Which of the following best describes sanitation?

Sanitation is fundamentally concerned with measures for protecting public health. It encompasses the practices and systems implemented to manage waste, ensure the safe disposal of refuse, provide clean drinking water, and maintain hygiene. Effective sanitation practices prevent the spread of diseases and health hazards that can arise from contaminated environments.

While urbanization and housing development can influence sanitation systems and access to clean facilities, they do not define sanitation itself. Similarly, while sanitation can contribute to better economic conditions in urban areas by creating healthier populations and environments, it is not exclusively an economic strategy. Environmental conservation practices may overlap with sanitation in the sense of maintaining a healthy ecosystem, but sanitation specifically focuses on human health and hygiene rather than on broad environmental concerns. Therefore, the option that most accurately captures the essence of sanitation is the one that highlights its role in public health protection.