The Next Sanitation Breakthrough: Affordable, Water-Efficient Onsite Waste Treatment 

Half the world’s population – 3.4 billion people – lacks access to safe sanitation. This crisis disproportionately impacts women and children, spreads disease like cholera and typhoid, and disrupts education and economic development. Climate change and rapid urbanization are amplifying the challenges, with extreme weather events like floods and droughts overwhelming existing sanitation systems and leaving communities vulnerable. 

Current systems used in poor communities are prohibitively expensive and ineffective at removing pathogens responsible for disease transmission. Even in developed economies with widespread onsite sanitation systems, poor policies and an underdeveloped market contribute to increased public health risks and water pollution. 

Widely available safe and sustainable sanitation systems will be a catalyst for building resilience against disease and climate disruptions and enabling economic growth for communities. Achieving this vision requires radical transformation of the sanitation industry, including our current systems and technologies.  

Innovating Affordable, Sustainable Sanitation Technologies  

For over 15 years, the Gates Foundation, alongside partners, has worked to rethink sanitation. Our focus is developing standalone, off-grid systems that are water-efficient, pathogen-free, and suitable for all communities. These decentralized technologies safely treat household wastewater, regenerate water for reuse, and recover valuable resources. 

Our partners are advancing systems that are designed to meet the diverse needs of households, schools, and public facilities. For example:  

• Cranfield University developed a compact, single household toilet with an attached treatment system.  

• With Masters created a household fecal sludge combustor that replaces the need for a traditional septic tank.   

• Eco-San is developing technology for schools and public toilets that process solids and liquids in one unit – it is the first reinvented toilet to achieve ISO30500 certification