The role of packaged water in meeting global targets on improved water access
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Date
2017Author
Vedachalam, Sridhar
MacDonald, Luke H.
Omoluabi, Elizabeth
OlaOlorun, Funmilola
Otupiri, Easmon
Schwab, Kellogg J.
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Show full item recordAbstract
Packaged water (as either refill, bottled, or sachet water) has become an important element of water
security in many low- and middle-income countries, owing to poor reliability and lack of piped water
infrastructure. However, over time and across countries, the Demographic and Health Surveys
monitoring program has inconsistently classified packaged water components as either improved or
unimproved. Using data collected as part of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020
(PMA2020) surveys on water options in nine study geographies across eight countries, we identified
five geographies where packaged water constituted one of several options for 5% or more of users.
In this study, four scenarios were designed in which packaged water components were variously
classified as either improved or unimproved. Unimproved water use was highest in scenarios where
sachet or refill water was classified as an unimproved source. Across the four scenarios, the
difference in the use of unimproved water as the main option was highest (65%) in Nigeria (Lagos).
That difference increased to 78% when considering all regular options. The development of these
scenarios highlights the importance of classifying a source as improved or unimproved in the overall
metric that indicates progress at national and international levels.