Sustainable Development Goals - 17 Goals to Transform our World
Clean water and sanitation - Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Indicator 6.2.1: Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

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Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water

This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from US statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from US statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other US-specific metadata information.

Actual indicator available
Actual indicator available - description
Date of national source publication
Method of computation Household surveys and censuses provide data on use of types of basic sanitation facilities listed above. The percentage of the population using safely managed sanitation services is calculated by combining data on the proportion of the population using different types of basic sanitation facilities with estimates of the proportion of faecal waste which is safely disposed in situ or treated off-site. The JMP estimates access to basic sanitation facilities for each country, separately in urban and rural areas, by fitting a regression line to a series of data points from household surveys and censuses. This approach was used to report on use of 'improved sanitation' facilities for MDG monitoring. The JMP is evaluating the use of alternative statistical estimation methods as more data become available. The Statistical Note describes in more detail how 'safety factors', or the proportion of household wastewater that is safely disposed of in situ or transported to a designated place, will be generated through a national assessment process, and combined with data on use of different types of supplies, as recorded in the current JMP database. Calculation of safety factors for safe management of sanitation are the same used for safety factors for wastewater treatment required for household part of the indicator 6.3.1.
Periodicity
Scheduled update by national source
U.S. method of computation
Comments and limitations
Date metadata updated
Disaggregation geography
Unit of measurement
Disaggregation categories
International and national references
Time period
Scheduled update by SDG team

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator name Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water
Target name By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
Global indicator description Population using a basic sanitation facility at the household level ('improved' sanitation facilities used for MDG monitoring i.e. flush or pour flush toilets to sewer systems, septic tanks or pit latrines, ventilated improved pit latrines, pit latrines with a slab, and composting toilets, the same categories as improved sources of drinking water used for MDG monitoring) which is not shared with other households and where excreta is safely disposed in situ or treated off-site. This is therefore a multipurpose indicator also serving the household element of the wastewater treatment indicator (6.3.1).
UN designated tier 2
UN custodial agency WHO, UNICEF (Partnering Agencies: UNEP)
Link to UN metadata Link opens in a new window
Organisation
Agency Staff Name
Agency Survey Dataset
Notes
Title
Link to data source