Better sanitation has huge economic spin-offs - U.N.

OSLO (Reuters) - Spending $10 billion a year would enable the world to reach a 2015 goal of improved sanitation in developing countries with huge spin-offs such as less poverty and better health, U.N. experts said on Thursday.

Marking the U.N.'s annual World Water Day on March 20, they said every dollar spent on improving sanitation -- ranging from digging latrines or building sewers -- would have $9 in benefits such as higher economic growth or lower hospital bills.