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Urban Water Disinfection and Mortality Decline in Developing Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Sonia R. Bhalotra

    (University of Essex)

  • Alberto Diaz-Cayeros

    (Stanford University)

  • Grant Miller

    (Stanford University
    National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER))

  • Alfonso Miranda

    (Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE))

  • Atheendar S. Venkataramani

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

Historically, improvements in the quality of municipal drinking water made important contributions to mortality decline in wealthy countries. However, water disinfection has not produced equivalent benefits in developing countries today. We investigate this puzzle by analyzing a large-scale municipal water disinfection program in Mexico in 1991 that rapidly increased access to chlorinated water. On average, the program led to a 37–48 percent decline in child diarrheal disease mortality and was highly cost-effective. However, age (degradation) of water pipes and lack of complementary sanitation infrastructure attenuate these benefits. Our results suggest that childhood diarrheal disease mortality in Mexico would have declined by 86 percent if all municipalities had good quality infrastructure—a decline consistent with historical experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Sonia R. Bhalotra & Alberto Diaz-Cayeros & Grant Miller & Alfonso Miranda & Atheendar S. Venkataramani, 2017. "Urban Water Disinfection and Mortality Decline in Developing Countries," Working Papers 467, Center for Global Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgd:wpaper:467
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    Cited by:

    1. repec:rre:publsh:v:51:y:2021:i:1 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Simone Bertoli & Guichard Lucas & Francesca Marchetta, 2020. "Turnout in the Municipal Elections of March 2020 and Excess Mortality during the COVID-19 Epidemic in France," Working Papers hal-03159025, HAL.
    3. Charris, Carlos & Branco, Danyelle & Carrillo, Bladimir, 2024. "Economic shocks and infant health: Evidence from a trade reform in Brazil," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    4. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 11773, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. D. Mark Anderson & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Daniel I. Rees, 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," NBER Working Papers 25027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Gathmann, Christina, 2019. "Proportional Representation, Political Responsiveness and Child Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 12729, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Araújo, Daniel & Carrillo, Bladimir & Sampaio, Breno, 2021. "The Long-Run Economic Consequences of Iodine Supplementation," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts

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