Ripple is putting its stablecoin RLUSD into a new use case through a partnership with Water.org, channeling the asset into funding flows tied to safe water access projects in emerging markets. The collaboration is part of Water.org’s newly launched Get Blue campaign, which is aimed at improving access to safe water and sanitation services worldwide. The article says the issue still affects more than 2 billion people globally.
RLUSD added to Water.org’s financing network
Under the arrangement, Ripple will help facilitate transactions between Water.org and its network of microfinance partners across developing regions. In this structure, RLUSD is not being framed only as a digital payment asset. It is also being used to move program funds that help households secure water connections and sanitation infrastructure.
Water.org’s financing model relies on its WaterCredit program, which allows families to access affordable loans for household water and sanitation improvements. By bringing RLUSD into that process, Ripple is expected to support faster movement of capital between Water.org and local financial institutions. That could help partner organizations keep serving communities that still lack basic services.
Get Blue campaign draws major corporate participants
Water.org’s Get Blue campaign includes several large companies, including Amazon and Gap. Funds raised through donations and business-linked activities are set to go toward projects designed to improve access to clean water. The report also makes clear that the campaign is centered on safe water access for individuals and families, not industrial water consumption.
The article places the initiative against a wider backdrop of rising concern over water resources. It cites an estimate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency saying direct water consumption by American data centers could reach 73 billion gallons annually by 2028. Growing demand from AI infrastructure is listed as one factor behind that projection.
Ripple adds another social impact program for RLUSD
The Water.org deal extends a broader list of Ripple initiatives tied to social and economic development. In September 2025, the company donated $15 million in RLUSD to Accion Opportunity Fund to expand financing access for underserved entrepreneurs in the United States. Ripple also committed $25 million in cryptocurrency to education-focused organizations including DonorsChoose and Teach For America.
With the Water.org partnership, RLUSD is moving into another real-world setting outside standard payment and financial infrastructure use. For Ripple, the project adds a humanitarian and development-focused application while keeping cross-border fund transfer at the center of the stablecoin’s role.