The overall goal, as described in the introduction, is to increase the spread of information and knowledge about water, sanitation and hygiene services and issues worldwide. In particular, the Source News Service aims to:

• contribute to and facilitate access to information on water supply, sanitation and hygiene, integrated water resources management, sector trends and relevant new resources, best practices and lessons learned;
• increase collaboration and synergy between various networks in the sector;
• raise awareness at all levels (international, national, regional, district and community) of problems in the WASH sector and develop the global conscience about unmet commitments;
• provide information about innovative approaches, better practice and lessons learned in different regions of the world, so act as an example to stakeholders and to help them in their projects;
• spread information about projects supported by partners, such as CINARA, GWA, Cap-Net, CREPA, WSSCC etc within regions and to different regions of the world;
• encourage communities to participate actively in WASH related improvements;
• highlight champions and good practice at all levels;
• improve knowledge about important developments, initiatives, reports and documents and direct readers to sources where they can be accessed.

All Source News Services share these goals. Each product title plays to different strengths, by focusing on specific regions of the world, and by publication in different languages. Electronic publications can quickly reach new readers who have Internet access, and there is no cost attached to adding new subscribers. Paper-based publications reach those who do not have easy or reliable access to the Internet, including libraries and resource centres in rural and peri-urban areas of developing countries. Both electronic and paper versions contribute to a repository, which make it easy for readers to look up articles.

The various titles act as flagships for the organisations that collaborate in their production. Although their purpose is not to promote the organisations, there is a relationship between the quality of the products and the credibility of the organisations that produce them.