Chapter 4 Summary

Although global access to safely managed drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services have all increased over the past 30 years, it is clear that many people are being left behind in the march of progress. The poorest countries in the world are experiencing stagnation in this realm, demonstrated by their alarming rate of death attributed to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Within this disparity is particularly important to see how water and sanitation access is distributed in rural vs urban areas. Understanding these patterns will allow for better systems of implementation that are designed with the lives of its benefactors in mind. Additionally, analyzing the water landscape will help to build systems that are more resistant to the imminent effects of climate change.