SANITATION 1

PROGRESS ON DRINKING
WATER, SANITATION AND
HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA
AND THE CARIBBEAN
2000-2020 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

WHO/UNICEF JOINT MONITORING PROGRAMME FOR WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE
2 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

INTRODUCTION KEY MESSAGES

The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for 1. In 2020, three quarters of the population (75%)
used safely managed drinking water and one third
Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) produces
(34%) used safely managed sanitation, but there
internationally comparable estimates of progress on were insufficient national data to produce regional
drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and is estimates for basic hygiene.
responsible for global monitoring of the Sustainable 2. The region is on track to eliminate open defecation
Development Goal (SDG) targets related to WASH1. (<1%), and universal access to basic drinking water
and basic sanitation services (>99%) is within reach,
This snapshot presents regional estimates for WASH
but achieving the 2030 SDG targets will require a
in households, schools and health care facilities2 in 14x increase in current rates of progress on safely
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and assesses managed drinking water and a 7x increase for safely
progress and data availability five years into the SDG managed sanitation services.
period (2015-2020). 3. In urban areas, 1 in 5 people (19%) still lack safely
managed drinking water and 2 in 5 people (40%)
1
JMP estimates use official national data sources including censuses, lack safely managed sanitation services. In rural
household surveys and administrative data. JMP country files contain a areas, nearly half the population (47%) still lack safely
list of currently available sources and show how they are used to generate managed drinking water but there are insufficient
internationally comparable estimates. Estimates are updated every two years
following a formal period of country consultation.
data to estimate rural coverage of safely managed
2
For indicator definitions please see JMP service ladders for households, sanitation services.
schools and health care facilities on pages 3, 10 and 11. 4. Between 2000 and 2020, the urban population
increased by a third while the rural population
remained largely unchanged. During this period 164
million people gained access to at least basic drinking
Achieving SDG WASH targets in LAC will require a water (144 million in urban and 20 million in rural) and
significant acceleration in current rates of progress 195 million gained access to at least basic sanitation
services (167 million in urban and 29 million in rural)3.
5. But 17 million people still lack even a basic drinking
100
97
1x 100 DRINKING WATER water service and 72 million still lack basic sanitation
96
14x services (including 9.9 million who still practise
Basic drinking water
80 open defecation). 3 out of 4 people practising open
75 75 77 Safely managed
drinking water defecation lived in rural areas.
60 6. Significant inequalities persist between and within
Current rate of countries, including between urban and rural, between
progress continues
40
sub-national regions and between the richest and the
Progress is
accelerated poorest.
20
Acceleration 7. Rates of progress vary widely and among the 12
required countries with <99% coverage and trend data
available, only 1 is currently on track to achieve
0
2015 2020 2025 2030 universal access to safely managed drinking water and
none are on track to achieve universal access to safely
100 managed sanitation by 2030.
97 98 1x
100
96
SANITATION
8. Data availability is improving but large data gaps
89 No open defecation
80
86
remain. In 2020, only 18 out of 50 countries had
Basic sanitation
7x estimates for safely managed drinking water, 14
Safely managed countries had estimates for safely managed sanitation,
60 sanitation
and just 10 countries had estimates for basic hygiene
44
Current rate of services.
40 progress continues
34 9. In LAC, 3 out of 4 schools (74%) had basic sanitation
Progress is
28
accelerated services but there were insufficient national data to
20
Acceleration
produce regional estimates for basic drinking water
required and basic hygiene services in schools in 2021.
0
2015 2020 2025 2030 10. In LAC, 2 out of 5 health care facilities (38%) had basic
sanitation services but there were insufficient national
data to produce regional estimates for basic water,
FIGURE 1 Coverage of WASH services in Latin America and the hygiene, waste management and cleaning services in
Caribbean, 2015-2020 (%), and acceleration required to health care facilities in 2021.
meet SDG global targets by 2030
3
The JMP uses standardized population estimates published by the
Note: Insufficient data to estimate regional progress on hygiene United Nations Population Division.
 INTRODUCTION 3

JMP SERVICE LADDERS FOR WASH IN HOUSEHOLDS

The JMP uses ‘service ladders to benchmark and
compare progress across countries and these have
been updated and expanded for SDG monitoring.
The ladders build on the improved/unimproved facility
type classification used for monitoring the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and introduce additional
criteria related to the level of service provided.

