Fact check: Can you distribute british population in % by what type sanitation system it uses

1. Summary of the results

While an exact percentage distribution isn't available for all sanitation types, several key statistics emerge:

• Over 80% of the UK population lives in urban areas with centralized water management systems ^[1]
• 99.8% of England's wastewater treatment works were compliant with regulations as of 2020 ^[2]
• 99.35% of wastewater is processed through centralized systems, while 0.65% uses individual or non-centralized sanitation ^[2]
• As of 2015, 99% of the UK population had access to "improved" sanitation facilities ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are worth noting:

• The question of sanitation types is more complex than simple percentages, as there are multiple classification systems:
• Urban vs. rural systems ^[1]
• Centralized vs. non-centralized systems ^[2]
• Various rural solutions including cesspools, septic tanks, and sewage treatment plants ^[4]
• The JMP classification system which includes categories like "safely managed," "basic," "limited," "unimproved," and "open defecation" ^{[3] [5]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question assumes that a simple percentage breakdown exists, which oversimplifies the reality of British sanitation systems:

• The focus on percentage distribution might miss crucial quality metrics, such as the high compliance rate of treatment works ^[2]
• The question doesn't account for the urban-rural divide, which significantly impacts sanitation system types ^{[1] [4]}
• The term "sanitation system" itself needs more precise definition, as it can refer to various levels of service and different types of infrastructure ^[5]
• Water companies and infrastructure providers might benefit from presenting statistics in ways that emphasize coverage rather than system quality or environmental impact ^{[6] [7]}