WHO_Europe _ Water and sanitation

Water and sanitation are still a luxury for millions of Europeans In the WHO European Region, 19 million people do not have access to a source of drinking-water that is adequately protected, and about 100 million people still lack access to piped water in their homes. While access has generally increased in the last decade, there are notable disparities between rural and urban areas, especially in the Caucasus and central Asia, where only half of the rural population enjoys the use of piped water on premises. More than 66 million people in the Region still lack access to adequate sanitation facilities.

Contaminated water and inadequate sanitation cause a wide range of health effects Unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene at home, school, health care facilities or work places result in waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, typhoid fever and hepatitis A. Infants and young children are at greatest risk of water-related disease: diarrhoea attributable to poor water and sanitation is estimated to account for over 5% of all deaths in European children aged 0–14, with a higher prevalence in the eastern part of the Region. Microbial contamination of water used for drinking, hygiene and recreation has been recognized as the prime concern throughout the European Region. Chemical pollution is often localized but may also have a significant impact on health. Diseases from emerging microorganisms and chemicals pose additional challenges. Extreme weather events such as floods and increased water scarcity are serious mid- and long-term threats. WHO/Europe addresses these challenges by: providing evidence-based guidance and tools for strengthening the capacity of national health systems and water sectors to ensure water quality and to control, prevent and reduce waterrelated diseases; promoting water safety plans and facilitating capacity building in accordance with the WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality; serving as a regional hub for technical advice about health interventions, including responses to emergency situations.

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