Mission
Environmental & Public Health International (EPHI) strengthens global capacity for safe drinking water management and climate-resilient water infrastructure.
Through evidence-based training and open-access tools, EPHI empowers governments, utilities, and communities to prevent waterborne health crises and build resilience in line with the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Environmental & Public Health International (EPHI) provides specialized training to federal regulators, state primacy agencies, and public water system operators, using real-world lessons from the Flint Water Crisis to strengthen risk management capacity and improve drinking water safety.
EPHI also developed the Lead Service Line Replacement Cost Calculator (LSLRCC), a free multilingual tool that helps communities and policymakers model and finance lead service line replacement projects with precision, transparency, and equity. Recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the LSLRCC supports compliance with the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), advances investment in climate-resilient water infrastructure, and reduces disaster risk linked to contaminated drinking water systems.
The LSLRCC also advances multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being — By reducing lead in drinking water, the LSLRCC helps prevent lead-related health issues.
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation — Empowers all levels of government to plan equitable, cost-effective lead service line replacements.
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — Spurs job creation in plumbing, water infrastructure, public health, and project management sectors.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure — Leverages technology to modernize how infrastructure funds are planned and deployed.
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities — Supports underserved communities historically burdened by underinvestment in water infrastructure.
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — Supports cities in building resilient, equitable water systems.
- SDG 13: Climate Action — Strengthens resilience to climate-related water risks through climate-resilient drinking water infrastructure planning.
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions — Improves government accountability and transparency in public works.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals — Connects governments, Tribal nations, and funders through shared public health and equity goals.
Voluntary Commitments
The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) online platform allows stakeholders to inform the public about their work on DRR. The SFVC online platform is a useful toolto know who is doing what and where for the implementation of the Sendai Framework, which could foster potential collaboration among stakeholders. All stakeholders (private sector, civil society organizations, academia, media, local governments, etc.) working on DRR can submit their commitments and report on their progress and deliverables.