Access to water and sanitation as human rights has gained growing attention over the last few years at a global level, increasingly engaging the water sector and the international community in discussions regarding its content and implications. Human rights standards help orient policy-making towards focusing on the poorest and most marginalised groups in society and towards ensuring fair and equal access to water. By establishing a legal framework, defining who is responsible for fulfilling the right, and promoting pro-poor and non-discriminatory service provision, human rights standards can effectively strengthen poverty reduction efforts. This Policy Brief aims to identify basic challenges in implementing the human right to water and sanitation, and to guide decision-makers in some of the priorities that need to be agreed to secure safe, acceptable and accessible water for domestic purposes for everyone.