There is much complexity to the cost of providing safe and sustainable water solutions to populations over a period of time.
In the past it has been said that $20 dollars can give a person clean water for life. However, this figure often does not account for long-term recurrent costs. Also, geographic regions, and levels of service differ. The number of 63 cents (USD) per one year of clean water for one person, derives from the total organizational costs and recurring maintenance needed on average. The average life expectancy at birth in 2018, worldwide, is 72 years.
This number may continue to evolve as more clean water innovations are made.
“Life-cycle costs are the full costs of delivering adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to a specific population in a particular geographic area—not just for a few years but indefinitely. These costs include construction and maintenance of systems in the short and longer term, taking into account the need for hardware and software capital expenditure, including source protection, operations, short-term and long-term maintenance, capital maintenance, cost of capital and direct and indirect support (e.g., training, planning and institutional support).”- International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply and Sanitation
