Abstract
The paper presents the findings of research in Betim (Brazil) which looked in some detail at the association between health and provision for water supply (including water quality, per capita consumption, regularity of supply, household hygiene practices and extent of indoor plumbing), waste water and excreta disposal, garbage disposal (including frequency of collection and quality of refuse storage by households) and provision for drainage. It shows the limitations in official statistics for such services - for instance in their inaccuracy regarding who is served and in their limited range (for instance the lack of attention given to service quality and to provision for drainage). It also shows how the population benefiting from these services is not necessarily the same as that connected to public systems. The paper ends with recommendations for public urban policies and for the collection of data and research to ensure that environmental sanitation services better address health risks.