WASH in Germany

Human health and well-being are dependent on safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Safe water and sanitation are not only essential for good health, but they also contribute to livelihoods, school attendance, and dignity, as well as helping to build resilient communities in healthy settings.

Drinking contaminated water causes ailments including diarrhoea, and untreated feces contaminates groundwater and surface waters used for drinking, irrigation, bathing, and other household reasons.

Water and hygiene standards in Germany are among the highest in the world. Water from the tap can be drunk almost everywhere in Germany without any problems. The drinking water is of very good quality, unlike in many other countries. 

Germany's contribution to the global WASH program consists primarily of maintaining the country's own quality and exporting technologies, equipment and knowledge to other countries.

German WASH Network

The German WASH Network is made up of 25 non-governmental organizations from Germany that are actively involved in global humanitarian aid, recovery, and development cooperation. Through coordinated campaigning and awareness raising, the network hopes to increase political will to prioritize WASH.

Clean Water for All

The German development agency Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is trying to guarantee that people around the world have broad and long-term access to clean water. It accomplishes this by providing technical assistance and assisting them in the development of specialized knowledge.

Strategy for Humanitarian Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Human rights and fundamental human necessities include access to safe drinking water and a sanitary sewage system. The Federal Foreign Office has published a strategy on this to further expand cooperation in the field of WASH, specify development aid and conduct capacity building.