In a special Christmas edition of the Isle Utilities Exec Exchange podcast, WSUP Chief Executive Ed Mitchell joins host Piers Clark to discuss why shared sanitation is a critical—yet often underestimated—solution for improving health and dignity in rapidly growing cities.
Drawing on more than three decades of experience across the water sector, Ed reflects on the path that led him to WSUP and the organisation’s mission to drive inclusive and resilient urban water and sanitation systems. As WSUP marks 20 years of work, the conversation highlights how a systems-based approach, working with utilities, regulators and city authorities, has helped reach over 43 million people across Africa and South Asia.
A key focus of the discussion is the growing evidence behind high-quality shared sanitation, particularly in dense urban neighbourhoods where household toilets are not always viable. Ed points to WSUP-led research from the MapSan study in Maputo, Mozambique, which found a 31% reduction in child stunting among children living in compounds with access to high-quality shared sanitation. The findings challenge long-standing assumptions and underline the role of sanitation quality, not just access, in improving child health outcomes.
The podcast also explores the funding pressures facing the WASH sector. With development finance for water and sanitation declining globally, WSUP is adapting by strengthening links between sanitation, climate resilience, and child health, and by mobilising investment to take proven models to scale.
The conversation closes with a reflection on resilience, both personal and institutional, and the importance of staying focused on long-term impact. For WSUP, the evidence is clear: well-designed shared sanitation can transform lives, strengthen cities, and deliver lasting public health gains.
Listen to the full podcast to hear how shared sanitation is reshaping urban health and what it will take to scale solutions that work.