Drinking water equity, safety and sustainability

The primary purpose of the report is to investigate access to and use of drinking water in greater detail than is possible in the regular JMP progress reports. The report includes multiple disaggregation of water service levels and analyses of trends across countries and regions. These illustrate in detail how people access drinking water and what changes have occurred since 1990. The report focuses on the three key challenges of equity, safety and sustainability. Disparities in terms of geography, wealth and gender are explored, which highlight the need to target water service delivery towards specific populations. Water safety concerns are highlighted and the scope of household water treatment is investigated. The challenges involved in sustaining water services and ensuring reliable supplies, in both rural and urban contexts, are also explored, including the unique threats posed by climate change.