Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of national progress. As India advances its vision to be a developed economy by 2047, clean water and sanitation are non-negotiable determinants of public health, gender equality, social equity, and overall quality of life for the 1.45 billion citizens of India. For decades, lack of access to safely managed water sources had imposed a disproportionate burden on women and girls of fetching water from distant sources.

In this context, the Sankala Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), organised a National Conference on ‘Assured Clean Piped Water to All: The Road Ahead’. This National Conference aimed to strengthen the alignment between policy, implementation, and operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural water infrastructure at ground level through a multi-stakeholder collaboration.