Data on surface water bodies like rivers, dams, reservoirs, and related  flow characteristics, along with assessments for water risks, stress, and flood risk. 

freshwater

Freshwater

### Overview  
  
Unimproved/No drinking water acess reflects the percentage of the population collecting drinking water from an
unprotected dug well or spring, or directly from a river, dam, lake, pond, stream, canal, or irrigation canal [(WHO and UNICEF 2017)]([https://washdata.org/data). Specifically, the indicator aligns with the unimproved and surface water categories of the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP)—the lowest tiers of drinking water services. Higher values indicate areas where people have less access to safe drinking water supplies. These values were then converted into risk scores based on the thresholds defined in the methodology. These risk scores range from low (<2.5%) to extremely high water stress (>20%). The JMP statistics have been disaggregated from the country level to the sub-basin scale (HydroBASIN level 6) using gridded urban and rural population data.   
  
### Methodology  
  
Data for this indicator came from the 2015 drinking water access rates published by JMP [(WHO and UNICEF 2017)]([https://washdata.org/data) for urban and rural populations per country. Specifically, this indicator used the unimproved and no surface water statistics. 

  
  
First, country level data were matched to the Aqueduct sub-basin scale using a one-to-one geospatial intersection between Aqueduct sub-basins and countries (henceforth called intersect). 

  
  
Next, the gridded 2010 population data [(van Vuuren et al. 2007)](https://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/2006/DownscalingDriversOfGlobalEnvironmentalChangeScenarios) was parsed into urban and rural classes using a 2010 urban extent data layer [(van Huijstee et al. 2018)](https://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/towards-an-urban-preview). The total urban and rural populations were then summed per intersect.

  
  
Within each intersect, the urban and rural rates of access were multiplied by the urban and rural populations, respectively, and then were added together to find the number of people with access to unimproved/no drinking water. Results were aggregated up from the intersect scale to the HydroBASIN 6 scale. 

  
  
Within each HydroBASIN 6 sub-basin, the population with access to unimproved/no drinking water was divided by the total population to find the percent of population with access to unimproved/no drinking water. 

  
  
Finally, raw unimproved/no drinking water access values were converted to risk scores between 0 and 5, based on quantiles. These scores were placed into categories indicating how high the risk for this indicator is. The thresholds for raw unimproved/no drinking water access values and the corresponding risk scores that were used in each category are defined below as Risk Category (Risk Scores): Raw Value Thresholds.

- Low (0-1): < 2.5%
- Low to medium (1-2): 2.5 - 5.0%
- Medium to high (2-3): 5.0 - 10.0%
- High (3-4): 10.0 - 20.0%
- Extremely high (4-5): >20.0%

  
  
For the full documentation, please see the source [methodology](https://www.wri.org/publication/aqueduct-30).  
  
### Additional Information  
  
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### Disclaimer  
  
Excerpts of this description page were taken from the source metadata.

PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL)

Unimproved or No Drinking Water, Aqueduct 3.0

wat-060-aqueduct-unimproved-or-no-drinking-water-access-rw

aqueduct

Aqueduct

2015 Unimproved/No Drinking Water Access

Measures the percentage of the population that relies on drinking water from an unprotected dug well or spring, or direct surface water

Aqueduct

Aqueduct Unimproved or No Drinking Water Access

2015 Unimproved/No Drinking Water Access