Evaluation of water-supply and sanitation options in third world cities: An example from Cali,Colombia

Water supply and sanitation are examined with the objective of describing the evaluation of alternative technologies for providing these services within urban areas of developing countries. First, an overview is given of the Pace of urbanization and the magnitude of the water and sanitation problem. A brief review of various water-supply and sanitation technologies follows, with a discussion of some basic principles involved in their comparison. An empirical study of the situation in Cali, Colombia is then provided as an example, with particular attention given to economic costing and some of its difficulties. The concluding part discusses the role of such analyses in urban planning and policy making, providing specific examples in the areas of low-cost housing, appropriate technology, water conservation, and urban expansion.