Supporting sustainable and equitable development is at the core of our work.
Effective, sustainable management of water and waste is essential for economic development and the protection of both human and environmental health. Population growth, urbanization, increased consumption and climate change make it increasingly difficult to ensure reliable water and sanitation service access. Never has it been more important to guide decision-making – from the individual to the global level – with credible, actionable evidence.
Our Mission
Stanford's Program on Water, Health and Development works to improve the health and well-being of communities by creating the knowledge, skills and solutions needed to support effective management of water and wastes and to ensure sustained, equitable access to water supply and sanitation services.
We accomplish our mission by:
- Strengthening the scientific basis for decision-making in both the public and private sphere.
- Developing and testing technologies, policies and business models that address key challenges in the water and sanitation sectors.
- Enhancing public and private sector capacity for sustainable water and wastewater management.
- Partnering with other researchers, policymakers and practitioners to amplify the impact of our contributions.
- Providing unique training and learning opportunities for faculty and students at Stanford and partner institutions.
Who We Are
We are an interdisciplinary program of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Our community includes Stanford researchers from a broad range of disciplines, including engineering, medicine, public heath, economics, planning and earth sciences. We also create strategic partnerships with universities, NGOs and governments within the regions where we work.
Where We Work
WHD researchers work to improve the health and well-being of communities around the world, including in some of the world’s most resource-constrained countries. The map below shows the location of current and former WHD research efforts.
