The impact of tap water on household vulnerability to poverty: Evidence from rural China

Mingcong Chen, Qiqi Sun and Lizhi Tang

Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 2025, vol. 100, issue C

Abstract: The improvement of clean water supply is crucial for the development of rural areas. This study examines the impact of tap water use on the vulnerability of rural households to poverty based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) four-period household data. The findings reveal that, from an ex-ante perspective, the utilization of tap water significantly reduces poverty vulnerability. The channel through which the usage of tap water mitigates poverty vulnerability lies in enhancing residents' health and increasing the labor supply. Further analysis indicates that the use of tap water exerts a more pronounced impact on elderly families, those with higher levels of education, families living without their children, and individuals residing in areas deeply influenced by Confucian culture. Overall, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the welfare effects associated with clean water utilization among rural communities, thereby providing important implications for developing countries or regions undertaking water improvement initiatives as a means to stimulate sustainable economic growth.

Keywords: Tap water; Vulnerability to poverty; Health; Rural areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:soceps:v:100:y:2025:i:c:s0038012125000953

DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2025.102246

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