ANNEX 1: SAFELY MANAGED DRINKING WATER SERVICES

Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
JMP normative interpretation of SDG target for drinking water
Target language Normative interpretation
By 2030, achieve
universal Implies all exposures and settings including households, schools, health facilities,
workplaces, etc.
and equitable Implies progressive reduction and elimination of inequalities between population sub-
groups
access Implies sufficient water to meet domestic needs is reliably available close to home
to safe Safe drinking water is free from pathogens and elevated levels of toxic chemicals at all
times
and affordable Payment for services does not present a barrier to access or prevent people meeting
other basic human needs
drinking water Water used for drinking, cooking, food preparation and personal hygiene
for all Suitable for use by men, women, girls and boys of all ages including people living with
disabilities
The global indicator selected by UN Member States for monitoring SDG target 6.1 is ‘proportion of population using
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safely managed drinking water services’ . Safely managed drinking water creates a new service norm and represents
an additional ‘rung’ at the top of the JMP drinking water service ladder.
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“Safely managed drinking water” is defined as the use of an improved drinking water source which is:
• located on premises,
• available when needed, and
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• free of faecal and priority chemical contamination .
JMP global monitoring ladder for drinking water services
Service level Definition
Improved source located on premises, available when needed, and free from
Safely managed
microbiological and priority chemical contamination
Basic Improved source within 30 minutes round trip collection time
Limited Improved source over 30 minutes round trip collection time
Unimproved Unimproved source that does not protect against contamination
No service Surface water
The WHO/UNICEF JMP is responsible for producing comparable estimates of safely managed drinking water services
based on national data. Estimates will be made for total population, and where possible for urban and rural and other
relevant administrative levels and population sub-groups and shared with countries for consultation.

The purpose of this request is to identify national data sources containing information which could potentially be used
for the production of global and national estimates. Safely managed drinking water services may be provided via piped
networks or via non-piped supplies such as boreholes, protected wells and springs, rainwater harvesting or tanker
trucks. Piped and non-piped supplies are often regulated by different authorities so these data may need to be
collected separately.

The questions below indicate the type of information that will be required for calculation of safely managed drinking
water services. Please answer as many as possible and provide supporting references for all data sources used.

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http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/
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For SDG monitoring improved sources include piped household connections, public taps or standpipes, boreholes or
tube wells, protected dug wells, protected springs, rainwater, tanker trucks and bottled water. Unimproved sources
include unprotected dug wells and unprotected springs.
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With reference to the absence of E. coli or thermotolerant coliforms in a 100 mL sample
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Priority chemicals will vary by country, but at a global level priority will be placed on arsenic and fluoride
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Piped drinking water

Question Answer Data source/notes

1.1 What percentage of the population uses piped water? e.g. household surveys and
census data

1.2 What percentage of the population uses piped water on e.g. household surveys and
premises (into the house, yard or plot)? census data

1.3 What percentage of the piped water supplies meet e.g. regulator and service
relevant targets for continuity (e.g. hours of supply)? provider data

1.4 What percentage of the piped water supplies meet e.g. regulator and service
microbiological quality standards? provider data

1.5 What percentage of the piped water supplies meet e.g. regulator and service
standards for arsenic in drinking water (where relevant)? provider data

1.6 What percentage of the piped water supplies meet e.g. regulator and service
standards for fluoride in drinking water (where relevant)? provider data

Non-piped drinking water

Question Answer Data source/notes

1.7 What percentage of the population uses non-piped e.g. household surveys and
sources of drinking water (e.g. boreholes, wells and springs, census data
tank trucks, bottled water, rainwater harvesting)?

1.8 What are the principal types of non-piped sources of e.g. household surveys and
drinking water (e.g. boreholes, wells and springs, tanker census data
trucks, bottled water, rainwater harvesting) and what
percentage of the population uses each type?

1.9 What percentage of the population uses non-piped e.g. household surveys and
sources located on premises (in the household, plot or yard)? census data

1.10 What percentage of the non-piped water supplies meet e.g. household surveys or
relevant targets for availability (e.g. flow rates, reliability)? regulator data

1.11 What percentage of the non-piped water supplies meet e.g. household surveys or
microbiological quality standards? regulator data

1.12 What percentage of the non-piped water supplies meet e.g. household surveys or
standards for arsenic in drinking water (where relevant)? regulator data

1.13 What percentage of the non-piped water supplies meet e.g. household surveys or
standards for fluoride in drinking water (where relevant)? regulator data

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For further information see www.wssinfo.org/sdg-baselines, or contact sdgbaselines@wssinfo.org
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