Latin America & Caribbean | People using safely managed drinking water services, urban (% of urban population)
The percentage of people using drinking water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water. Development relevance: Water is considered to be the most important resource for sustaining ecosystems, which provide life-supporting services for people, animals, and plants. Global access to safe water and proper hygiene education can reduce illness and death from disease, leading to improved health, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development. However, many countries are challenged to provide these basic necessities to their populations, leaving people at risk for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related diseases. Because contaminated water is a major cause of illness and death, water quality is a determining factor in human poverty, education, and economic opportunities. Lack of access to adequate drinking water services contributes to deaths and illness, especially in children. Water based disease transmission by drinking contaminated water is responsible for significant outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and typhoid and includes diarrheal diseases, viral hepatitis A, cholera, dysentery and dracunculiasis (Guineaworm disease). Improving access to clean drinking water is a crucial element in the reduction of under-five mortality and morbidity and there is evidence that ensuring higher levels of drinking water services has a greater impact. Women and children spend millions of hours each year fetching water. The chore diverts their time from other important activities (for example attending school, caring for children, participating in the economy). When water is not available on premises and has to be collected, women and girls are almost two and a half times more likely than men and boys to be the main water carriers for their families. Many international organizations use access to safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation facilities as a measure for progress in the fight against poverty, disease, and death. Access to safe drinking water is also considered to be a human right, not a privilege, for every man, woman, and child. Economic benefits of safe drinking water services include higher economic productivity, more education, and health-care savings. Limitations and exceptions: In order to meet the criteria for a safely managed drinking water service, an improved water source should meet three criteria: it should be accessible on the premises (accessibility), water should be available when needed (availability), and the water supplied should be free from contamination (quality). Many countries lack data on one or more elements of safely managed drinking water. The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) provide national estimates only when data are available on drinking water quality and at least one of the other criteria (accessibility and availability). Regional and income group estimates are made when data are available for at least 30 percent of the population. Statistical concept and methodology: Data on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are produced by the Joint Monitoring Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) based on administrative sources, national censuses and nationally representative household surveys. WHO/UNICEF defines a safely managed drinking water as an improved water source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include: piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Latin America & Caribbean
Records
63
Source
Latin America & Caribbean | People using safely managed drinking water services, urban (% of urban population)
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80.99864499 2000
81.08714141 2001
81.13381816 2002
81.17425001 2003
81.21527956 2004
81.25839768 2005
81.30406229 2006
81.35349636 2007
81.41906955 2008
81.48644122 2009
81.55363653 2010
81.62066423 2011
81.68537183 2012
81.9657791 2013
82.24371312 2014
81.98802598 2015
81.71801858 2016
81.45958591 2017
81.25087646 2018
81.06313405 2019
80.8125558 2020
80.58475428 2021
80.2197154 2022
Latin America & Caribbean | People using safely managed drinking water services, urban (% of urban population)
The percentage of people using drinking water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water. Development relevance: Water is considered to be the most important resource for sustaining ecosystems, which provide life-supporting services for people, animals, and plants. Global access to safe water and proper hygiene education can reduce illness and death from disease, leading to improved health, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development. However, many countries are challenged to provide these basic necessities to their populations, leaving people at risk for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related diseases. Because contaminated water is a major cause of illness and death, water quality is a determining factor in human poverty, education, and economic opportunities. Lack of access to adequate drinking water services contributes to deaths and illness, especially in children. Water based disease transmission by drinking contaminated water is responsible for significant outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and typhoid and includes diarrheal diseases, viral hepatitis A, cholera, dysentery and dracunculiasis (Guineaworm disease). Improving access to clean drinking water is a crucial element in the reduction of under-five mortality and morbidity and there is evidence that ensuring higher levels of drinking water services has a greater impact. Women and children spend millions of hours each year fetching water. The chore diverts their time from other important activities (for example attending school, caring for children, participating in the economy). When water is not available on premises and has to be collected, women and girls are almost two and a half times more likely than men and boys to be the main water carriers for their families. Many international organizations use access to safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation facilities as a measure for progress in the fight against poverty, disease, and death. Access to safe drinking water is also considered to be a human right, not a privilege, for every man, woman, and child. Economic benefits of safe drinking water services include higher economic productivity, more education, and health-care savings. Limitations and exceptions: In order to meet the criteria for a safely managed drinking water service, an improved water source should meet three criteria: it should be accessible on the premises (accessibility), water should be available when needed (availability), and the water supplied should be free from contamination (quality). Many countries lack data on one or more elements of safely managed drinking water. The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) provide national estimates only when data are available on drinking water quality and at least one of the other criteria (accessibility and availability). Regional and income group estimates are made when data are available for at least 30 percent of the population. Statistical concept and methodology: Data on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are produced by the Joint Monitoring Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) based on administrative sources, national censuses and nationally representative household surveys. WHO/UNICEF defines a safely managed drinking water as an improved water source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include: piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Latin America & Caribbean
Records
63
Source