Citywide Inclusive Sanitation has been central to Dr. Roshan Raj Shrestha’s work for over a decade. Through his leadership at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he helped embed CWIS principles into national sanitation programs in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

His work emphasized that every urban resident—including those in informal settlements—deserves access to safe sanitation. Dr. Shrestha demonstrated how sewered, non-sewered, and decentralized systems can work together to serve entire cities efficiently.

Through strategic guidance, institutional strengthening, and service delivery improvements, he helped position CWIS as a global model for inclusive and sustainable urban sanitation.

Dr. Shrestha has been a leading global advocate for non-sewered sanitation systems, recognizing their importance in dense, rapidly growing, and low-income urban areas.

His work helped mainstream fecal sludge management (FSM) across South Asia, proving that high-quality sanitation services can be delivered without relying on costly sewer infrastructure. He led demonstration projects in Bangladesh, supported large-scale FSM adoption in India, and advanced technologies suited for low-resource settings.

Through policy support, partnerships, and capacity building, he helped governments integrate non-sewered sanitation into urban planning—making services more accessible, affordable, and environmentally safe.

A major milestone in Dr. Shrestha’s career was the creation of the Sanitation Trust Fund at the Asian Development Bank in 2014, which mobilized over $2–3 billion for inclusive sanitation initiatives.

His work continues to help governments, municipalities, and development banks unlock financing for sustainable sanitation systems. He advocates for practical and bankable sanitation projects, blended financing models, and stronger municipal systems capable of long-term operation and maintenance.

By strengthening investment planning, institutional capacity, and public–private partnerships, Dr. Shrestha has helped scale sanitation programs beyond pilot projects toward lasting citywide impact.

Throughout his global work, Dr. Shrestha has emphasized that strong regulation is the backbone of successful sanitation systems.

He supported the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation Regulatory Association (ESAWAS) and helped bring its regulatory expertise to South Asia, influencing policy norms and service standards across the region.

Under his leadership, countries including Bangladesh and Nepal strengthened municipal and utility-level regulation for fecal sludge management and inclusive sanitation. His work promoted clear service standards, accountability mechanisms, tariff frameworks, and occupational safety guidelines that support reliable and professionally managed sanitation services.

Innovation has been a defining theme throughout Dr. Shrestha’s career—from developing the Kanchan Arsenic Filter, PIYUSH chlorination systems, and decentralized wastewater solutions to advancing transformative sanitation technologies globally.

At the Gates Foundation, he connected technology developers with governments, entrepreneurs, and service providers to ensure innovations addressed real-world challenges.

His leadership accelerated the adoption of non-sewered treatment technologies and helped translate research into scalable solutions. Today, his contributions continue shaping how low- and middle-income countries adopt technologies that improve public health and environmental outcomes.

Dr. Shrestha has helped establish some of the world’s most influential sanitation capacity platforms, including the Global Sanitation Graduate School, Global Water & Sanitation Center (AIT), and regional centers at BUET and IIT Palakkad.

These institutions now train thousands of professionals and government officials. He also helped develop mentor cities in Bangladesh and Nepal that model sanitation best practices.

From community-level training during his ENPHO years to institutional strengthening efforts across Asia and Africa, his work consistently demonstrates that long-term impact depends on empowered people and strong institutions.

With deep expertise in environmental health, Dr. Shrestha has long advocated for integrated urban environmental management.

His early work in Kathmandu introduced constructed wetlands, greywater recycling, and ecological sanitation systems—pioneering approaches that addressed water pollution, rapid urban growth, and ecosystem degradation.

At UN-Habitat, he supported more than 30 cities in Bangladesh to improve drainage, water quality, housing, and sanitation services. His systemwide approach aligns sanitation planning with environmental protection, climate resilience, and improved urban quality of life.

Dr. Shrestha’s commitment to sustainable water solutions spans technology, policy, research, and community practice.

He developed household water treatment technologies, promoted rainwater harvesting, demonstrated decentralized wastewater systems, and advocated for groundwater recharge decades before these approaches became mainstream. His Eco-Home concept in Kathmandu showcased integrated water management at the household scale.

Today, his work continues to support long-term water security strategies that reduce pollution, conserve resources, strengthen resilience, and expand safe water access for communities worldwide.