A SNAPSHOT – 2012 UPDATE

WATER SUPPLY

IN EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 1

Overview

The East Asia and Pacific Region has made good progress in drinking water supply over the last 20 years:

The proportion of people using improved water supplies increased by 21 per cent between 1990 and 2010, a greater rate than in most other regions

More than half of the population of the region now have access to piped water on the premises

East Asia and the Pacific has already met the MDG water target

677 million more people use improved drinking water than 20 years ago, the majority of them in China

The majority of people in the region use appropriate household water treatment to improve their drinking water quality

However, challenges remain:

Almost 200 million people still do not have access to improved water supply in the region

Coverage disparities are pronounced in the region: national coverage levels range from as low as 40 per cent (in Papua New Guinea) to over 95 per cent (in Thailand, Malaysia and other countries)

Access to water is inequitable within countries: urban dwellers are more likely to have access to improved water supplies than rural households

Poverty levels are also an important factor influencing the use of improved drinking water: poorer households are much less likely to have access than richer households

The Pacific sub-region is lagging behind: coverage levels for improved drinking water has actually decreased from 51 per cent in 1990 to 50 per cent in 2010

Information about this Snapshot

This snapshot is produced by the UNICEF Regional Office for East Asia and the Pacific

The UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Region encompasses 27 countries; 12 in East Asia and 15 in the Pacific (see last page for listing)

Unless otherwise indicated, data in this snapshot is from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation 2010 dataset, the latest available

See page 6 for full citations and credits

Regional and World Water Coverage Trends

East Asia

and the Pacific World Total

30

58

39

32

24

8

7 2

1990 2010

Co

ve

rag

e (

%)

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

4554

31

35

188

6 3

1990 2010

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

Surface water

Unimproved

Otherimproved

Piped on Premises

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 2

Drinking Water Inequities

Urban-rural coverage disparity still exists, but the gap is narrowing

The East Asia and Pacific Region urban-rural drinking water gap has shrunk from 37 percentage points in 1990 to 13 points in 2010

However, there are still significant urban-rural gaps in some countries, notably in Papua New Guinea (54 percentage points between urban and rural), Mongolia (47 points), Timor-Leste (31 points) and Cambodia (29 points)

Piped water on the premises is much more common for urban households than for rural households

Urban Rural

Few people have access to piped water in rural areas

Use of improved drinking water in rural areas in 18 East Asia and Pacific countries, compared to regional and world totals, 2010, per cent. Full data not available for countries not appearing in this graph (see last page for all data).

7784

1813

431

1990 2010

Co

ve

rag

e (

%)

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

10

35

48

49

32

13

103

1990 2010

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

Surface water

Unimproved

Other improved

Piped on premises

Surface water

Unimproved

Otherimproved

Piped on Premises

5

128

45

25

8

31

80

17

66

40

80

97

0

35

29

5153 48 59

6675

40

67 85 64 17

30

70

29 5699

4952

5358 60 62

7478

85

92 93 95 97

33

87

95 96 96 97 99

8481

0

20

40

60

80

100

Ru

ral D

rin

kin

g W

ate

r C

ove

rage

(%

)

Rural Water Coverage

Piped Other Improved

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 3

Poor households have lower water coverage levels in East Asia and the Pacific The poorest households have lower access to improved

drinking water than richer households in many countries (notably in Lao PDR and Indonesia)

Disparities are most pronounced for access to piped water supply on the premises (such as in the Philippines where only 8% of poorest quintile households have piped water compared to 93% of the richest households)

Lao PDR MICS 2006

Viet Nam MICS 2011

Indonesia DHS 2007

Philippines DHS 2008

Use of piped water on premises and other improved drinking water facilities by wealth quintiles (%).

Regional and country averages mask large disparities within countries

This ‘equity tree’ example from Timor-Leste shows that the poorest households in rural areas have much lower coverage levels even than in sub-Saharan Africa

Improved water coverage in Timor-Leste, per cent. Sources: JMP 2012 and Timor-Leste DHS, 2009

1 5 10

33

86

4143 39

29

7

0

20

40

60

80

100

Poorest 2nd 3rd 4th Richest

Co

vera

ge (

%)

4 1013

25

63

72

8182 73 37

0

20

40

60

80

100

Poorest 2nd 3rd 4th Richest

Co

vera

ge (

%)

39 15

28

5648

58

6257

36

0

20

40

60

80

100

Poorest 2nd 3rd 4th Richest

Co

vera

ge (

%)

8

27

49

76

93

65

6547 22

6

0

20

40

60

80

100

Poorest 2nd 3rd 4th Richest

Co

vera

ge (

%)

99 Richest 20%98 Fiji Urban96 Thailand

94 Americas& Caribbean 91 China 91 Urban

90 East Asia89 World & the Pacific

83 Myanmar

82 Indonesia

77 Richest 20%Rural

69 Timor-Leste 69 Poorest 20%Urban

64 Cambodia

61 Sub S Africa

60 Rural

43 Poorest 20%Rural

40 Papua

New Guinea

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 4

Water Quality and Household Water Treatment

Water Quality

Comprehensive data on drinking water quality is not available, however individual studies suggest that both bacteriological and chemical contamination of drinking water supplies is a serious problem in the region

Substantial levels of arsenic contamination of water supplies has been found in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Viet Nam, while in other countries less widespread occurrences have been documented or are probable (see Statistical modeling of global geogenic arsenic contamination

in groundwater. Amini et al. 2008. Environmental Science and Technology 42(10), 3669-3675)

Household water treatment is widespread in the region

In the seven countries where data is available, the majority of households use appropriate household water treatment methods to improve their drinking water; treatment levels are relatively constant across wealth quintiles, and among rural and urban households

Household Water Treatment in East Asia

Population in households reporting the use of appropriate* water treatment methods, per cent (non-weighted average from 7 countries).

