Acumen Fund portfolio company WaterHealth International argues in Fast Company that creating an economic system to ensure clean water will have longer lasting results.

"The for-profit model can be successful in helping underserved populations by effectively supplementing other activities. The public sector can do much more on their limited budgets by supporting business models that leverage private sector funding. This enables the public sector to reach a larger number of underserved communities compared to what would be possible if they went it alone."