Turning the Tide: Advancing Zambia's Future Through WASH

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of WASH in Zambia

There are many impacts of inadequate WASH with major costs to the Zambian population, covering health, environmental, social, and economic impacts. This study quantified selected impacts that could be estimated and valued at national level. It found that the annual costs of inadequate WASH in Zambia amount to US$1.55 billion in 2023, which is US$79 per capita and the equivalent of 5.6% of GDP. A large share of these costs reflect value of premature death (53.2%), followed by the value of lost time due to water collection or sanitation access (29.0%). While a smaller share of the economic costs were healthcare costs (5.2%), these financial costs (US$81 million) equate to 5.2% of the total expenditure on healthcare in inZambia in 2023.