Providing safe water

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation works to increase sustainable access to safe water for people in severe need within developing countries.

A lack of access to water and sanitation

Access to safe water, in conjunction with adequate sanitation and hygiene services can improve the overall well-being of the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable people. A lack of access remains a major challenge for developing countries and multiplies devastation in impoverished communities. In 2009, the Foundation conducted a WASH (Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene) landscape research (pdf) project to assess the issue of safe water around the world and to guide development of our water initiative strategy.

Vision

Directed by our founder to help those who are most in need, the Hilton Foundation has a long history of increasing access to clean water in regions of Africa, Mexico and India with low water access and sanitation coverage, and high incidence of water-related diseases and parasites such as trachoma and Guinea worm. Over two decades, we have invested more than $80 million to provide access to safe water for an estimated 2 million people.

Hilton Foundation water development efforts will play a vital part in helping to reach the U.N. Millennium Development Goal to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

Approach

In 2010, the Hilton Foundation board of directors approved a strategy for sustainable water access (pdf). Hilton Foundation support focuses on the safe water access component of the WASH program and seeks to impact populations in severe need in targeted countries. Recognizing that access is only one component of the continuum, we also work with partners to improve sanitation, hygiene and livelihoods.

In Ghana, where the Hilton Foundation has its longest-running support, grants have contributed to the development of the central plains by enabling permanent settlements through safe water access and the eradication of Guinea worm disease. By building water quality testing laboratories, training people, and supporting water treatment research, the Foundation has created local capacity for ongoing water quality management.