* Appropriate treatment methods include boiling, bleaching/chlorinating, filtering, and solar disinfecting

Sources: MICS and DHS from Indonesia 2007, Thailand 2005-2006, Cambodia 2005, Mongolia 2005, Philippines 2003, Viet Nam 2006, Lao PDR 2006. No data available from Pacific countries.

Filter Use Trends Example

Boiling is still the most common method for treating water in the region, but an increasing number of households are opting for ceramic, sand or other appropriate filters

The number of households using non-appropriate methods (such as just allowing water to settle) or not using any treatment method at all is falling in some countries

The example from Cambodia illustrates this trend, which is due in part to national filter use promotional programmes

Trends in selected household water treatment methods in Cambodia (boiling–not shown–remains the most common method). Sources: DHS 2005 and 2010.

6265

69 70 69

0

20

40

60

80

100

Poorest 2nd 3rd 4th Richest

Ad

equ

ate

HW

T (%

)

63 6562

0

20

40

60

80

100

Total Urban Rural

2

1112

4

34

25

0

10

20

30

40

2005 2010

Ho

ues

ho

lds

pra

ctic

ing

trea

tme

nt

me

tho

d (

%) Treatment Method

Trends in Cambodia

Ceramic, sand or other filter Stand & settle No treatment

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 5

Focus on the Pacific Sub-Region

The East Asia sub-region has progressed much more than the Pacific sub-region

Use of improved water facilities, Pacific sub-region compared to East Asia sub-region, per cent

Gains have been made in all UNICEF regions, but not in the Pacific sub-region

East Asia sub-region

South Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas and Caribbean

CEE/CIS

Middle East & North Africa

Pacific sub-region

Percentage point gain in national improved water source use, 1990 to 2010. Pacific and East Asia sub-regions compared to other regions; CEE/CIS is Central, Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

* In this snapshot, Papua New Guinea is in the Pacific sub-region in conformance with MDG classification practices (the MDG Oceania region). This means that coverage levels and progress rates in that country heavily influence sub-regional averages due to its large population relative to Pacific Island Nations.

Urban Improved Rural Improved National Improved

1990 95 58 68

2000 96 71 80

2010 97 84 90

1990 91 41 51

2000 92 42 52

2010 92 41 50

East Asia

Pacific

-1

1

5

9

12

19

22

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25% point change 1990-2010

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 6

Drinking Water Coverage in East Asia and the Pacific

Improved water supply coverage in East Asia and Pacific countries, 2010, national. Only countries in the UNICEF East Asia and Pacific region are shown. This map does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.

Data Sources and Notes

Main water supply dataset: from Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation: 2012 Update (with supplemental

data from wssinfo.org), from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation

Country-specific DHS data: from published Demographic and Household Surveys available at measuredhs.com, from USAID and national statistics bureaus

Country-specific MICS data: from published Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys available at childinfo.org, from UNICEF, other UN agencies and national statistics bureaus

Cover photo credits, clockwise from top right: © UNICEF/NYHQ2004-1370/Noorani, UNICEF/LAOA2008-5596/Holmes, UNICEF/NYHQ2006-1850/Estey, UNICEF/MGLA2007-00433/Holmes

UNICEF does not warrant that the information contained in this publication is complete and correct and shall not be liable for any damages incurred as a result of its use.

Acknowledgements

UNICEF thanks Greg Keast, who developed and produced this snapshot under the guidance of Chander Badloe, UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office. Special appreciation also to the following reviewers for their valuable inputs: Almud Weitz from the Water and Sanitation Program; James Wicken from WaterAid; Hilda Winartasaputra from Plan International; and Ramesh Bhusal, Therese Dooley, Nguyen Thanh Hien, Libbet Horn-Phathanothai, Dara Johnston, Janine Kandel, Rolf Luyendijk, Nadarajah Moorthy, Henk van Norden, Marjolein Oijevaar, Michael Emerson P. Gnilo and David Parker from UNICEF..