Improved water sources include piped water,

boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells,
protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.
Unimproved water sources include unprotected wells,
unprotected springs and surface water. Improved
sanitation facilities include flush/pour-flush toilets,
ventilated improved pit latrines, composting toilets
and pit latrines with a slab or platform. Unimproved
sanitation facilities include pit latrines without a slab
or platform, hanging latrines and bucket latrines.4

DRINKING WATER SANITATION HYGIENE

Safely managed: Drinking water from
an improved source that is accessible on
premises, available when needed and
free from faecal and priority chemical
contamination
Safely managed: Use of improved
facilities that are not shared with other
households and where excreta are safely
disposed of in situ or removed and
treated offsite

Basic service: Drinking water from an
improved source, provided collection
time is not more than 30 minutes for a
round trip, including queuing
SERVICE LEVELS
Basic service: Use of improved Basic service: Availability of
facilities that are not shared with other handwashing facility with soap and water
households at home

Limited service: Drinking water from Limited service: Use of improved Limited service: Availability of
an improved source, for which collection facilities that are shared with other handwashing facility lacking soap and/or
time exceeds 30 minutes for a round trip, households water at home
including queuing

Unimproved: Drinking water from an Unimproved: Use of pit latrines without No facility: No handwashing facility at
unprotected dug well or unprotected a slab or platform, hanging latrines or home
spring bucket latrines

Surface water: Drinking water directly Open defecation: Disposal of human

from a river, dam, lake, pond, stream, faeces in fields, forests, bushes, open
canal or irrigation canal bodies of water, beaches or other open
places, or with solid waste
4 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

DRINKING WATER

1 in 4 people in LAC lacked safely managed drinking water services in 2020

Latin America
and the Caribbean Urban Rural Caribbean Central America South America
1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
100 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 1
0 0 0 6 4 0 0 0 Surface water
1 4 8 7 0
17 7 4 Unimproved
18 1 3 18
21 2 18
22 Limited
80
Basic
37 50 50 Safely managed
37
Population (%)

60

88 89
40 82 81 78 80
75 75

49 53
47 48
20

0
2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020

FIGURE 2 Regional, urban and rural drinking water ladders (%), 2015-2020

18 out of 50 countries* in LAC had estimates for safely managed drinking water services in 2020

0-25
25-50
50-75
75-99
>99
Insufficient data
Not applicable

*
The JMP produces
internationally comparable
estimates for 234 countries,
areas and territories
including all United Nations
Member States. Regional
statistics in this report refer
to countries, areas and
territories in the Sustainable
Development Goal region
of Latin America and the
Caribbean.

FIGURE 3 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, 2020 (%)
 DRINKING WATER 5

Only 1 out of 12 countries in LAC with <99% 3

Annual rate of change (2000-2020), percentage points per year

coverage and trend data available is currently
PROGRESS IS ON TRACK
on track to achieve universal coverage (>99%) of TOO SLOW
safely managed drinking water by 2030 2

FIGURE 4
1

Progress towards universal access to safely managed drinking PRY

water services (2000-2020) among countries with <99% PER

GTM
NIC
ECU
BRA

CHL

national coverage in 2020 MEX SUR COL CRI

0 VIR

Note: Does not include countries (1) that already had universal
(>99%) coverage in 2020, (2) with no estimates for rates of change, COVERAGE IS DECREASING
i.e. missing data for at least one of the years, and (3) with zero or
-1
no trend. 0 20 40 60 80 100
Proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services in 2020 (%)

Progress towards closing the gap in basic drinking water coverage between the richest and poorest
varies between countries in LAC

Bolivia
Paraguay (Plurinational State of) Peru Haiti

99 100 100 99 100

98 98
94
93

82
78

60

43

36

29

22

2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020 2000 2020

Richest Poorest Gap between richest and poorest quintiles

FIGURE 5 Changes in the gap in basic drinking water between richest and poorest, by country, 2000-2020 (%)
Note: Does not include countries (1) with no estimates for rates of change, i.e. missing data for at least one of the years, and (2) with zero or no trend.
6 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

