Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Survey Responses from General Artigas and Alto Verá, Itapúa (October-December 2023)

This dataset includes Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) survey responses with additional key variables, supporting the publications “A Framework to Measure Household Water Insecurity in Paraguay: Initial Implementation of the HWISE Survey in General Artigas and Alto Vera, Itapúa” and “Household Water Insecurity in Rural Paraguay: A Geographic and Infrastructure-driven Approach.” The surveys were deployed in General Artigas and Alto Verá, Itapúa, Paraguay, between October and December 2023. The abstract for the initial associated work is included below.
“Water security describes the availability, accessibility, and reliability of water resources. One way to examine water security is on the household scale; yet, scholars still seek to understand the relationship between household water security and the complex systems that affect it, such as infrastructure, geography, and governance. This study utilized the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Index to measure water security in Itapúa, Paraguay, identify vulnerable populations, and analyze its drivers. We surveyed households across 11 water distribution systems in two districts to evaluate how infrastructure, geography, and socio-demographics shape water insecurity. Our findings revealed spatial disparities in water security both between and within communities, as well as thematic differences in what drives HWISE scores. For example, the median HWISE index between the districts reflected an 8-point difference, and interruptions in water availability and stress were major contributors to higher insecurity. We spatially located water-insecure hotspots relative to infrastructure systems by modifying a Gaussian kernel density estimation calculation to map point intensities of medium- and high-water insecurity households per square meter. Using a mixed-effects random forest model, we found that infrastructural and geographic factors had a greater impact on HWISE scores than demographics. Key challenges included distance and elevation differences between households and wells and inconsistent running water, and the analysis of site-specific effects suggested considering the role of governance and the state of water infrastructure, emphasizing that localized water insecurity is not just a resource issue but also a governance and operational challenge. Communities with aging infrastructure and more sprawling distribution systems faced greater insecurity, indicating the need for maintenance support, improved management strategies, and targeted investments. This study offers insights for targeting infrastructure improvements, strengthening water governance, and advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, “Clean water and sanitation.” Our findings highlight the importance of locally informed water security monitoring, particularly in rural and underserved areas where inconsistent technical and financial support amplifies household vulnerabilities."