WELL Factsheet: Measuring the health impact of water and sanitation

Attempts to measure the health impact of water supplies and sanitation have a long and chequered history. Many of them have been made by amateur epidemiologists at the behest of the agencies funding the construction of the facilities, and with insufficient planning and rigour. Even some studies supervised by eminent specialists have produced almost useless or meaningless results, after taking years to complete and costing substantial sums of money. This unhappy experience led a panel of experts, convened in 1975 by the World Bank, to conclude that the Bank should not undertake any long-term longitudinal studies of the question.

Produced by WEDC and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for the Department of International Development (DFID) of the UK government (now the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)), this archive collection of WELL factsheets remains relevant. It covers topics ranging from the anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater through to water quality and safety plans.