13.4.3  Physically accessible

Water must be within safe physical reach, in or near the house, school or health facility. Accessibility to safe water can be classified as follows:

No access. You would say people do not have access to safe water when:

• The distance to the water source is more than one kilometre or more than a 30-minute round trip.
• The amount of water collected is very low (often below 5 litres per capita per day).

Basic access (see Figure 13.5). You would say people have a basic level of access to safe water when:

• The water source is within one kilometre/30-minute round trip.
• The amount of water to be collected on average is unlikely to exceed 20 litres per capita per day.

Figure 13.5  Public water point – an example of basic access, assuming the user lives within one kilometre distance. (Photo: Pam Furniss)

Intermediate access (see Figure 13.6). You would say people have an intermediate level of access to safe water when:

• Water is provided onsite through at least one tap (at yard level).
• Average volume of water collected is approximately 50 litres per capita per day.

Figure 13.6  Provision of safe water for a household with a single tap – an example of intermediate access. (Photo: Richard Adam)

Optimal access. You would say people have optimal access to safe water when:

• Supply of water is through multiple taps within the house.
• Approximately 100–200 litres per capita per day or more is available.