Water supply and sanitation in Jamaica is characterized by high levels of access to an improved water source, while access to adequate sanitation stands at only 80%. This situation affects especially the poor, including the urban poor many of which live in the country's over 595 unplanned squatter settlements in unhealthy and unsanitary environments with a high risk of waterborne disease. Despite a number of policy papers that were mainly focused on water supply and despite various projects funded by external donors, increases in access have remained limited (1% for water and 5% for sanitation between 1990 and 2004). The responsibility for water and sanitation policies within the government rests with the Ministry of Water and Housing, and the main service provider is the National Water Commission. An autonomous regulatory agency, the Office of Utilities Regulation, approves tariffs and establishes targets for efficiency increases. Access Source: Joint Monitoring Program WHO/UNICEF(JMP/2006). Data for water and sanitation based on the Survey of Living Conditions (2002). In urban areas, where 52% of Jamaica’s population lives, access to improved water supply is 98% access to improved sanitation is 91%. Only 31% of the urban population is connected to sewers. In rural areas access stands at 88% for improved water supply and 69% for improved sanitation. Overall, access to improved water supply in Jamaica stands at 93% and access to improved sanitation is currently at 80%. Between 1990 and 2004 access only increased slightly by 1% for water by 5% for sanitation. Service quality Many homes receive water only at low pressure. Many rural communities receive water that is not or only irregularly chlorinated. According to the 2011 Population and Housing Census, 69 percent of Jamaica's households receive untreated drinking water. The following table summarizes the results of the water tested from the 11 major surface sources and 6 wells of the National Water Commission (NWC) as compared to the standards set by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Source: Office of Utilities Regulation Annual Report 2005-2006, p. 48 Most of the country's over 595 unplanned squatter settlements or approximately 10% of the population is located nearby unhealthy and unsanitary environments without piped water or sanitation where there is a high risk of waterborne diseases. The vulnerability to natural disasters threatens the existing water and sanitation systems. Furthermore, there is a heightened probability of contamination of systems following hurricanes due to service interruption as well as