The Department for International Development is providing a £15m grant to the project, dubbed Improving Water Security for Poor People (IWSP Research).
The seven-year project will initially focus on fragile states that have water security risks.
Under the project, researchers plan to create a risk-based framework for policy-makers, evaluating risk at global, national and individual household scales.
The project also includes the creation of data on climate, hydrology, health, poverty and demographic trends to offer an overarching context for governments and international organizations for future decision-making on water security enhancements.
UK International Development Minister Baroness Northover said: "Access to water is a defining challenge for the 21st Century. The UK has already helped 43 million people to access clean water, but there is far more to be done.
"Research into how water resources can be better managed will help millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."
University of Oxford vice-chancellor Andrew Hamilton said: "Our researchers work to provide innovative solutions to the pressing challenges of climate change, population growth and sustainable development.
"They are helping to ensure that more people living in poverty can rely on safe water supplies and working to minimise the impact of droughts and floods on lives and livelihoods."
Image: The IWSP Research project will initially focus on fragile states that have water security risks. Photo: Courtesy of University of Oxford.
