U.S. GOVERNMENT GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY 2022-2027

The U.S. Government Global Water Strategy 2022-2027 establishes a whole-of-government approach to achieve a water-secure world. It prioritizes four strategic objectives: strengthening sector governance and financing, increasing equitable access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services, improving the conservation of freshwater resources, and reducing water-related conflict. The strategy emphasizes local leadership, the needs of marginalized populations, and the integration of climate resilience. Implementation is coordinated through the Interagency Water Working Group (IWWG) and focuses on High-Priority Countries (HPCs) identified by a data-driven needs and opportunity index. Specific agency plans from USAID, the Department of State, CDC, and others detail how they will leverage technical expertise, diplomatic engagement, and financial tools to meet these goals.

• The U.S. government has identified four interconnected strategic objectives for the 2022-2027 period: strengthening sector governance, financing, institutions, and markets; increasing equitable access to safe, sustainable, and climate-resilient water and sanitation services; improving climate-resilient conservation and management of freshwater resources; and anticipating and reducing water-related conflict and fragility.
• USAID has set specific targets for the 2022-2027 period, including providing 22 million people with sustainable drinking water services and 22 million people with sustainable sanitation services, and mobilizing $1 billion in financing for water security and resilient watersheds beyond direct investments.
• The strategy prioritizes a shift from providing quick infrastructure fixes to building self-sustaining systems, emphasizing local leadership and the capacity of local actors to ensure investments are durable.
• Climate change is identified as a primary driver of water insecurity, increasing the frequency of extreme events like floods and droughts, which the strategy addresses through nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation.
• The U.S. government identifies High-Priority Countries (HPCs) using a four-step analytical process involving a WASH Needs Index, an Opportunity Score, programmatic considerations, and the presence of a bilateral USAID mission.
• The strategy explicitly targets marginalized and underserved populations, including women, girls, Indigenous Peoples, and LGBTQI+ individuals, to reduce inequalities in water access and resource allocation.
• The Department of State uses diplomatic tools to raise the profile of water and sanitation in national development plans and promotes the peaceful resolution of disputes over shared waters.
• The CDC focuses on the intersection of water and public health, specifically targeting waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis E, and strengthening WASH in healthcare facilities.
• NASA provides critical global monitoring and modeling of the hydrological system through satellite observations, such as the GRACE mission for groundwater and the SWOT mission for surface water.
• The DFC aims to commit $500 million in water sector financing by the end of 2025, utilizing tools like blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps to mobilize private capital for water infrastructure.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) serves as an executing agent providing technical expertise in water resources planning, dam safety, and river basin modeling to other agencies and foreign governments.
• The International Trade Administration (ITA) supports the GWS by helping U.S. water and wastewater treatment companies export technologies and services to emerging markets.
• The strategy recognizes that water insecurity can exacerbate state fragility and the risk of state failure, particularly in shared water bodies where no cooperative agreements exist.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (2022). U.S. GOVERNMENT GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY 2022-2027. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/29.-US-Global-Water-Strategy-2022.pdf

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. U.S. GOVERNMENT GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY 2022-2027. 2022. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/29.-US-Global-Water-Strategy-2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=U.S. GOVERNMENT GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY 2022-2027 |date=2022 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/29.-US-Global-Water-Strategy-2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisks2022government, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{U.S. GOVERNMENT GLOBAL WATER STRATEGY 2022-2027}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2022}, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/29.-US-Global-Water-Strategy-2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }