Assessment and evaluation of the International Water Decade

The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-90) has ended without reaching its declared goal of providing all people with safe drinking water and proper sanitation. The effect of drinking water and sanitation on health has been established, and the 2 components have been included in the World Health Organization (WHO) global campaign for Health For All by the year 2000, and in the global Primary Health Care programme. The assessment of the achievements has been based on coverage rates expressed in percentage. The findings were computerised. High population growth rates in the developing countries hampered and reduced the coverage. Other hindering factors included the lack of appropriate technology, the preference of the small privileged urban areas over the vast rural areas, the lack of the simultaneous approach in the development of water and sanitation and poor involvement of health education in the activities of the Water Decade. The water and sanitation development activities of the last decade have to be carried forward and continued during the present decade, in a different approach and alternative methods.