Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries

Access to clean water and safe sanitation is one of the most critical challenges facing rapidly growing urban areas in developing nations today. This comprehensive text-based course provides you with the foundational knowledge and planning frameworks required to design resilient, equitable, and sustainable water infrastructure. You will transition from understanding basic hydrological principles to formulating practical, community-driven planning strategies that address real-world resource constraints. What you'll learn: Understand the core principles of hydrology, water supply, and sanitation infrastructure in resource-constrained settings; Analyze the socio-economic, environmental, and political factors that influence infrastructure planning; Evaluate modern decentralized wastewater treatment technologies and sustainable sanitation alternatives; Apply structured planning frameworks to assess community needs and water demand patterns; Integrate climate resilience and modern water resource management principles into infrastructure designs. The course begins with essential terminology, historical context, and foundational concepts of water resource planning before guiding you through technical design parameters, institutional frameworks, and financial sustainability models. This course is designed for beginners, aspiring urban planners, development practitioners, and civil engineering students with no prior experience in infrastructure planning. Start building the knowledge needed to drive meaningful public health and environmental outcomes.