Beyond the faucet: social-geographic disparities and trends in intermittent water supply in Peru

This study aimed to estimate the percentage of households with intermittent water supply (IWS) in Peru and determine the association between socioeconomic characteristics and the presence of IWS. The National Household Surveys (ENAHO) of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2019, 2021, and 2022 were used. IWS was defined as a piped water supply for less than 24 hours per day, one or more days per week. Exposure variables, such as area of residence, geographic region, population density, and human development index and their association with IWS using 2022, were explored using generalized linear models. The percentage of households with IWS varied between 40.8 and 42.5% during the period studied. At the departmental level, Tumbes, Ica, Piura, and Loreto showed the highest percentages of IWS. In households with IWS, the average duration of water supply did not exceed 8 h. Urban households, those in the Coast region, with medium population density and medium human development index, had a higher prevalence of IWS compared with their counterparts in 2022. This analysis contributes to the understanding of water access challenges in the context of climate change and the need for strategies adapted to specific urban and geographic contexts.