The issue of the impact of sanitation is of great concern to the Caribbean islands. Almost 35% of wastewater is discharged into the environment without treatment (source: Caribbean Development Bank). The treatment systems are mostly septic tanks or infiltration wells, which has a strong environmental impact on an area where 70% of species are endemic (the Caribbean is one of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots).
This lack of sanitation is a shared problem in the Caribbean basin; This leads to health risks, environmental degradation and sometimes freshwater resources. The economic impact (especially tourism) is also a significant issue. In addition, the high exposure of these islands to natural hazards (volcanic risk, seismic, accelerated coastal erosion, etc.) increases their vulnerability to climate change.