300 million people connected to potable water networks

November 01, 2013. On average, potable water coverage in the Region grew form 40 percent of the urban populationin 1950 to more than 90 percent in 2008. Although access coverage levels are high, the condition of the services in homes is low in quality and continuity. 

The document "  Equidad e inclusión social en América Latina: acceso universal al agua y el saneamiento" (Equity and Social Inclusion in Latin America: Universal Access to Water and Sanitation) points out that in the past 60 years, more than 300 million urban inhabitants have connected to the potable water  networks and more than 200 million to the sanitary sewage networks. 

Although the coverage levels of potable water and sanitation networks are high, conditions in homes are low with respect to the sanitary quality of the water and the continuity of the services for seven days a week, and 24 hours per day. The treatment of residual waters is poor, as less than 30% of these waters receive some kind of treatment. Added to this are significant needs for urban drainage infrastructure and management of water resources. 

On average, more than 40 percent of the treated water filters through broken pipes or due to the poor working conditions of the equipment. In homes, the efficiency in access to water and sanitation is affected by the lack of meters, rates that do not encourage measured consumption, and measurements errors, according to the companies that provide the services.