The 2026 U.S. WASH Convening
May 5–7, 2026 · Washington, D.C.
Where alignment turned into action.
The 2026 U.S. WASH Convening marked a defining moment for the growing movement to close the water access gap in the United States.
Leaders from more than 130 organizations came together from across the country– including community advocates, Tribal nations, utilities, researchers, nonprofits, philanthropy, private industry, artists, storytellers, and government partners – around a shared truth:
Enough is enough. We must bring running water and safe sanitation to every household in America, forever.
Building on the inaugural 2024 Convening, this gathering marked a shift from alignment to coordinated implementation, anchored by the launch of the National Roadmap to Close the Water Access Gap.
2026 Convening Snapshot
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130+ organizations represented across the U.S. WASH sector
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100+ speakers across plenaries, sessions, and regional groups
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Nearly 50 organizational endorsements of the National Roadmap
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21 collaborative sessions focused on implementation, technical assistance policy, funding, workforce development, data, communications, and more
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5 regional coordination groups across all three days strengthening place-based strategy and collaboration
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1 Visibility Day on Capitol Hill bringing the issue of water access directly to policymakers
Three Days, Three Pillars
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Making the water access gap impossible to ignore.
Data, storytelling, lived experience, and narrative change shaping public understanding of water insecurity in the U.S.
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The infrastructure behind the infrastructure.
Workforce, financing systems, technical assistance, governance, and long-term sustainability.
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Turning recognition into durable action.
Policy, funding alignment, institutional accountability, and federal–state coordination.
Regional Coordination Groups
Where national dialogue became local reality.
Throughout the Convening, five Regional Coordination Groups met daily to ground national themes in regional context and lived experience. Together, they explored: Common WASH access challenges, locally grounded solutions, stories of success and innovation, and opportunities for collaboration across geographies.
Midwest
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South & Appalachia
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West & Southwest
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Northwest
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Northeast, Hawai‘i & U.S. Territories
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Midwest ᐧ South & Appalachia ᐧ West & Southwest ᐧ Northwest ᐧ Northeast, Hawai‘i & U.S. Territories ᐧ
U.S. WASH Visibility Day
Bringing the Roadmap directly to Congress.
The Convening concluded with U.S. WASH Visibility Day, where participants carried the National Roadmap directly into congressional offices across Capitol Hill.
Together, we helped elevate both the urgency of the water access gap and the solutions already emerging across communities nationwide.
Our Visibility Day Impact:
24 Senate Meetings
30 House Meetings
40+ Drop-in visit
The Road to 2040
The work ahead starts now.
The 2026 U.S. WASH Convening marked more than the end of a three-day gathering.It marked the beginning of a coordinated national effort to close the water access gap in the United States.
The National Roadmap is now helping align action across the sector – connecting communities, strengthening capacity, coordinating investment, and building long-term accountability around a shared goal: By 2040, no American should be left without safe, reliable water or sanitation.
This goal is ambitious, but not aspirational. It is measurable, achievable, and already underway.
But it will require all of us.
Take action now:
