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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