Date of Award
6-1-2009
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Organizational Unit
College of Natual Science and Mathematics
First Advisor
Matthew J. Taylor, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Rebecca Powell
Third Advisor
Sandy Johnson
Keywords
Development indicators, Laos, Millennium development goals, Water, Water fetching
Abstract
The Millennium Development Goals measure ‘access to improved drinking water’ using an indicator that defines access as the presence of an improved water source within 1 kilometer of a person’s dwelling. This purely linear measurement has significant shortcomings, including a lack of consideration for the difficulty of the terrain being traversed and the weight of the loads being carried. This paper examines in detail the human energy costs associated with fetching water, first using two Lao villages as case studies, then applying a predictive energy expenditure model to measure the potential caloric effect of variations in the age and gender of water fetchers and in the nature of the terrain they must traverse. Results indicate that these factors have a substantial influence on energy expenditure, with one study village resident who walks 1 km to fetch water during part of the year spending more than 30% of her daily caloric intake on this task. This finding may have important implications on policies relating to water provision in the developing world.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Jeff La Frenierre
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
64 p.
Recommended Citation
La Frenierre, Jeff, "The Burden of Fetching Water: Using Caloric Expenditure as an Indicator of Access to Safe Drinking Water—a Case Study from Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 352.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/352
Copyright date
2009
Discipline
Geography