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Unintended Consequences of Sanitation Investment: Negative Externalities on Water Quality and Health in India

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  • Kazuki Motohashi

Abstract

Developing countries have increased sanitation investment to reduce diarrheal diseases. However, the direct health benefits of latrine construction can be offset by water pollution externalities due to poor treatment of fecal sludge. I estimate these negative externalities of a sanitation policy in India that subsidized the construction of over 100 million latrines. Exploiting geographical variation in soil characteristics and the differential increase in latrine coverage across districts, I find that the policy increases river pollution by 72%. While it reduces diarrheal mortality overall, this positive health effect is two-thirds smaller in areas with lower capacities for treatment of fecal sludge where water pollution externalities are consequently larger.

Suggested Citation

  • Kazuki Motohashi, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of Sanitation Investment: Negative Externalities on Water Quality and Health in India," ISER Discussion Paper 1210, Institute of Social and Economic Research, The University of Osaka.
    • Handle: RePEc:dpr:wpaper:1210
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gautam, Sanghmitra & Gechter, Michael & Guiteras, Raymond P. & Mobarak, Ahmed Mushfiq, 2024. "Encouraging Rural Sanitation Take-up: Insights from Experimental Evaluations of Interventions," CEnREP Working Papers 340057, North Carolina State University, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

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    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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