The annual UNC Water and Health Conference brings together water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) professionals from around the world. This event is dedicated to improving public health by advancing universal access to safe, affordable, and sustainable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers gather to review evidence, examine scientific advancements, and explore new approaches to expanding WaSH access and services. The conference’s commitment to public health aligns closely with the mission of the SPRINGS project, particularly as climate change’s impact onWaSH and health takes centre stage.
This year’s sessions highlighted the role of WaSH and public health within the broader context of climate resilience, sparking discussions on how WaSH systems can either be strengthened as a cornerstone of societal resilience or risk becoming casualties of climate change. Key sessions included discussions on the vulnerabilities and adaptation of water resources in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), led by the WHO, and the impacts of climate change on sanitation in rural, typhoon-prone areas. Financiers also shared practical strategies for building climate-resilient WaSH systems, but a recurring message throughout was the need to transform evidence into policy and institutional action—an insight that underscores the importance of the SPRINGS project.
SPRINGS contributed to these conversations during the session titled “Reimagining Water Quality and Health Science for Climate Change Adaptation Policy andAction.”
Jerome Lock-Wah-Hoon, representing project partner RIVM, introduced SPRINGS and explained its Horizon Europe funding mechanism, which facilitates international collaboration towards the project’s goal of addressing climate-driven diarrhoeal diseases. The session attracted a full room, with online attendees joining globally, as participants expressed interest in learning more about SPRINGS' innovative funding model and how it enables LMICs to collaborate with European partners.
Audience members appreciated the project’s multidisciplinary approach, which unites experts in climate, water, and health to confront complex challenges. Attendees from Ghana and Tanzania were particularly engaged, expressing eagerness to follow SPRINGS' progress and its real-world impacts.
The UNC Water and Health Conference underscored the critical role of collaborative, science-driven efforts in the face of climate change—a mission that SPRINGS is proud to advance.
About the project:
SPRINGS is an EU-funded project focused on addressing the impact of climate change on waterborne diarrheal diseases. Diarrheal diseases are currently the third leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age globally. Compounded by global climate projections indicating increased precipitation, flooding, and drought, there is a looming threat to the progress made in reducing diarrheal disease burden. To inform and prioritise effective political responses, SPRINGS is building 4 case studies in Italy, Ghana, Romania, and Tanzania with contrasting vulnerabilities.