More than one billion people live in informal settlements globally. Over two billion live without basic sanitation. Climate change and rapid population growth in these settlements exacerbate water and sanitation challenges. Polluted water supplies and inadequate sanitation are leading causes of disease in these communities.

A new approach is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation for all.

RISE aims to provide research-based evidence that a localised, water sensitive approach to revitalising informal settlements can deliver sustainable, cost-effective health and environmental improvements, paving the way for further deployments in the region and globally.

Working with communities, governments, local leaders and partner institutions, RISE is co-designing location-specific solutions that integrate green infrastructure, such as constructed wetlands, to strengthen the whole-of-life water and sanitation cycle.

Working across 24 settlements in Fiji and Indonesia, RISE aims to enable these communities to:

• Recycle their own wastewater (both blackwater and greywater);
• Harvest rainwater;
• Create green space for water cleansing and food cultivation;
• Restore natural waterways to encourage diversity; and,
• Reduce vulnerability to flooding and climate change.

The program intends to reduce both environmental contamination itself and the likelihood of human contact with contaminants. Multiple benefits are anticipated, including improved community health, fewer infections, better intestinal health among children, increased food production, and reduced gender inequality through the provision of secure domestic sanitation facilities and reliable water supplies.

RISE commenced in August 2017 and will conclude in July 2022.