We began by listening to women who carry water.

Water1st was founded on a simple realization: the people most affected by water scarcity already understood what needed to change.

Women and girls described carrying water as exhausting, time-consuming work — a daily burden that limited education, income, and opportunity. Their priority was clear: not a closer water point, but water at home.

Our work begins by listening to those experiences and designing solutions that end the walk for water.

For many years, water projects measured success by infrastructure built rather than service delivered. Systems often provided limited quantities of water or required continued hauling from public taps.

We learned that lasting change happens only when water is reliable, sufficient, and available at the household. This insight reshaped how we design every project.

How We Design Solutions

End the Walk for Water

Our primary objective is to end the walk for water for women and girls. Household water access transforms health, education, safety, and economic opportunity by freeing time and reducing physical burden.

Design for Household Service

We focus on piped water networks that deliver safe water directly to homes, available every day and in quantities that protect health. This approach aligns with global standards for safely managed water while going further to ensure water is truly usable in daily life.

Integrate Water, Toilets, and Hygiene

Clean water alone is not enough. Projects combine household water service, water-seal toilets, and hygiene education so families can prevent disease and improve well-being. Women’s leadership within community water boards strengthens long-term success and builds confidence that extends beyond water management.

Build to Objective Standards

Our projects follow rigorous engineering and management standards grounded in research and science. We prioritize reliable water sources, community-scale systems, and designs that communities can operate independently for generations.

Measure What Matters

We follow up long after construction to understand how systems perform in real life — how much water families use, whether repairs happen quickly, and whether funds are available for future maintenance. We also listen to users themselves, because dignity, privacy, and quality of life are essential measures of success.

Partner Locally

Our success depends on locally led partner organizations with deep experience and community trust. These partners lead implementation, mobilize communities, and ensure solutions reflect lived realities.

Collaborate as Equals

We strive to be true collaborators, where community priorities and local expertise guide decisions. Transparency about challenges and shared learning strengthens outcomes and builds lasting partnerships.

Because our approach prioritizes long-term service rather than short-term construction, projects consistently continue functioning years after completion. These outcomes reinforce a simple lesson: sustainable water access is not accidental — it is designed.

Water1st exists to help bring water home — transforming daily life for families and creating lasting change led by the people who live it every day.

Join us! Together we can change the world, one water project, one community at a time.

Water1st International

Ending the walk for water

Mission

Our Team

Susan James

Marla Smith-Nilson

Kirk Anderson

Pat Swiper

Kathleen McMullen

Lucia Hunt