Improved water source
Encyclopedia
According to the Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation
by the World Health Organization
and UNICEF the following are considered as "improved" water sources:
Water sources that are not considered as "improved" are:
An “improved” source is one that is likely to provide "safe" water. The JMP cautions that "current information does not allow (...) to establish a relationship between access to safe water and access to improved sources." For example, bottled water in most cases is perfectly safe, though expensive. On the other hand, water from house connections, public standpipes are any other "improved" source can be contaminated due to source pollution, non-existent or inadequate treatment or recontamination in the distribution network. Furthermore, network supply is often intermittent in developing countries.
Despite these limitations, the above-mentioned definition of an "improved" sources is used to measure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal related to drinking water supply in developing countries. Access to water supply services is defined as the availability of at least 20 litres per person per day from an "improved" source within 1 kilometre of the user's dwelling.
The term was introduced in 2000 by the JMP to standardize definitions that varied between countries and within the same country over time, making it very difficult to adequately monitor progress towards better access to water supply.
Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation
The Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation is a programme co-funded by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. "The goals of the JMP are to report on the status of water-supply and sanitation, and to support countries in their efforts to monitor this sector, which will enable...
by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
and UNICEF the following are considered as "improved" water sources:
- household connections
- public standpipesStandpipe (street)A standpipe is a freestanding pipe fitted with a tap which is installed outdoors to dispense water in areas which do not have a running water supply to the buildings....
- boreholes
- protected dug wells
- protected springsSpring (hydrosphere)A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
- rainwater collection
Water sources that are not considered as "improved" are:
- unprotected dug wells
- unprotected springsSpring (hydrosphere)A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
- vendor provided water
- Bottled waterBottled waterBottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
- tanker
An “improved” source is one that is likely to provide "safe" water. The JMP cautions that "current information does not allow (...) to establish a relationship between access to safe water and access to improved sources." For example, bottled water in most cases is perfectly safe, though expensive. On the other hand, water from house connections, public standpipes are any other "improved" source can be contaminated due to source pollution, non-existent or inadequate treatment or recontamination in the distribution network. Furthermore, network supply is often intermittent in developing countries.
Despite these limitations, the above-mentioned definition of an "improved" sources is used to measure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal related to drinking water supply in developing countries. Access to water supply services is defined as the availability of at least 20 litres per person per day from an "improved" source within 1 kilometre of the user's dwelling.
The term was introduced in 2000 by the JMP to standardize definitions that varied between countries and within the same country over time, making it very difficult to adequately monitor progress towards better access to water supply.