To achieve water sustainability, Water Unite Impact has identified five key pillars within the Water+ framework. Among these pillars, access to clean water stands out as fundamental in addressing the challenges of water poverty, water scarcity, and water pollution within the Water+ nexus.
Access to clean water is a fundamental human right that is essential for health and well-being. However, a significant portion of the world's population continues to lack access to safe and clean water sources. 2.2 billion people still lacked access to safely managed water services, including 1.5 billion with "basic services," and 292 million with "limited" water. This emphasises the critical need to prioritise initiatives that ensure universal access to clean water.
Clean water is an invaluable resource, not just for drinking, but also because it underpins the core elements of the Water+ nexus:
Pillar 2 - Access to Sanitation and Toilets: Clean water is essential for proper hygiene practices, improving wastewater treatment, and promoting efficient waste management systems, all of which contribute to water security.
Pillar 3 - Plastic/Solid Waste Circularity: Access to clean water enables more efficient waste collection, sorting, and recycling processes. This reduces environmental pollution and fosters circular waste management practices.
Pillar 4 - Clean water is also crucial for maintaining wastewater circularity: Effective wastewater management relies on clean water for efficient treatment processes, reducing pollution, and promoting water reuse. Additionally, clean water is vital for waste management systems, particularly in recycling and repurposing initiatives.
Pillar 5 - Water Preservation: Clean water is central to water security. Consistent access allows communities to build resilience against water scarcity, contamination, and droughts.
Ensuring universal access to clean water serves as the foundation for the Water+ nexus, improving sanitation, waste management, wastewater treatment, water preservation, and ultimately, public health and sustainable development.
Jibu, one of our investees, exemplifies Pillar 1 - Access to Clean Water. Jibu implements water kiosks as a solution to mitigate issues arising from water scarcity, mounting difficulties in sourcing drinking water for low-income communities as well as rising pollution of water resources.
Currently, Jibu has around 168 franchises in total across its network, its operations extending across Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda. Jibu overcomes the accessibility crisis by deploying 8,500 + retail points at 200m intervals and around 192 franchises, the latter of which will purify the water which is sold at 7.4c/litre. The retail points also include the sale of other products such as porridge and LPG to leverage its last mile retail network by diversification. Jibu has reached 1,846,110 consumers and 125,576,257 litres of clean water produced, improving accessibility to clean water.
By partnering with Jibu and investing in sustainable access to clean water, we can make a real difference in ensuring universal access to water and addressing the interconnected challenges of the Water+ nexus. Together, we can implement innovative solutions and support communities in need.