Dataset used for Nepal case study.

Progress toward safe water for all is predominantly tracked using directly observable, resource-based indicators, including primary water source and water collection travel time. There is growing interest in complementing these indicators with experiential data about water access, use, and reliability, but there is limited evidence about their value for evaluating water service interventions. We therefore compared findings from observable and experiential water measures that were used to evaluate the impact of two multilevel interventions among households in Nepal (n = 83) and Sierra Leone (n = 981). We used t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariable models to determine whether drinking water services (classified using the Joint Monitoring Programme’s drinking water service ladder) and water insecurity experiences (measured using the Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale) changed following intervention. Additionally, we assessed for potential differential impacts on water insecurity by sociodemographic characteristics to understand if any groups were being left behind. In both settings, access to at-least-basic drinking water services among sampled households increased, from 60.8% to 100% in Nepal and from 33.0% to 48.2% in Sierra Leone. The percentage of households experiencing moderate-to-high water insecurity declined from 18.3% to 1.4% in Nepal and from 66.3% to 24.8% in Sierra Leone. Affirmation and reported frequency of being unable to wash clothes due to water problems, worrying about water insufficiency, and feeling angry about one’s water situation decreased but remained salient issues in both sites. There were no observed differences in project impact on water insecurity by respondent gender or age. In Nepal, project impact varied by districts, suggesting opportunities to better tailor interventions to local needs. These findings provide empirical evidence that experiential data complement traditional resource-based indicators and offer actionable information to address water insecurity.

全球全民安全饮水目标的进展情况，主要通过可直接观测的资源类指标进行追踪，其中包括主要供水水源与取水往返时长。当前，学界日益关注通过饮水获取、使用与可靠性相关的体验类数据来补充上述指标，但现有研究中关于这类数据在评估饮水服务干预效果方面的价值的实证证据仍较为匮乏。为此，本研究针对尼泊尔（样本量n=83）与塞拉利昂（样本量n=981）的家庭开展的两项多层级干预项目，对比了使用可观测类饮水指标与体验类饮水指标所得出的评估结果。本研究采用t检验、卡方检验与多变量模型，旨在明确干预实施后，依照联合监测计划（Joint Monitoring Programme）饮水服务分级标准划分的饮水服务水平，以及使用家庭饮水不安全体验量表（Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale）测量的饮水不安全体验是否发生显著变化。此外，本研究还依据社会人口学特征，评估了干预对饮水不安全状况可能存在的差异化影响，以判断是否存在特定群体的饮水保障状况未得到有效改善的情况。两地抽样家庭的至少基础级饮水服务覆盖率均有所提升：尼泊尔地区从60.8%升至100%，塞拉利昂地区则从33.0%升至48.2%。报告存在中高度饮水不安全状况的家庭占比也出现下降：尼泊尔地区从18.3%降至1.4%，塞拉利昂地区从66.3%降至24.8%。因饮水问题无法洗衣、担忧供水不足以及对自身饮水状况感到不满的相关报告比例与发生频次均有所下降，但这类问题在两地仍较为突出。未观察到受访者性别或年龄对项目改善饮水不安全状况的效果存在显著影响。在尼泊尔地区，项目效果因辖区不同而存在差异，这表明可针对当地实际需求进一步优化干预方案。本研究结果为体验类数据可有效补充传统资源类指标提供了实证依据，同时也为解决饮水不安全问题提供了可落地的决策参考信息。