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Water
Regions
EPA works with other countries, with multilateral groups such as the World Health Organizations, and with municipalities to protect the world's oceans, ensure the health of transboundary waterways, and improve access to potable water.
Protecting the Marine Environment
The world’s coastal waters and oceans are deteriorating due to increasing coastal development, pollution from ships, and habitat destruction. Most pronounced in near-coastal and estuarine regions, the degradation of coastal and oceanic waters is significant and both developed and developing countries contribute to the problem. [Read more about protecting the marine environment.]
Improving Water Quality
Worldwide, more than one billion people lack access to potable water, and more than two billion do not have adequate sanitation. As a result, over 3 billion people (mostly children under age 5) suffer from waterborne diseases that can be fatal. [Read more about international drinking water quality.]
Transboundary Water
EPA is participating in a growing global alliance to facilitate resolution of water quality and management problems among countries who share rivers, lakes, and aquifers. [Read more about EPA's role in transboundary water.]
International Best Practices for Water
EPA provides a high-quality library of innovative approaches to conserving and purifying water and managing wastewater. It also addresses improvements that can be made to watersheds and water-bodies. [Visit the Gateway to International Best Practices on Water.]
