governments. This follows the United Nations' 6th Sustainable Development Goal: availability of clean water and sanitation and comprehensive monitoring of freshwater facilities for the progression of human health.

Its goals also include bringing health and hygiene education programs to local districts. It uses a model it calls "Everyone Forever" to measure progress: measuring the quality and coverage of water and sanitation access for every household, community, and public institution (such as schools and health clinics) ("Everyone"); and using a checklist tool to evaluate the sustainability of services through categories such as financing, water resource management, and capacity ("Forever"). These evaluations guide plans, priorities, and learnings. The Everyone Forever model is built to work in a district until local water authorities have the infrastructure, funding, and oversight in place to ensure that everyone will have access to clean water for generations. Since 2024, Water For People has reached 5.2 million people reached with reliable water services.

Water For People works in ten countries around the world: Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, India, Guatemala, Honduras, Bolivia, and Peru. It also works in the United States to address water inequities through policy, partnerships, and knowledge exchanges.