Prevention of Groundwater Contamination by Faeces

Indicator Phrasing

% of latrines located at least 30m away from any ground water source and their pit bottoms being at least 1.5m above the water table

See indicator in other languages

Indicator Phrasing

English: % of latrines located at least 30m away from any ground water source and their pit bottoms being at least 1.5m above the water table

French: % de latrines situées à au moins 30 m de toute source d'eau souterraine et dont le fond est au moins 1,5 m au-dessus de la nappe phréatique

Spanish: % de letrinas situadas al menos a 30 m de cualquier fuente de agua subterránea y con el fondo de la fosa al menos a 1,5 m por encima del nivel freático

Portuguese: % de latrinas localizadas a pelo menos 30m de distância de qualquer fonte de água subterrânea e cujo fundo da fossa está a pelo menos 1.5m acima do nível freático

Czech: % latrín ve vzdálenosti alespoň 30m od povrchového zdroje vody a se spodkem jámy alespoň 1.5m nad hladinou podzemní vody

What is its purpose?

The indicator assesses the proportion of latrines (or other excreta containment measures) located so as to prevent human faecal contamination of the local water sources.

How to Collect and Analyse the Required Data

1) Count the number of latrines (or other excreta disposal facilities) that are located at least 30 meters away from any groundwater source and have their pit’s bottom located at least 1,5 meters above the water table (this can be assessed by reviewing the technical documentation and interviewing people who participated in latrine construction). Divide the number by the total number of surveyed excreta disposal facilities. Multiply it by 100. The result is the percentage of appropriately located latrines.

Important Comments

1) The target should always be 100% as even a few incorrectly located or constracted latrines can contaminate the water source.

2) Once a latrine is used, it is difficult to measure the distance between the bottom of its pit and the water table. Therefore, data for this indicator need to be collected during the latrine construction.

Access Additional Guidance

Sphere Excreta management standard 3.1

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