Sustainable Wastewater Management for Water Villages

A conservative estimate suggests that over 2 million people worldwide live in water villages – settlements built directly over or alongside bodies of water. The homes are often constructed on stilts or floating platforms, and a defining feature of these communities is the near-total absence of formal water and sanitation services. Most sewage and other household wastes are discharged directly into surrounding waterways. Collectively, these communities generate an estimated 4 million litres of sewage every day, contaminating nearby ecosystems and, in the case of lake and river settlements, polluting the very water used for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning. This Technical Brief presents practical and context-relevant solutions for managing wastewater in water villages. It offers 8 actionable recommendations for policymakers to inform investment and regulatory decisions that improve health and environmental outcomes.