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Key Takeaways from the 2026 University of North Carolina Water and Health Conference 

Nabil Chemaly
Senior Program Officer, Safe Water

Advances in safe water delivery—and the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector overall—happen best when actors focused on science, policy, and practice collaborate and share new learnings. At last week’s 2026 University of North Carolina Water and Health Conference, we saw the importance of global stakeholders working together toward universal WASH services. The event excelled in advancing a robust dialogue across the “science-policy-practice” continuum, highlighting important messages related to government leadership, operational sustainability, and balanced financing. At the same time, opportunities exist to enhance cross-sector collaboration by further elevating important government leaders and service providers in these kinds of policy and practice discussions.   

Nabil Chemaly presents at the UNC Water & Health Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

A Strong Foundation of Science and Collaboration

The conference demonstrated an impressive depth of scientific and data-driven research focused on WASH services. Academic researchers, non-governmental organizations, funders, and international development partners—including grantee partners of the Hilton Foundation’s Safe Water Initiative—shared valuable insights and innovative methodologies. This strong research foundation underscored the sector’s ongoing capacity for evidence-based learning, particularly on important topics like results-based financing, data access, water resource management, professionalization of services, and more.

Sustaining Services Over Time

Discussions from the week also reflected an encouraging consensus: addressing global water challenges involves balancing infrastructure delivery with long-term service sustainability. Building physical infrastructure represents an initial milestone, while maintaining reliable, sustainable, and affordable services typically relies on three interconnected pillars:

  1. Government Leadership: Government-led frameworks play an important role in establishing accountability, setting standards, and guiding sector strategy. 
  2. Operational Sustainability: Local service providers benefit from targeted technical assistance, performance-based financial support, and a voice in broader strategic discussions. 
  3. Balanced Financing: Funding is most effective when it balances initial infrastructure development with long-term investments to support ongoing operations and maintenance. 

      Opportunities for Broader Engagement in Policy and Practice

      Conversations related to WASH science, policy, and practice can also benefit from a more expansive and inclusive set of actors responsible for service delivery and systems.

      • Enhancing government leadership: Integrating scientific evidence into public policy is most effective when done in close coordination with government institutions, which hold the legal mandate for service delivery and oversight. Increasing the presence of national and local government representatives can help ensure that emerging strategies complement existing institutional structures. 
      • Elevating the role of service providers: The central objective of the WASH sector remains extending reliable services to underserved and unserved populations in both urban and rural areas. Achieving this goal relies on the practical expertise of frontline practitioners, including both public and non-public service providers. Encouraging greater participation from water operators—who are accountable for delivering quality services, particularly those from low- and middle-income countries—provides an important opportunity to keep global discussions grounded in operational reality. 

      The research shared at UNC last week provides an excellent foundation for future progress. By continuing to foster closer partnerships among researchers, government entities, and local service providers, the global community is well-positioned to translate evidence into sustained, reliable services.

      To see and hear additional insights from partners at the 2026 UNC Water and Health Conference, please visit: Working Together to Support Safe Water Delivery – Hilton Foundation

      Panel session at the UNC Water & Health Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.