Water Supply and Sanitation in Pakistan - Access

Access

In Pakistan, according to the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, access in Pakistan to an improved water source increased from 85% in 1990 to 92% in 2010. In the same time, improved sanitation coverage increased from 27% to 48% (see table 1).

Table 1: Access to Water and Sanitation in Pakistan (2010)
Urban
(36% of the population)
Rural
(64% of the population)
Total
Water Broad definition 96% 89% 92%
House connections 57% 15% 29%
Sanitation Broad definition 72% 34% 48%
Sewerage 40% (2004) 6% (2004) 18% (2004)

According to the Pakistan Social And Living Standards Measurement Survey of 2010-11, the main source of drinking water was as follows: 32% tap water, 28% hand pump, 27% motor pump, 4% dug well and 9% others. Assuming that other sources are identical to unimproved water sources, access to an improved water source was 91%, almost identical to the 2010 figure estimated by the JMP. For sanitation, the survey estimates that 66% had a flush toilet, 15% a non-flush toilet and 18% had no toilet at all. If all toilets were considered to be a form of improved sanitation, access according to this estimate would be 81%, much higher than the JMP estimate of 48%.

The Millennium Development Goals aimed at halving the share of people without sustainable access to an improved water source and improved sanitation by 2015 compared to 1990. In 2006 the United Nations Development Programme estimated that concerning urban and rural water supply as well as urban sanitation, the targets will be achieved prematurely, whereas rural sanitation progress was classified to be "on track". According to the 2010 figures of the JMP above, however, the water target had been reached at that time already, while the sanitation target did not look as if it was going to be reached.

According to the National Drinking Water Policy (NDWP) of 2009, Pakistan's goal is to provide universal access to drinking water in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner by 2025. The National Sanitation Policy of 2006 aims to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) concerning sanitation by 2015 and to also reach universal access by 2025.

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