SANITATION

2 out of 3 people in LAC lacked safely managed sanitation services in 2020

Latin America
and the Caribbean Urban Rural Caribbean Central America South America
100 3 2 1 0 3 1 3 1 Open defecation
4 3 6 6 6 6 3
6 5 4 11 7 4
4 7 2 7 Unimproved
4 4 7 3 7
15 Limited
80 16 11 12
Basic
6
5 Safely managed
53 48
57 57
Population (%)

60 55 59 54
58

40 76
75
67 73

20 40 40
34 33 34 31
28 28

0
2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020 2015 2020

FIGURE 6 Regional, urban and rural sanitation ladders (%), 2015-2020

14 out of 50 countries in LAC had estimates for safely managed sanitation services in 2020

0-25
25-50
50-75
75-99
>99
Insufficient data
Not applicable

FIGURE 7 Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, 2020 (%)
 SANITATION 7

No country in LAC with <99% coverage and trend In many countries in LAC, coverage of sewer
data available is currently on track to achieve connections is higher than coverage of wastewater
universal coverage (>99%) of safely managed treatment
sanitation services by 2030
100
Annual rate of change (2000-2020),percentage points per year

3
90
PROGRESS IS ON TRACK
TOO SLOW 80
PER
2 MEX
CHL

Aguas residuales tratadas (%)

70

CHL
60
BOL

1
50 PER MEX
PRY
BRA

HND
40
BRA
COL BOL
ECU PRI
0 30
SUR CUB
VEN
CRI 20 NIC
CUB ECU
COVERAGE IS DECREASING HND
COL
10 CRI
-1 JAM
0 20 40 60 80 100 PRY
SLV
Proportion of the population using safely managed sanitation services in 2020 (%) 0 SUR

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Conexiones al alcantarillado (%)

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9
Progress towards universal access to safely managed sanitation
services (2000-2020) among countries with <99% national Proportion of population using sewer connections and sewer
coverage in 2020 connections from which wastewater is treated, by country in 2020 (%)

Note: Does not include countries (1) that already had universal (>99%)
coverage in 2020, (2) with no estimates for rates of change, i.e. missing data
for at least one of the years, and (3) with zero or no trend.

In LAC there are still large inequalities in open defecation rates between and within countries

MUNDO Regiones Países Ámbito Quintiles Regiones

urbano/rural de riqueza subnacionales
100
Porcentaje de la población que practica la defecación al aire libre (%)

80

60

48 Jinotega
40

29 Más pobre

20
18 África subsahariana Haití
15 Rural
América Latina 7
6 Mundo y el Caribe
Nicaragua
2 1 Urbana 2 Managua
0
0 0
Australia y Nueva Zelandia Más rico

FIGURE 10 Population practising open defecation disaggregated by countries in LAC and by urban-rural, wealth quintiles and sub-national
regions within Nicaragua
8 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

HYGIENE

Only 10 countries in LAC had estimates for basic hygiene services in 2020

0-25
25-50
50-75
75-99
>99
Insufficient data
Not applicable

FIGURE 11 Proportion of population using basic hygiene services, 2020 (%)

Annual rate of change (2015-2020),percentage points per year

Only 1 out of 9 countries in LAC with <99% 3

coverage and trend data available is currently

PROGRESS IS ON TRACK
on track to achieve universal coverage of basic TOO SLOW
hygiene services by 2030 2

CUB
FIGURE 12 1

Progress towards universal access to basic hygiene services BLZ

(2000-2020) among countries with <99% national coverage CRI

COL
in 2020
DOM
0 BOL PRY ECU

HTI

Note: Does not include countries (1) that already had universal (>99%)
coverage in 2020, (2) with no estimates for rates of change, i.e. missing COVERAGE IS DECREASING
data for at least one of the years, and (3) with zero or no trend. 1-
0 20 40 60 80 100
Proportion of the population using basic hygiene services in 2020 (%)
 HYGIENE 9

In LAC there are often large inequalities in access to basic hygiene services between the richest and poorest

