Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

e-mail contact : ESTAT-SDG-MONITORING@ec.europa.eu

The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation, which is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under the 'European Green Deal' and 'An economy that works for people'.

Among other things, SDG 6 calls for ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and ending open defecation. It also aims at improving water quality and water-use efficiency and encouraging sustainable abstractions and supply of freshwater. Considering the indicator, a bath, shower and indoor flushing toilet are basic facilities of a household. Their availability plays an important role in healthy livelihoods and people’s well-being. A lack of these facilities is considered as housing deprivation. Furthermore, their accessibility, specifically within one’s household, contributes to the end of open defecation and therefore promotes a healthy environment and reduces human health risks.

Indicator can be considered as similar to global SDG indicator 6.2.1 "Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water".

Protection of water resources, water ecosystems and of drinking and bathing water is at the cornerstone of EU water policy, as confirmed in the 8th Environment Action Programme. The EU health and food safety policy also contributes to high standards on water and sanitation in terms of preventing the spread of communicable diseases. The EU in its external relations, its development cooperation policy (through the European consensus and the Agenda for Change), the European Neighbourhood Policy and the EU Enlargement Policy is supporting third countries in the achievement of this sustainable development goal through bilateral assistance programmes or regional initiatives.

The indicator measures the share of total population having neither a bath, nor a shower, nor an indoor flushing toilet in their household. 

Percentage [PC]

i. total
ii. below 60% of median equivalised income
iii. above 60% of median equivalised income

Calendar year.

From 2005 onwards EU-SILC is based on a common framework defined by harmonised lists of primary and secondary variables, common concepts, a recommended design, common requirements (such as imputation procedures, weighting, sampling errors calculation) and classifications aiming at maximising comparability of the information produced. Details can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).

ESS (SILC)

Data source: Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC).

Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, based on data reported by the countries.

Every 3+ years

The indicator is updated with 3 years frequency, with improved timeliness over time. From 2023 it will be collected on voluntary basis. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.

T+1 year

New data points are disseminated within one year after the reference year.

All EU MS

Data are presented for all EU Member States, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Türkiye.

All EU MS

Data are comparable between all EU Member States respectively other presented countries.

> 10 years

Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2007.

> 4 data points

Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.

Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in an EU context).

See table sdg_06_10

Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/sdi/overview

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