Definition of improved and unimproved water sources and sanitation facilities
| Improved | Unimproved | |
|---|---|---|
| Use of drinking water | Piped water into dwelling yard or plot | Unprotected dug well |
| Public tap or standpipe | Unprotected spring | |
| Tube well or borehole | Cart with small tank or drum | |
| Protected spring | Tanker truck | |
| Protected dug well | Surface water (river, dam, lake, pond, stream, canal, irrigation channel) | |
| Rain water collection | Bottled water (considered to be improved only when the household uses drinking water from an improved source for cooking and personal hygiene) | |
| Use of sanitation | Flush or pour flush to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine | Flush or pour-flush to elsewhere (ie, not to piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine) |
| Ventilated improved pit | Pit latrine without slab, or open pit | |
| Pit latrine with slab | Bucket | |
| Composting toilet | Hanging toilet or hanging latrine | |
| Shared or public facilities of any type |
Adapted from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme.21