VisiEAu 2018 sought to define natural resource characteristics specific to water in Haiti; explore water governance, rights, and legislation in Haiti and across Hispaniola; highlight systems of water management, infrastructure, and distribution; share examples of research activities that investigate transmission of waterborne pathogens and the effect of interventions to date; and identify opportunities to integrate technology into water management for improved health outcomes. The conference also aimed to forge strategic partnerships among relevant government ministries, NGOs, and university researchers to transition policy dialogue into action; and then for this action to inform a new era of best practices in teaching through the creation of a new Water Sanitation and Hygiene Institute at the Université d’Etat d’Haiti, which will have implications for water, sanitation, and hygiene throughout communities across Haiti.

The first day of the conference focused on the unique geographic, hydrologic, social, cultural, and political context in which water resources are managed and used. The second day of the workshop focused on the nexus between water and health, honing in on the environmental effects on public health related to waterborne diseases. A list of speakers and their topics is provided (Table). We would note, in particular, the participation of representatives from the Haitian Ministries of Environment; Commerce and Industries; Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development; Public Health and Population; and Public Works; the Rector’s Office and Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Engineering, and Agriculture at the Université d’Etat d’Haiti; the Emerging Pathogens Institute, Water Institute, and School of Natural Resources and Environment of the University of Florida; the University of Quisqueya; the US Centers for Disease Control and US Embassy; NGOs, including Water Missions; and private companies, including Northwater International, Charles Fequiere SA, and beverage companies.

The diversity of perspectives represented among participants encouraged rethinking of the matrix of responsible water use and management. Ministry representatives outlined strategies to prioritize and integrate the issue of water into the national mandate and to take the lead in coordinating diverse groups of actors involved in water use. Environmental and public health scientists described the exchange between hydraulic, geologic, and urban characteristics of water that affect human health. Data engineers from the government and academia showcased prototypes that are making water-related geospatial data available to decision makers in policy and clinical settings and empowering community residents. NGOs told stories in which communities were sustainably engaged in planning, inventorying, and monitoring water systems through transparent processes meant to improve water access in various geographic areas across the country.

The conference produced several key messages around a call to action for improved water management. Chief among these messages was that integrated water management is essential to understanding water, which includes access, quality, and pricing, and better coordination among the 6 ministries, 50 NGOs, and others working in the water sector in Haiti. Information is needed to improve decision-making processes, which can only occur through improved mechanisms for data sharing alongside innovative uses of emerging field-based technologies. Water, sanitation, and hygiene and water management are critical to overcoming the enormous burden of disease attributed to waterborne pathogens. Innovations are occurring in system design, technology deployment for monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building. However, there remains an educational imperative to train a new generation of professionals to work in water management and also train consumers in rural and urban communities across the country. This imperative is reflected in efforts by Université d’Etat d’Haïti to enhance the Water and Sanitation Institute and develop interdisciplinary programs to foster research and education. The opportunity for partnerships to be strengthened among policymakers, researchers, program implementers, and educators is central to achieving these key goals.