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Global Monitoring of Water Supply and Sanitation: History, Methods and Future Challenges

Author

Listed:
  • Jamie Bartram

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Clarissa Brocklehurst

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Michael B. Fisher

    (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Rolf Luyendijk

    (The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), New York, NY 10017, USA)

  • Rifat Hossain

    (Division of Public Health and the Environment, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland)

  • Tessa Wardlaw

    (The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), New York, NY 10017, USA)

  • Bruce Gordon

    (Division of Public Health and the Environment, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland)

Abstract

International monitoring of drinking water and sanitation shapes awareness of countries’ needs and informs policy, implementation and research efforts to extend and improve services. The Millennium Development Goals established global targets for drinking water and sanitation access; progress towards these targets, facilitated by international monitoring, has contributed to reducing the global disease burden and increasing quality of life. The experiences of the MDG period generated important lessons about the strengths and limitations of current approaches to defining and monitoring access to drinking water and sanitation. The methods by which the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) of WHO and UNICEF tracks access and progress are based on analysis of data from household surveys and linear regression modelling of these results over time. These methods provide nationally representative and internationally comparable insights into the drinking water and sanitation facilities used by populations worldwide, but also have substantial limitations: current methods do not address water quality, equity of access, or extra-household services. Improved statistical methods are needed to better model temporal trends. This article describes and critically reviews JMP methods in detail for the first time. It also explores the impact of, and future directions for, international monitoring of drinking water and sanitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamie Bartram & Clarissa Brocklehurst & Michael B. Fisher & Rolf Luyendijk & Rifat Hossain & Tessa Wardlaw & Bruce Gordon, 2014. "Global Monitoring of Water Supply and Sanitation: History, Methods and Future Challenges," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-29, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:8:p:8137-8165:d:39056
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ziming Yan & Xiaojuan Qiu & Debin Du & Seamus Grimes, 2022. "Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Post-Cold War Era: Spatial Patterns and the Role of Proximity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Andrew Curtis & Sandra Bempah & Jayakrishnan Ajayakumar & Dania Mofleh & Lorriane Odhiambo, 2018. "Spatial Video Health Risk Mapping in Informal Settlements: Correcting GPS Error," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Alejandro Quispe-Coica & Sonia Fernández & Luz Acharte Lume & Agustí Pérez-Foguet, 2020. "Status of Water Quality for Human Consumption in High-Andean Rural Communities: Discrepancies between Techniques for Identifying Trace Metals," J, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Stefanie Schwemlein & Ryan Cronk & Jamie Bartram, 2016. "Indicators for Monitoring Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: A Systematic Review of Indicator Selection Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Jiaying Wang & Tao Tao & Hexiang Yan, 2017. "Effects of Sulfate, Chloride, and Bicarbonate on Iron Stability in a PVC-U Drinking Pipe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-10, June.
    6. Qing Luo & Mengjie Zhang & Wei Yao & Yanfen Fu & Haichun Wei & Yong Tao & Jianjun Liu & Hongyan Yao, 2018. "A Spatio-Temporal Pattern and Socio-Economic Factors Analysis of Improved Sanitation in China, 2006–2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-13, November.
    7. Lorelei Ford & Lalita Bharadwaj & Lianne McLeod & Cheryl Waldner, 2017. "Human Health Risk Assessment Applied to Rural Populations Dependent on Unregulated Drinking Water Sources: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, July.
    8. Akina Shrestha & Subodh Sharma & Jana Gerold & Séverine Erismann & Sanjay Sagar & Rajendra Koju & Christian Schindler & Peter Odermatt & Jürg Utzinger & Guéladio Cissé, 2017. "Water Quality, Sanitation, and Hygiene Conditions in Schools and Households in Dolakha and Ramechhap Districts, Nepal: Results from A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, January.

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