Belize
Cuba
El Salvador
Mexico
Barbados
Trinidad and Tabago
Honduras
Costa Rica
Saint Lucia
Guyana
Paraguay
Suriname
Jamaica
Guatemala
Dominican Republica
Haiti
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Use of basic hygiene services (%)

Poorest Poor Middle Rich Richest

FIGURE 13 Population using basic hygiene services by wealth quintile (%)

BOX 1 Bridging gaps in water and sanitation for LAC

OLAS: Bridging gaps in water and sanitation data for LAC

JMP estimates rely on the availability of official national data
for each country and this snapshot shows that significant
data gaps remain throughout LAC. To close these data gaps,
the countries of the region moved to create the Water
and Sanitation Observatory for Latin America and the
Caribbean (OLAS). The OLAS aims to improve water and
sanitation data quality and availability throughout the region,
and to facilitate the use of this information by different
sectoral actors and policy makers. It promotes research for
the development of the sector and collaboration between
universities, research institutions, service providers, and
government agencies.
sanitation solution. Wastewater treatment from sewer
systems is outdated – input data from 19 countries are from
2007 or before.
Closing these data gaps requires new approaches to data
collection and dissemination at the national level. Through
technical collaboration with national governments, research
institutions and service providers, the OLAS works to
identify and implement strategies to break down data silos,
expand data collection, and promote the public availability
data throughout the region.

OLAS has highlighted critical data gaps that impede

assessing progress towards SDG 6.1 and 6.2. Assessing
access to safely managed drinking water is difficult, as
national information on drinking water quality is only
available for 14 countries of the 33 countries in the region,
while 4 additional countries only have this information
available at the urban or rural level. Safely managed
sanitation is similarly difficult to measure. On-site sanitation
solutions present a particular challenge, with 28 out of
33 countries lacking information whether septic tanks are
emptied and how their contents are disposed of, including
countries where septic system use is the most common
10 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

5

JMP SERVICE LADDERS FOR WASH IN SCHOOLS AND WASH IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES5

The JMP has established new ladders for global monitoring 5

Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells,
of WASH in schools and WASH in health care facilities. protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.
These are designed to track progress towards global Unimproved water sources include unprotected wells, unprotected springs
and surface water. Improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour-flush toilets,
targets which aim for universal coverage of basic services ventilated improved pit latrines, composting toilets and pit latrines with a slab
and additional indicators for higher levels of service may be or platform. Unimproved sanitation facilities include pit latrines without a slab
added in future. or platform, hanging latrines and bucket latrines.

WASH in schools
SERVICE LEVEL DRINKING WATER SANITATION HYGIENE
Drinking water from an improved source Improved sanitation facilities at the Handwashing facilities with water and
and water is available at the school at school that are single-sex and usable soap available at the school at the time
BASIC SERVICE the time of the survey (available, functional and private) at the of the survey
time of the survey

Drinking water from an unimproved Improved sanitation facilities at the Handwashing facilities with water but no
source but water is unavailable at the school that are either not single-sex or soap available at the school at the time
LIMITED SERVICE
school at the time of the survey not usable at the time of the survey of the survey

Drinking water from an unimproved Unimproved sanitation facilities or no No handwashing facilities or no water
source or no water source at the school sanitation facilities at the school available at the school
NO SERVICE

3 out of 4 schools in LAC had basic sanitation services in 2021

100 1 1
15 14 15 7 4 10 No drinking water service
28 14 15 6
80 45 8 Limited drinking water service
60 18 Basic drinking water service
95 99 99 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
82 84 91 Insufficient data
40 72 77 79
54
20 34
0
Haiti

Brazil

Panama

Nicaragua

Paraguay

Peru

Ecuador

El Salvador

Costa Rica

British Virgin
Islands

Jamaica

Saint Vincent
and the
Grenadines

Grenada

Antigua and
Barbuda

Honduras

Dominica

Barbados

Saint Lucia

Montserrat

Cayman
Islands

Cuba

Turks and
Caicos
Islands

Uruguay

Anguilla
Latin
America
and the
Caribbean

100 5 4 1
11 3 4 13 7 No sanitation service
21 29 16 16 6
80
30 Limited sanitation service
60 Basic sanitation service
96 99 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
40 59 76 80 81 87 88 Insufficient data
74 74
59
20

