Briefing Paper

Sanitation, Potable Water Supply and Environmental Protection Benefits, Progress and Issues for Sustainability in Developing Countries

“At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002, the international community agreed to a target to halve the proportion of people who lack access to basic sanitation by 2015. Available information paints a grim picture of the water and sanitation conditions in much of the developing countries. The great majority of these people live in Asia and Africa. Over one-half of the rural inhabitants of these continents are without a quality water supply and improved sanitation. Some progress has been made to improve water supply and sanitation in some developing countries. This report attempts to evaluate water supply and sanitation in developing countries, with a view to outlining the benefi ts of a good quality water supply and good sanitation, progress made so far and the issues in the drive to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”