About the Course
This course will examine current conditions and trends in water and sanitation services in low and middle income countries. Within it, it will take a critical look at the underlying political, economic, social, and technical reasons why almost a billion people lack access to improved water supplies and almost 2 billion still do not have improved sanitation services.
The first part of a two-part series of courses critically examines the consequences of current water and sanitation conditions, including over 2 million deaths annually due to water-related diseases, millions of dollars in avoidable health care expenditures, and billions of hours spent carrying water from sources outside the home. Reducing such costs associated with poor water and sanitation services is one of the major challenges for States in the low and middle income countries in the 21st century. The second part will focus on what can be done to solve global water and sanitation problems. And will examine the main strategies that donors and national governments have tried to change status quo water and sanitation conditions, and the lessons learned from these experiences.
- Introduction – Current patterns and future trends in coverage of both network infrastructure and non-piped solutions in urban and rural areas of the low and middle income countries
- Political Economy – Water markets, water vending systems, corruption
- Supply – Technological options available and the associated costs of providing improved water and sanitation services
- Demand – Understanding household water and sanitation behaviour
- Outcomes and climate change
- Water Development Paths