Water security underpins economic development, human health, food systems, ecosystem services, peace, and national security. Yet, across the world, freshwater resources and sustainable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH) have never been more threatened. Climate change, poor resource management, and decades of underinvestment have made freshwater resources a flashpoint for conflict, migration, and growing inequality. 

The 2014 Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act and the 2022 U.S. Global Water Strategy elevated the United States Government’s (USG) commitment to improving water security and increasing access to WASH services in the world’s most fragile contexts. The results of these investments have been transformative. Over the past decade, the USG has increased sustainable access to safe water to over 21 million people, conserved vital ecosystems, mitigated water-driven conflict, increased food security, and reduced infant malnutrition in many of the world’s most impoverished countries. 

Tetra Tech is proud to be a major USG partner in this area. We’ve partnered with thousands of communities in over 20 countries to develop and deliver inclusive and innovative water security and WASH programming that has transformed lives, strengthened local capacity, and increased communities’ economic and social resilience. A leading implementer of the U.S. Global Water Strategy Action Research Initiative, Tetra Tech’s applied research through USAID WASHPaLS and USAID URBAN WASH has influenced governments, development partners, and the private sector to identify, adopt, co-finance, and scale global best practices. Our programs in East Africa, Central Asia and Central America have strengthened transboundary water governance and diplomacy by elevating the mutual benefits of water cooperation across borders and the application of state-of-the-art science to manage water sustainably and adaptively.  

In all contexts, Tetra Tech uses water issues as an entry point to empower women, girls, and other marginalized groups. We partner with water utility leaders to increase workforce gender equality in male-dominated sectors, with 75% of our partners reporting business improvements. We expand access to WASH services at schools and health care facilities to keep girls in school longer and promote safe maternal health. We systematically target women’s participation to empower them as WASH decision-makers in their household.  

Recognizing the massive funding gap needed to achieve universal access to safe WASH services, Tetra Tech has developed partnerships to mobilize over $126 million in private sector, domestic and other non-USG investment in expanding and strengthening water and WASH service delivery systems.  

Despite these notable gains, continued USG investment is critical to close the water management gap, invest in resilient water and sanitation systems and address climate change. Given water security’s intersection with foreign policy, national security and human development, the USG’s continued global leadership in this fundamental area is critical to shape a more prosperous and livable world.