The Crumbling Foundation: How Aid Cuts Threaten Global Water and Sanitation Progress

A World Water Day Paradox

Ironically, as World Water Day 2025 spotlights the vital role of glaciers in providing water for billions, the very resources needed to ensure equitable access to clean water and sanitation are dwindling. Recent cuts in development funding paint a grim picture, jeopardizing progress towards SDG 6 and the promise of leaving no one behind.

The Ripple Effect of Diminished Funding

Drastic cuts to USAID's budget, coupled with similar reductions in UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other European nations, are crippling vital water and sanitation projects, particularly in vulnerable regions. These cuts are not merely budgetary adjustments; they represent a retreat from humanitarian commitments, leaving millions without access to basic human rights.

The consequences are stark. Hundreds of thousands across Colombia, Mali, and Burkina Faso are now without clean water due to USAID cuts alone. These are not just statistics; they are real people facing real hardships.

Aid: A Complex Landscape

While acknowledging the complexities and potential misuse of foreign aid, its life-saving impact remains undeniable. An estimated 3.3 million lives are saved annually thanks to USAID, and the ripple effect of these cuts will be catastrophic, particularly for countries struggling to meet their SDG targets. WASH targets, already lagging, face even greater challenges.

A Ticking Clock for Sanitation

As UNICEF and WHO warned in 2020, the pace of progress in sanitation needs to quadruple to achieve SDG targets by 2030. These recent funding cuts make this already ambitious goal seem almost impossible. The global health implications are severe, with increased risks of diarrheal diseases and child mortality.

Even initiatives like the Gates Foundation's City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) program, crucial for promoting sanitation solutions in the global South, have faced abrupt discontinuation, further hindering progress.

Beyond Immediate Impacts: A Call for Global Solidarity

Poor access to water and sanitation has a cascading effect, impacting climate adaptation, girls' education, food security, and overall well-being. While these cuts may spur self-reliance in the long run, the immediate effects are devastating. Uganda, for example, is already experiencing job losses and economic instability due to aid reductions.

The erosion of global solidarity and the callous disregard for human lives, exemplified by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, are deeply troubling. The insufficient response to these blatant violations of international law underscores a dangerous trend towards indifference.

A Plea for a Different Path

While the "America First" narrative driving USAID cuts may be expected, the decisions of European nations are morally indefensible. The UK, in particular, diminishes its global standing by sacrificing aid for increased defense spending. As Keynes wisely advised, taxing the super-wealthy offers a less damaging path to fund these priorities without compromising the basic rights of the world's most vulnerable.

Ultimately, we are all interconnected. Ignoring the needs of some jeopardizes the well-being of all.

Professor Lyla Mehta, Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Noragric, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, focuses her research on water and sanitation, climate change, and the politics of resource access. Her insights provide a critical perspective on the far-reaching impacts of aid cuts.