0
12
Saint Vincent
and the
Grenadines
Latin
America
and the
Caribbean

Brazil

Nicaragua

Ecuador

Mexico

Guatemala

Peru

Costa Rica

British Virgin
Islands

El Salvador

Jamaica

Cayman
Islands

Anguilla

Barbados

Saint Lucia

Montserrat

Cuba

Turks and
Caicos
Islands

Antigua and
Barbuda

Dominica

100 3 3 1
23 19 9 No hygiene service
28
80 0 Limited hygiene service
26
60 Basic hygiene service
91 97 97 99 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
40 81 Insufficient data
51
20 40

0
Saint Vincent
and the
Grenadines
Latin
America
and the
Caribbean

Peru

Nicaragua

Ecuador

Panama

Costa Rica

British Virgin
Islands

Jamaica

Saint Lucia

Antigua and
Barbuda

Turks and
Caicos
Islands

Dominica

Cuba

Barbados

Anguilla

Cayman
Islands

Grenada

Montserrat

FIGURE 14 Regional and country service ladders for WASH in schools in LAC (%), 2021
 SCHOOLS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES 11

WASH in health care facilities

SERVICE ENVIRONMENTAL
DRINKING WATER SANITATION HYGIENE WASTE MANAGEMENT
LEVEL CLEANING
Water is available from an Improved sanitation Functional hand hygiene Waste is safely Protocols for cleaning
improved source on the facilities are usable, facilities (with water and segregated into at least are available, and
premises. with at least one toilet soap and/or alcohol- three bins, and sharps staff with cleaning
dedicated for staff, at least based hand rub) are and infectious waste are responsibilities have all
BASIC one sex-separated toilet available at points of treated and disposed of received training.
SERVICE with menstrual hygiene care, and within five safely.
facilities, and at least one metres of toilets.
toilet accessible for people
with limited mobility.

An improved water
source is available
within 500 metres of
LIMITED the premises, but not all
SERVICE requirements for a basic
service are met.
At least one improved
sanitation facility is
available, but not all
requirements for a basic
service are met.
Functional hand hygiene
facilities are available
either at points of care
or toilets but not both.
There is limited
separation and/or
treatment and disposal
of sharps and infectious
waste, but not all
requirements for a basic
service are met.
There are cleaning
protocols and/or at
least some staff have
received training on
cleaning.

Water is taken from
unprotected dug wells or
springs, or surface water
NO sources; or an improved
SERVICE source that is more than
500 metres from the
premises; or there is no
water source.
Toilet facilities are
unimproved (e.g. pit
latrines without a slab or
platform, hanging latrines,
bucket latrines) or there are
no toilets.
No functional hand
hygiene facilities are
available either at points
of care or toilets.
There are no separate
bins for sharps or
infectious waste, and
sharps and/or infectious
waste are not treated/
disposed of.
No cleaning protocols
are available and no
staff have received
training on cleaning.

2 out of 5 health care facilities in LAC had basic sanitation services in 2021

100 6 3
12 12 7 No drinking water service
30 8
80
42 30 24 Limited drinking water service
60 24 Basic water service
100
40 85 Insufficient data
58 64 67
55
20 46

0
Latin America Peru Honduras Nicaragua Haiti Guatemala Paraguay Costa Rica
and the Caribbean

100 3 4 0
12 10 9 10 12 No sanitation service
80
55
Limited sanitation service
59
60 62 Basic sanitation service
92 83
40
Insufficient data

20 45
38
26
4 7
0
Latin America Nicaragua Guatemala Haiti Honduras Peru Paraguay Brazil
and the Caribbean

100 5
No hygiene service
30
80 Limited hygiene service
60 Basic hygiene service
40
40
Insufficient data

20
30
0
Latin America Nicaragua Honduras
and the Caribbean

100
9 1 6 No waste management service
80 Limited waste management
60 71 64 service
85 Basic waste management service
40
Insufficient data
20
49
28 28 31
0 6 6
Latin America Haiti Paraguay Honduras Peru Nicaragua Ecuador
and the Caribbean

