The water crisis

Can you imagine life without clean water to drink? For millions of people, like Imamzadi from Pakistan, it's a daily reality.

We believe everyone has the right to clean water to drink and a safe place to go to the toilet. When people have these basics, it can help them lead healthy, dignified and productive lives.

At WaterAid, we tackle the reasons why millions of people living in some of the lowest-income countries in the world are without these vital services, and work with local partners to help transform lives every year by improving access to clean water, toilets and hygiene.

771 million people in the world – one in ten – do not have clean water close to home.

We'll keep working until everyone, everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. But we can’t do it without you.

Will you help transform lives today?

We’re an international not-for-profit, determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation.

Since 1981, we’ve directly reached 28 million people with clean water; 28 million with decent toilets; and 26 million with good hygiene.

Only by tackling these three essentials in ways that last can people change their lives for good. With our supporters and partners, we will change millions of lives for the better.

We work closely with partners internationally and on the ground in some of the toughest places in the world, to help achieve widespread change. Millions of people have already taken control of their lives and built better futures.

We do more than install taps and toilets. To make lasting change happen on a massive scale, we convince governments to change laws; link policy makers with people on the ground; change attitudes and behaviours; pool knowledge and resources; and rally support from people and organisations around the world.

Regular gifts by direct debit give us a predictable income so WaterAid can commit to reaching more people around the world. Plus, direct debits mean we pay less in processing fees than for credit card gifts.

We’ll use your donations in the best way possible. In every £1 we spent, 74p went on delivering services and making change happen and 26p went on fundraising and governance*

*as of 20/21 WaterAid annual report.