Glossary Term

Water, sanitation, and hygiene

The collective term for water access, sanitation, and hygiene. Clean water is only a part of the overall strategy towards lasting health changes in rural communities and emergency settings. In order to achieve the greatest health benefits, and virtually eliminate waterborne diseases, improvements to sanitation and hygiene must also be made alongside access to clean water. These three disciplines are grouped together seeing as one cannot be fully recognized without the other.