Many countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are unlikely to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to half the number of people without access to adequate sanitation.

In addition many more countries are relying on unsustainable sanitation systems which pollute local water supplies causing disease and environmental degradation. Urban areas are particularly affected as rapid population growth and the resulting urban sprawl and informal settlements increases the need for new infrastructure and overwhelms facilities that do exist. The links between inadequate sanitation and poverty is well known and it is widely acknowledged that improvements in sanitation facilities can have a positive impact on health and livelihoods.