Millions of people throughout the world do not have enough water to sustain their livelihoods — so they have reduced capacity to lift themselves out of poverty. The relationship between poverty and water is complex, but water is such a valuable resource that it must be managed responsibly, to ensure long-term sustainability for future generations.
The Water Poverty Index (WPI) was developed by a team of researchers, practitioners and stakeholders, led by CEH, to help to determine priorities for action and to monitor progress towards targets. The WPI is a holistic water management tool that is mainly relevant at the community level, but can also be applied at any spatial scale up to the basin or national levels.