FIGURE 15 Regional service ladders for WASH in health care facilities in LAC (%), 2021
12 PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

DATA TABLES
Regional estimates for WASH in Households in LAC

NATIONAL RURAL URBAN

REGION

change in basic

change in basic

change in basic
Annual rate of

Annual rate of

Annual rate of
Limited (more

Limited (more

Limited (more
Surface water

Surface water

Surface water
than 30 mins)

than 30 mins)

than 30 mins)
At least basic

At least basic

At least basic
DRINKING WATER

(thousands)

Unimproved

Unimproved

Unimproved
Population

% urban
Year

LATIN AMERICA
2020 653 962 81 97 <1 1 <1 0.34 90 1 4 4 0.93 >99 <1 <1 <1 0.12
AND THE CARIBBEAN
Caribbean 2020 43 532 72 89 4 7 <1 0.19 72 7 19 2 0.25 95 2 3 <1 -0.00

Central America 2020 179 670 75 98 <1 1 <1 0.47 93 <1 5 1 0.93 >99 <1 <1 <1 0.22

South America 2020 430 760 84 98 <1 <1 1 0.30 91 <1 1 7 1.03 >99 <1 <1 <1 0.09

WORLD 2020 7 794 799 56 90 4 5 2 0.42 82 6 9 3 0.61 96 2 2 <1 0.05

NATIONAL RURAL URBAN

REGION
Annual rate of change

Annual rate of change

Annual rate of change

in open defecation

in open defecation

in open defecation
Open defecation

Open defecation

Open defecation
Limited (shared)

Limited (shared)

Limited (shared)
SANITATION

change in basic

change in basic

change in basic
Annual rate of

Annual rate of

Annual rate of
At least basic

At least basic

At least basic
(thousands)

Unimproved

Unimproved

Unimproved
Population

% urban
Year

LATIN AMERICA
2020 653 962 81 89 4 5 2 0.75 -0.41 73 6 15 6 1.24 -1.17 93 4 3 <1 0.51 -0.14
AND THE CARIBBEAN
Caribbean 2020 43 532 72 76 12 7 6 0.29 -0.22 61 11 14 14 0.46 -0.44 82 12 4 2 0.04 -0.00

Central America 2020 179 670 75 88 7 3 <1 0.68 -0.47 77 10 10 3 1.13 -1.09 92 7 1 <1 0.40 -0.17

South America 2020 430 760 84 91 2 6 1 0.82 -0.40 72 3 19 6 1.43 -1.34 94 2 3 <1 0.59 -0.14

WORLD 2020 7 794 799 56 78 7 8 6 1.13 -0.76 66 7 14 13 1.55 -1.14 88 8 3 <1 0.43 -0.19

NATIONAL RURAL URBAN

Limited (without

Limited (without

Limited (without
change in basic

change in basic

change in basic
water or soap)

water or soap)

water or soap)
Annual rate of

Annual rate of

Annual rate of
(thousands)

REGION
Population

No facility

No facility

No facility
% urban

Basic

Basic

Basic
Year
HYGIENE

LATIN AMERICA
2020 653 962 81 - - - - - - - - - - - -
AND THE CARIBBEAN

Caribbean 2020 43 532 72 54 30 - -0.48 39 43 - -0.99 60 25 - -0.37

Central America 2020 179 670 75 - - - - - - - - - - - -

South America 2020 430 760 84 - - - - - - - - - - - -

WORLD 2020 7 794 799 56 71 21 9 0.69 60 29 11 1.08 - - - -

‘-’ = no estimate. For unrounded estimates, see www.washdata.org.

