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S  A F E W  AT E R

S  A N I TAT I O N

ORITY ON

AND

RI

SW2

RE

TH

EF

S FOR HEAL

What

What is it?

BENCHMARK

refers to "improved" (i.e., clean) drinking

Reduce by one quarter the proportion

water sources. According to international standards,

of people without sustainable

safe water sources could include piped, public tap,

access to safe drinking water and

borehole or pump, protected well or protected spring

basic sanitation. The following levels

water, as well as rainwater. Each one of the four

MAR countries has established their own standards

should be met for each country:

regarding "improved" water sources. Access to safe

Safe Water: Belize (85%), Guatemala

water means that a population has regular and easy

(89%), Honduras (89%), Mexico (93%);

access to that water. Sustainable access requires that

and Basic Sanitation: Belize (94%),

water quality be maintained within acceptable limits

Guatemala (87%), Honduras (80%),

for human consumption and that safe yield is ensured

Mexico (88%).

Mexico

to prevent future declines in the resource.

TA R G E T

Improved sanitation services are provided by facilities

that hygienically separate human excreta from human,

Halve,

Halve, by 2015, the proportion of

animal and insect contact. These facilities include

people without sustainable access

sewers or septic tanks, poor-flush latrines and simple

to safe drinking water and basic

pit or ventilation-improved latrines6.

sanitation (consistent with Millennium

Access, again, means consistent and easy access.

Development Goal 7). The following

Sustainable access to safe sanitation requires that

levels should be met for each country:

financial and administrative mechanisms be in place

Safe Water: Belize (90%), Guatemala

to maintain functionality and prevent degradation

(93%), Honduras (93%), Mexico (95%);

of the existing improved sanitation facilities into the

and Basic Sanitation: Belize (96%),

future.

Guatemala (91%), Honduras (87%),

Mexico

Mexico (92%).

This indicator tracks the proportions of the population

with (a) sustainable access to an improved water

RED FL AG

source, and (b) access to improved sanitation.

Why

Why Do We Measure It?

No improvement (or a decline) in the

No

percent of people without sustainable

Both indicators are included among the official list of

access to safe drinking water and basic

United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals

sanitation.

indicators. Lack of access to clean water and basic

sanitation is the main reason diseases transmitted

by feces are so common in developing countries. As

Usefulness

water demands increase in association with tourism

enterprises and growing urban populations, fair

These two indicators track access to safe water and

water allocation and greater efficiency are needed to

sanitation--the lack of which increases human illness

balance the limited supply with rising demand.

and morbidity, contributing to ongoing poverty. These

How Do We Measure It?

indicators also provide information regarding need for

water and sanitation facilities and services. Lack of

Data regarding access to safe water and sanitation are

safe water and basic sanitation also indicates water-

obtained from household and population censuses

and sewage-management issues that may lead to

(every 10 years), as well as national multi-purpose

contamination problems known to negatively impact

household surveys.

marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs.

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