REACH Boosts Water Security for 10M Vulnerable People
Water security is essential for environmental protection, economic growth, poverty reduction and public health. Four billion people worldwide are estimated to be impacted by insecure access to drinking water, with many more affected by impact of water insecurity on industry and agriculture.
The success of the REACH programme demonstrates how well-targeted and carefully managed research and development funds can deliver value for money sustainably at scale. By working with partners on innovative rural water finance, we’ve shown that it is possible to maintain reliable drinking water services to tens of thousands of people for under 1 US dollar per person, per year.
Robert Hope , Professor of Water Policy at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
Today, in a new report , the REACH Water Programme , funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has announced that its work has directly improved water security for 10 million people in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The programme has also laid the groundwork for long-term benefits reaching many more people.
Now, the programme’s impact is set to grow.
The Oxford team behind REACH is now expanding its work globally to reach a 100 million people by 2030 by piloting innovative funding models and forging new government partnerships.
Since 2015, the REACH team has responded to the priorities of partner governments to address their water security priorities. For example:
Drought and floods in the Horn of Africa are now better understood, shaping policy and investments for 25 million people
River pollution affecting 20 million residents in Dhaka , Bangladesh, is now being addressed through clearer, evidence-based understanding of seasonal risks
Results-based funding models to ensure safe drinking water for rural people have been tested and are now being taken up by governments, including the governments of Zambia and Bangladesh
Collaboration with social enterprise, Uptime , has enabled results-based funding contracts to expand to 16 countries benefiting over 5 million rural people. This includes addressing water quality issues which are often overlooked in rural areas but have major impacts on the health, education and welfare of children, the sick and the old.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-03-21-reach-programme-improves-water-security-over-10-million-vulnerable-people