 DATA TABLES 13

NATIONAL RURAL URBAN

Proportion of population using Proportion of population using Proportion of population using
improved water supplies improved water supplies improved water supplies
SAFELY MANAGED DRINKING WATER

REGION
Safely managed

Safely managed

Safely managed
Available when

Available when

Available when
contamination

contamination

contamination
Accessible on

Accessible on

Accessible on
Non-piped

Non-piped

Non-piped
Free from

Free from

Free from
premises

premises

premises
needed

needed

needed
Piped

Piped

Piped
LATIN AMERICA
75 94 78 79 92 6 53 82 66 53 77 15 81 97 81 86 96 3
AND THE CARIBBEAN
Caribbean - 71 76 - 66 26 - 54 63 - 50 29 - 78 82 - 72 25

Central America 48 94 68 48 94 4 45 82 59 45 82 12 - 98 71 - 98 2

South America 80 96 83 81 94 4 56 88 74 56 78 14 85 98 85 85 97 2

WORLD 74 77 78 75 65 28 60 62 68 60 42 46 86 88 86 86 83 15

NATIONAL RURAL URBAN

Proportion Proportion Proportion Proportion Proportion Proportion

of population of population of population of population of population of population
SAFELY MANAGED DRINKING WATER

using improved using improved using improved using improved using improved using improved
sanitation facilities sanitation facilities sanitation facilities sanitation facilities sanitation facilities sanitation facilities
(excluding shared) (including shared) (excluding shared) (including shared) (excluding shared) (including shared)
SAFELY MANAGED SANITATION

REGION
Emptied and treated

Emptied and treated

Emptied and treated

Wastewater treated

Wastewater treated

Wastewater treated
Sewer connections

Sewer connections

Sewer connections
Disposed of in situ

Disposed of in situ

Disposed of in situ
Latrines and other

Latrines and other

Latrines and other

Safely managed

Safely managed

Safely managed
Septic tanks

Septic tanks

Septic tanks
LATIN AMERICA
34 - - 34 9 17 67 - - - 9 25 35 19 40 - - 40 6 13 78
AND THE CARIBBEAN
Caribbean - - 9 25 32 31 - - - 3 39 23 10 - - - 11 19 36 39

Central America 40 - - 40 9 18 69 - - - 14 26 36 25 49 - - 49 3 12 83

South America 34 - - 34 8 15 70 - - - 7 22 36 17 38 - - 38 5 11 80

WORLD 54 20 - 34 21 22 43 44 31 - 13 34 24 15 62 12 - 50 11 20 64

‘-’ = no estimate. For unrounded estimates, see www.washdata.org.

 14

WORLD
WORLD

Caribbean
Caribbean

REGION
REGION

LATIN AMERICA
LATIN AMERICA

South America
South America

Central America
Central America

AND THE CARIBBEAN

AND THE CARIBBEAN
Year

2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
Year

2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
Population (thousands)
School-age population (thousands)

7 874 966
434 260
181 722
43 762
659 744

85
75
72
81

57
% urban

1 895 475 53
92 493 84
47 737 75
10 831 71
151 061 80
% urban

19
16
19
18

21
% pre-primary
Basic water services

-
-
-
-

78
(improved, available and on premises)

39
38
41
40
39
% primary
Regional estimates for WASH in schools in LAC

42
46
39
41
43 % secondary

‘-’ = no estimate. For unrounded estimates, see www.washdata.org.

Limited water services

-
-
-
-

11
(improved, not available and/or not on
Basic water services

-
-
-
-

premises)

71
(improved and available)

No water service Limited water services

-
-
-
-
-
-

11
<1
14
(no facility or unimproved) (improved, not available)

Regional estimates for WASH in health care facilities in LAC

NATIONAL
NATIONAL

No water service
-

15
13
15

30

(no facility or unimproved)

-
-

89
94
Improved water source

>99
Basic water services
-
-
-

61
67

(improved and available)

-
-
98
89

79
Improved water on premises Limited water services
-
-
-

30
20

(improved, not available)

Basic sanitation services No water service
-
-
PRE-PRIMARY

10

16
13

(improved, usable, dedicated for staff,

-
-

-
(no facility or unimproved)

40
38
sex-separated with menstrual hygiene
facilities, and adapted for limited mobility)
Basic water services
-
-
-
-

67

Limited sanitation services (improved and available)

-
-
-
PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS

59
59
(improved, not meeting all criteria for
Limited water services
-
-
-
-

basic)
14

(improved, not available)

