SANITATION, DRINKING-WATER AND HEALTH IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES 2015 UPDATE AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

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SANITATION, DRINKING-WATER AND HEALTH IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES 2015 UPDATE AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

This report updates Sanitation, hygiene and drinking-water in Pacific island countries: Converting commitment into action (WHO, SOPAC, 2008). This report reviews the status of sanitation, drinking-water and hygiene in Pacific island countries and the challenges faced in meeting international targets. Information sources include the WHO and UNICEF  Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP) which produces estimates of progress based on data from national censuses and household surveys. 

The proportion of people using some type of improved sanitation in Pacific island countries rose from 29% in 1990 to 31% in 2015 (WHO, UNICEF, 2015a). With regard to drinking-water, the proportion of people using improved sources increased from 46% in 1990 to 52% in 2015. From 1990 to 2015, Pacific island countries experienced population growth of about 70%. Thus, the increase in the proportion of people served did not keep pace with population growth. This means that investments towards improved drinking water and sanitation facilities in Pacific island countries have remained stagnant for more than two decades.