The main objective of this partnership is to reduce diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years old and other vulnerable populations through provision of locally-produced water disinfectant, safe water storage containers, and behavior change techniques directed towards improved hygiene.

The goal of providing piped, treated water for all is desirable, but will take considerable resources and time to achieve. While this goal is being pursued, innovative, practical, interim solutions are needed to provide underserved populations with safe water in a more timely fashion. To address this need, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) developed a household-based water quality intervention that employs simple, easily disseminated technology. The basis of the intervention, which is called the Safe Water System (SWS), is:
 treatment of contaminated water with locally-produced sodium hypochlorite solution;
 safe water storage in plastic containers with a narrow mouth to reduce the risk of water being touched and contaminated;
 behavior change techniques, including social marketing and community mobilization.

Governments:
Government of United States of America - Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC)
Government of Afghanistan - Ministry of Health; Ministry of Rehabilitation and Rural Development
Government of Bolivia - Ministry of Health
Government of Ecuador - Ministry of Health
Government of India - Ministry of Health
Government of Japan - JICA
Government of Kenya - Ministry of Health
Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic - Ministry of Health
Government of Madagascar - Ministry of Health
Government of Malawi - Ministry of Health
Government of Rwanda - Ministry of Health
Government of Uganda - Ministry of Health
Government of United Republic of Tanzania - Ministry of Health
Government of United States of America - HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Government of United States of America - USAID
Government of Zambia - Ministry of Health

Major Groups:
Population Services International (PSI) (United States of America)
Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Tropicales (Bolivia)
Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud (Bolivia)
Project Concern International (Bolivia)
Max Chemicals (India)
Jet Chemicals, Ltd. (Nairobi) (Kenya)
Catholic Relief Services (Madagascar)
Centre National de Recherches sur le Environnement (Madagascar)
SFOI (Madagascar)
SulfoRwanda (Rwanda)
Megapak (South Africa)
Simba Plastics, Ltd. (United Republic of Tanzania)
Tarmal Industries, Ltd. (United Republic of Tanzania)
Bristol Meyers Squibb (United States of America)
CARE (United States of America)
Emory University School of Public Health (United States of America)
Equipment and Systems Engineering, Inc. (United States of America)
Medical University of South Carolina (United States of America)
Pan American Health Org. (PAHO) (United States of America)
Procter and Gamble Company (United States of America)
Rotary International (United States of America)
Univ. of North Carolina School of Public Health (United States of America)
Tropical Disease Research Center (Zambia)

UN System:
WHO (Switzerland)
UNICEF (United States of America)

Other:
Universidad Mayor de San Andres (Bolivia)
Aga Khan University (Pakistan)
Coca Cola Foundation (United States of America)
Millipore Foundation (United States of America)