PRIMARY

No water service
-

No sanitation service

-
-

2
3
15
16

18
31

10
(no facility or unimproved) (no facility or unimproved)
NATIONAL

Basic water services

-
-
-
-

76

(improved and available)

-
-

98

90
97
Improved
Limited water services
-
-
-
-

14

(improved, not available)

-
-

84

78
81
Improved and usable
SECONDARY

No water service
-

9
11

10
38

(no facility or unimproved)

 WORLD

WORLD
Caribbean

Caribbean
REGION
REGION

LATIN AMERICA

LATIN AMERICA
South America

South America
Central America

Central America
AND THE CARIBBEAN

AND THE CARIBBEAN

Basic hygiene services Basic sanitation services

-
-
74

72
73

-
-
-
-
(improved, usable and single-sex)

51
(hand hygiene facilities at points of care
and water and soap at toilets) Limited sanitation services

-
-
-

16
21
Limited hygiene services (improved, not usable or not single-sex)

-
-
-
-
No sanitation service

40
-
-
(hand hygiene facilities missing at points
NATIONAL

5
5

13
of care or toilets) (no facility or unimproved)
Basic sanitation services

-
-
-
-
-
No hygiene service
(improved, usable and single-sex)

-
-
-
-

9
(hand hygiene facilities missing at points of
Limited sanitation services

-
-
-
-
-
care and toilets)
(improved, not usable or not single-sex)

NATIONAL
No sanitation service

-
-

-
-
-
-
7
6
6

68
Hand hygiene facilities at points of care (no facility or unimproved)
PRE-PRIMARY

Basic sanitation services

-
-

68
75
75
(improved, usable and single-sex)

-
-
-
-

65
Handwashing facility near toilets Limited sanitation services

-
-

‘-’ = no estimate. For unrounded estimates, see www.washdata.org.

18
21
(improved, not usable or not single-sex)
PRIMARY

Basic waste management services No sanitation service

-
-

4
4

14

-
-
-
-
-
(waste segregated and treated (no facility or unimproved)
and disposed of safely) Basic sanitation services
-
-

75
81
81

(improved, usable and single-sex)

Limited waste management services

-
-
-
-
-
Limited sanitation services
-

-
-

(Waste not segregated or treated

14
14

and disposed of safely) (improved, not usable or not single-sex)

No sanitation service
-
-
5

10

No waste management service

SECONDARY

(no facility or unimproved)

-
-
-
-
-
(waste not segregated nor treated
Basic hygiene services
-
-

-
-

and disposed of safely)

58

(facility with water and soap)

NATIONAL
Limited hygiene services
-
-

-
-

-
-
17

73
96
91
Waste segregated (facility with water, but no soap)
No hygiene service
-
-

-
-
NATIONAL

25

(no facility or no water)

-
-
-
-

-
Waste treated Basic hygiene services
-
-
-

-
-

(facility with water and soap)

Limited hygiene services
-
-
-

-
-

Basic environmental cleaning services

-
-
-
-
-
(facility with water, but no soap)
(Cleaning protocols and staff trained)
No hygiene service
-
-
-

-
-

(no facility or no water)

PRE-PRIMARY

Limited environmental cleaning services

-
-
-
-
-
Basic hygiene services
-
-

-
-

58

(Cleaning protocols or some staff trained) (facility with water and soap)
Limited hygiene services
-
-

-
-

15

No environmental cleaning service (facility with water, but no soap)

-
-
-
-
-
(No protocols and no staff trained)
PRIMARY

No hygiene service
-
-

-
-

27

(no facility or no water)

NATIONAL

Basic hygiene services

-

-
-

-
-
-
-
-
60
82

Protocols for cleaning (facility with water and soap)

Limited hygiene services
-
-

-
-

20

(facility with water, but no soap)

-
-
-
-
-
Training on cleaning No hygiene service
-
-

-
-

20
SECONDARY

(no facility or no water)

DATA TABLES
15
16
PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
2000-2020: 5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS
© United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization
(WHO), 2022
All rights reserved. Permission is required to reproduce any part of this
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Suggested citation: PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER, SANITATION
AND HYGIENE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2000-2020:
5 YEARS INTO THE SDGS. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), 2022.
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Escobar.
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