The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is a global collaboration that focuses on the sustainable management of water resources. Stewardship, to AWS, means taking care of something we do not own – water. They recognize the need for collective action in addressing the challenges faced by water resources worldwide.

AWS envisions a water-secure world that supports the well-being of people, cultures, business, and nature. Their mission is to ignite and nurture global and local leadership in credible water stewardship. They aim to achieve this by recognizing and securing the social, cultural, environmental, and economic value of freshwater.

Water stewardship is crucial due to the increasing pressures on water resources caused by growing populations, economies, changing lifestyles, and climate change. AWS believes that by working together, major water users, governments, cities, and citizens can ensure the sustainability and shared security of this vital resource. AWS defines water stewardship as the socially and culturally equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial use of water.

This is achieved through a stakeholder-inclusive process that incorporates both site- and catchment-based actions. The Alliance for Water Stewardship brings together businesses, NGOs, and the public sector through global membership. By collaborating with diverse stakeholders, AWS strives to contribute to the sustainability of local water resources and foster responsible water management practices