Citywide Inclusive Sanitation: Aligning Investments with the Global Sanitation and Wastewater Goals

Key Points

• Although sanitation is on the international development agenda, billions lack access to safely managed services.
• Classifying sanitation as sewered or non-sewered oversimplifies urban sanitation, falsely linking solution types to income levels.
• Progress in Sustainable Development Goal indicators 6.2.1 and 6.3.1 does not capture the complexity of urban sanitation and miscalculates safely managed services and safely treated wastewater, as seen in India and Thailand.
• Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) ensures equitable access to improved sanitation for urban residents, integrating innovative service models that incorporate climate resilience and water reuse.
• Financing CWIS needs to consider diverse, contextually appropriate solutions; the enabling environment (political, social, economic, and cultural aspects); and innovative mechanisms (long-term financing, synergistic, and modular investments).
• Implementing CWIS requires concerted efforts, strong partnerships across sectors, addressing operational challenges, fostering governance, and integrating sanitation into urban development. Successful initiatives counter low political priority and demonstrate the economic value of CWIS.