Demand for improved sanitation in an urban informal settlement in India: role of the local built environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sanitation uptake is a pressing challenge, especially in India, and sanitation demand in urban informal settlements and slums has been understudied relative to rural areas. Given the spatial and socioeconomic disadvantage of these settings, research suggests that the built environment may relate to sanitation demand, but this has not been tested. This study utilizes data on a large urban informal settlement in Maharashtra, India, examining built environment predictors including housing security, water access, and proximity to existing common sanitation, in association with sanitation demand. Results indicate that household size, home ownership, individual household water sources, and open defecation avoidance are significantly associated with interest in a toilet. Further, interactions between (1) water source and home ownership, and (2) open defecation and distance to shared sanitation, are associated with interest in a toilet. These findings support the role of the built environment in shaping sanitation demand in urban informal settlements.