Journal Article
Urban water disinfection and mortality decline in lower-income countries
Authors
Publication date
2021
Summary
Historically, improvements in municipal water quality led to substantial mortality decline in today’s wealthy countries. However, water disinfection has not consistently produced large benefits in lower-income countries. We study this issue by analyzing a large-scale municipal water disinfection program in Mexico that increased water chlorination coverage in urban areas from 58% to over 90% within 18 months. We estimate that the program reduced childhood diarrheal disease mortality rates by 45 to 67%. However, inadequate sanitation infrastructure and age (degradation) of water pipes may have attenuated these benefits substantially.
Published in
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
ISSN
16
Subjects
Science And Technology, Poverty, and Health
Links
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20180764
Notes
Forthcoming
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