Table 1. Comparison of the different minimum standards for water and sanitation needs.
| Sphere Project [11] | UNHCR [12] | EPA [23] | FEMA [24] | OFDA [25] | USACE [26] | White et al. [27] | Reed et al. [28] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Drinking water needs per person per day (l/p/d) | 3–5 | 7 | 1.89* | 3,79* | 3–4 | 3 | 1.8–3§ | 3–5 |
| 2. Domestic water needs per person per day (l/p/d) | 15 | 20 | 20.8* | NA | 15–20 | NA | 10–20 | 15–20 |
| 3. Communal latrine coverage | 20 people per latrine | 20 people per latrine | NA | NA | 20 people per latrine | NA | NA | NA |
| 4. Distance from the farthest dwelling to water point | <500 m | <200 m | NA | NA | <100 m | NA | NA | NA |
| 5. Number of persons at each water point | 250 per tap500 per hand pump400 per well | 80–100 per tap200–300 per hand pump/well | NA | NA | 200–250 per tap | NA | NA | NA |
* The original data were in gallons and were converted to litres using the following ratio: 1 gallon = 3.785 litres. NA: no information available. l/p/d: litres per person per day.
§ This is the amount African people went to collect, when they had to make use of a communal water source.