More than 40 percent of Guatemala’s rural dwellers do not have access to water in their homes, and even those who do often lack the most basic sanitation. The Joint Programme's goal was to promote an integrated water management system that will help guarantee wider provision of, and access to, water and sanitation in urban and rural areas of the Mam region of Guatemala. It focused on strengthening local government and on increasing the role and contribution of Mam communities in the design and implementation of public initiatives through improved dialogue.

The coverage and quality of water and sanitation services was below the national average in some poor regions of Ecuador where the Joint Programme operated, with large gaps in the coverage and services between rural and urban areas. The programme contributed to the development of democratic governance of Ecuador's water and sanitation services, focusing on integrated water resources management and social, land and gender equality.

Access to safe drinking water in BiH is well below European standards. Water supply and quality is only adequate in large urban centers; in many smaller cities and rural areas, residents have to pay high prices for water delivered with tankers by private vendors. The Joint Programme's objective was to secure access to safe water for all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina by strengthening government capacity, increasing investments in the water supply sector and including poor populations in water planning and policy.