Marshall

Islands

Kiribati

Tuvalu

Tokelau

Cook

Islands

Niue

Samoa

Tonga

FijiVanuatu

Solomon

Islands

Palau

Micronesia

Papua

New

Guinea

Indonesia

Malaysia

Philippines

Viet Nam

Myanmar

Thailand

Cambodia

China

Mongolia

Lao PDR

50% to 75%

76% to 90%

91% to 100%

Insufficient data

DPR Korea

Less than 50%Timor-

Leste

Nauru

A Snapshot of Water Supply in East Asia and the Pacific – 2012 Update 7

Drinking Water Coverage by Country Country estimates by type of drinking water source 1990, 2010

August 2012

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) 19 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok, 10200 Thailand Website: http://www.unicef.org/eapro/ Email: asiapacificinfo@unicef.org Twitter: twitter.com/unicefasiapac

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1990 9,532 48 15 33 22 30 29 0 29 35 36 31 2 30 33 35

2010 14,138 87 63 24 4 9 58 5 53 20 22 64 17 47 17 19

1990 1,145,195 97 92 5 1 2 56 12 44 10 34 67 33 34 8 25

2010 1,341,335 98 95 3 0 2 85 45 40 2 13 91 68 23 1 8

1990 18 99 - - - 1 87 - - - 13 94 - - - 6

2010 20 98 - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - -

1990 20,143 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0

2010 24,346 99 93 6 1 0 97 80 17 3 0 98 88 10 2 0

1990 728 94 92 2 0 6 77 38 39 5 18 84 60 24 3 13

2010 861 100 97 3 0 0 95 66 29 3 2 98 82 16 1 1

1990 184,346 91 25 66 1 8 61 2 59 7 32 70 9 61 5 25

2010 239,871 92 36 56 0 8 74 8 66 4 22 82 20 62 2 16

1990 72 76 46 30 - 24 33 13 20 - 67 48 25 23 - 52

2010 100 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1990 4,192 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2010 6,201 77 55 22 3 20 62 3 59 17 21 67 20 47 12 21

1990 18,209 94 86 8 - 6 82 59 23 - 18 88 72 16 - 12

2010 28,401 100 99 1 0 0 99 - - - 1 100 - - - 0

1990 47 94 1 93 - 6 97 0 97 - 3 95 1 94 - 5

2010 54 92 1 91 - 8 99 0 99 - 1 94 1 93 - 6

1990 96 93 - - - 7 87 - - - 13 89 - - - 11

2010 111 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1990 2,193 74 53 21 6 20 27 0 27 55 18 54 30 24 27 19

2010 2,756 100 26 74 0 0 53 2 51 24 23 82 17 65 9 9

1990 39,268 80 17 63 - 20 48 1 47 - 52 56 5 51 - 44

2010 47,963 93 19 74 2 5 78 3 75 8 14 83 8 75 6 11

1990 9 98 - - - 2 - - - - - 98 - - - 2

2010 10 88 - - - 12 - - - - - 88 - - - 12

1990 2 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0

2010 1 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0

1990 15 73 38 35 - 27 96 40 56 - 4 80 39 41 - 20

2010 20 83 43 40 - 17 96 40 56 - 4 85 43 43 - 15

1990 4,158 89 61 28 7 4 32 4 28 51 17 41 13 28 44 15

2010 6,858 87 57 30 2 11 33 3 30 45 22 40 10 30 40 20

1990 61,629 93 40 53 1 6 77 9 68 2 21 85 24 61 2 13

2010 93,261 93 61 32 0 7 92 25 67 1 7 92 43 50 1 6

1990 161 97 85 12 - 3 87 72 15 - 13 89 75 14 - 11

2010 183 96 84 12 1 3 96 80 16 1 3 96 81 15 1 3

1990 310 - 76 - - - - 1 - - - - 11 - - -

2010 538 - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - -

1990 57,072 96 74 22 0 4 82 10 72 2 16 86 29 57 1 13

2010 69,122 97 80 17 0 3 95 31 64 0 5 96 48 48 0 4

1990 743 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2010 1,124 91 45 46 0 9 60 12 48 2 38 69 21 47 1 31

1990 2 - - - - - 90 - - - 10 90 - - - 10

2010 1 - - - - - 97 - - - 3 97 - - - 3

1990 95 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0

2010 104 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0 100 - - 0 0

1990 9 92 92 0 - 8 89 89 0 - 11 90 90 0 - 10

2010 10 98 97 1 - 2 97 97 0 - 3 98 97 1 - 2

1990 147 94 79 15 - 6 55 27 28 - 45 62 37 26 - 38

2010 240 98 52 46 0 2 87 17 70 8 5 90 26 64 6 4

1990 67,102 88 44 44 7 5 49 0 49 19 32 57 9 48 17 26

2010 87,848 99 59 40 0 1 93 8 85 5 2 95 23 71 3 3

1990 1,615,493 95 77 18 1 4 58 10 48 10 32 69 30 39 7 24

2010 1,965,479 97 84 13 0 3 84 35 49 3 13 90 58 32 2 8

Total

Popul-

ation

(x 1000)

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Viet Nam

Total

Country Year

Samoa

Solomon Islands

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Tokelau

Tonga

Myanmar

Nauru

Niue

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Kiribati

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

Micronesia (Fed.

States of)

Mongolia

Cambodia

China

Cook Islands

DPR Korea

Fiji

Indonesia

Urban Rural National

Improved (%) Unimproved (%) Improved (%) Unimproved (%) Improved (%) Unimproved (%)