Seeking new water solutions to improve lives of world's poorest

Poor sanitation is said to kill hundreds of thousands of people living in the world's so-called urban-settlements - slums - every year.

Professor Rebekah Brown Source: SBS

Dire sanitation causing premature death is common to slums across the world.

For the most part running water is rare, toilets are rudimentary and sewerage and drainage are either ineffective or non-existent.

Monash University Professor Rebekah Brown is determined to change that.

She's leading a $14 million, five-year project which she aims to improve health outcomes by revitalising sanitation infrastructure.