Water and sanitation in Dhaka slums: access, quality, and informality in service provision

Slum populations are commonly characterized as having poorly developed water and sanitation systems and may access services through informal channels. However, there are limited representative profiles of water and sanitation services in slums, making it difficult to prioritize interventions that will make services safer for residents. This cross-sectional study examines the quality of and access to water and sanitation services in government-defined slums across Dhaka, Bangladesh. Access is generally high but is subject to quality issues related to safety, reliability and liability. Services are often operated by informal middlemen at various stages of provision.