Biodiversity Integration Water and Sanitation Reference Sheet

Natural ecosystems capture, store and purify water, allowing biodiversity programming to complement and protect water and sanitation investments. Similarly, by improving waste water treatment and increasing water use efficiency, water and sanitation programming reduces the pollution of aquatic ecosystems and lessens the amount of water taken from rivers or lakes.

This reference sheet is one of a series of five whose purpose is to facilitate coordination and integration of biodiversity conservation with other key sectors at USAID by using a common format to present the interests of these sectors and opportunities for integration through collaboration, co-funding or single sector funds. These sheets are intended to be used throughout the program cycle by environment and non-environment officers alike. For the full series of sheets, please see the back cover of this reference sheet.