In 1990, the Safe Water System (SWS) was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to help protect communities from contaminated water via behavior change and sustainable solutions.

As of 1992, 2 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources and 1.8 billion people have gained access to improved sanitation. However, worldwide, 780 million people still do not have access to improved water sources and an estimated 2.5 billion people — half of the developing world — lack access to adequate drinking water.