Imagine rapidly urbanizing India, where water scarcity grows increasingly severe—how can natural forces be leveraged to find cost-effective solutions? Or consider remote villages in Mexico—how can sustainable systems be built to ensure both drinking water safety and improved sanitation? These challenges lie at the heart of Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management (SSWM), a field where experts have long sought innovative approaches.

SSWM.info serves as a vital knowledge platform, compiling extensive practical cases, technical solutions, and policy guidance for sustainable sanitation and water management. While some STEP (Sustainable Technology & Environmental Practices) projects have been archived, they retain invaluable experience and knowledge worth examining. Below we categorize these archived resources while analyzing their regional and sectoral applications.

NaWaTech focused on promoting natural water systems and treatment technologies in Indian urban areas facing acute water shortages. The project emphasized leveraging natural ecosystems—wetlands, biofilters, etc.—to treat and purify urban wastewater for reuse in irrigation and industrial applications.

• Technical Features:
  • Natural purification using plants and microorganisms
  • Low operational costs compared to conventional treatment plants
  • Resource recovery through water reuse
• Implementation Cases:
  • Successful applications in multiple Indian cities improved urban water environments
  • Additional benefits for flood mitigation and microclimate regulation

GISA advanced integrated, sustainable management of water resources, sanitation, and food security across Portuguese-speaking countries. The project emphasized cross-sector collaboration, combining water management with sanitation improvements and agricultural development.

• Project Characteristics:
  • Comprehensive integration of water, sanitation and food systems
  • Multi-stakeholder engagement across government, businesses and communities
  • Strong focus on local capacity building

This initiative developed market-driven business models converting waste into valuable products and services. By fostering entrepreneurial innovation in circular economies, the project simultaneously addressed environmental and economic challenges.

GASS implemented community-based, context-specific solutions for sustainable water and sanitation management in Mexican villages. Its participatory approach ensured solutions matched local needs while building long-term management capacity.

SNUPS provided technical assistance for implementing India's national urban sanitation policy. The project developed systemic solutions covering waste collection, treatment and final disposal to transform municipal sanitation management.

LGUS examined municipal governments' role in sustainable urban water and sanitation management. Through comparative case studies, it identified successful governance models for city administrators.

This initiative documented and disseminated exemplary SSWM approaches across Africa, facilitating South-South knowledge exchange to address shared developmental challenges.

Though archived, these projects offer enduring insights:

• Holistic approaches integrating water, sanitation and economic dimensions
• Community engagement as the cornerstone of successful implementation
• Context-specific solutions tailored to local conditions
• Capacity development ensuring long-term sustainability
• South-South cooperation accelerating knowledge transfer

As global water and sanitation challenges intensify, these archived initiatives provide valuable reference points. Their accumulated wisdom can inform innovative solutions toward building cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities worldwide.