Clean water is safe enough to be consumed by humans or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. The clean water problem is that of quantity (access), quality, cost, and system maintenance.

Desired Equilibrium

Universal, equitable access to clean water across urban and rural areas worldwide, supplied by utilities and service providers with adequate capacity to deliver reliable and sustainable service. Clean drinking water allows the poor to lead healthier lives and devote previously lost time to productive activities that improve their livelihoods.

Ways Skoll social entrepreneurs are addressing the issue:

• Working directly with utilities and service providers to improve the quality, quantity, and cost of service (Water for People, WSUP)
• Securing financing from governments, multilaterals, and private sector sources to implement and sustain services (Gram Vikas, Water.org, Water for People, WSUP)
• Organizing members in a community to pool resources to fund and implement community-wide solutions (Gram Vikas, SDI)
• Tracking the use and capacity of water and sanitation systems to inform operations and maintenance (Water for People)