Water and sanitation services play a critical role in sustainable urban development. They are crucial to public health, environmental protection, and to eradicating poverty and inequality in human settlements. As urbanization continues to accelerate, cities are under increasing pressure to provide basic public services. There are still more than a billion people worldwide living in slums and informal settlements. These long-standing challenges are further compounded by the COVID 19 pandemic and the climate crisis.

Leading to the HighLevel Meeting in New York convened by the President of the UN General Assembly to review the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, this session will address:

• What can local governments do to plan and respond to the increased demand for water and sanitation services in the context of rapid urbanization?
• What role does capacitydevelopment play in this regard? 
• How can peer-to-peer learning at the city and utility level help find the right solutions and address water challenges?