Water Aid was established in 1981 in the United Kingdom to help provide clean water and good hygiene to millions of people living without it. Over the decades, Water Aid expanded to work with local partners in more countries, and helped increasing numbers of people gain access to clean water and sanitation. Major milestones included becoming a global organization with members in multiple countries, successfully lobbying the UN to declare clean water and sanitation as human rights, and reaching over 24 million people with clean water by 2016 through expanded international work.

1. 1985
Workingwith
local partners in
10 countries.
1981
UK water industry unites
to help millionsliving
without clean water and
good hygiene. Water Aid
established on 21st July
1981.Firstprojects start
in Zambia and Sri Lanka.
1988 Support
helped them
reach 350,000
people.
1991
HRH Prince
Charles
became their
firstpresident.
1993
funded the
Hitosa Gravity
Scheme which
reached 50
thousand people.
1994
became one of
Glastonbury
festival’s chosen
charities.First
advocacy report,
Mega-Slums: the
coming sanity
crisisisreleased.
2003
working with 15
countries.
1999
enabled over 6
million peopleto
have a better life.
2000
aims to halvethe
number of people living
without clean water in
2015.Successfully lobby
to get sanitation added
to the listof MDGs.
2002
the UN declares
clean water a
human right.
2010
access to decent
toilets is declared
a human right.
2013
joined forces
with charity
WaterCan who
go on to become
Water Aid
Canada.
2009
reached 13.4
million people
with clean water
and 8.1 million
with decent
toilets.
2015
launch strategy to
reach everyone
everywhere.
Petition with
115,000 signatures
which calls on the
government to help
millionsof people
still withoutthe
necessities.
2004
Water Aid becomes
a global
organisation,
welcoming America
and Australia as
members.
2012
supportfor Big
Dig appeal
raises 2 million
pounds for
work in rural
Malawi.
2008
UN declares an
international
year of
sanitation.
2016
supporters raise
over 4 million
pounds. Reached
24.9 million
people with clean
water.