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Clean Water and Infant Health: Evidence from Piped Water Provision in China

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  • Maoyong Fan
  • Guojun He

Abstract

We examine the impact of clean drinking water on infant mortality in China using a novel instrumental variable: the least-cost distance of piped water infrastructure between water sources and infant mortality surveillance areas. We find that the provision of piped water significantly decreases infant mortality, with a 10 percentage point increase in piped water coverage reducing infant mortality by 15%. Compared with regions with highly polluted surface waters, access to piped water is particularly beneficial in regions with slightly polluted surface waters, in which the pollution is difficult to observe. A simple cost-benefit analysis indicates that the benefits of piped water provision in rural China significantly outweigh the estimated costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Maoyong Fan & Guojun He, 2023. "Clean Water and Infant Health: Evidence from Piped Water Provision in China," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(1), pages 159-193.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jaerec:doi:10.1086/721418
    DOI: 10.1086/721418
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    Cited by:

    1. Wenjie Luo & Xunyong Xiang, 2024. "Unsynchronised Legislation and Unintended Pollution: Estimating Regulation-Induced Substitution in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(3), pages 731-760, March.
    2. Suchita Srinivasan, 2023. "Social Policies and Adaptation to Extreme Weather: Evidence from South Africa," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 23/381, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    3. Zhu, Lin & Liao, Hua & Burke, Paul J., 2023. "Household fuel transitions have substantially contributed to child mortality reductions in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    4. Chen, Yulong, 2024. "Early exposure to air pollution and cognitive development later in life: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

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