Over two billion individuals around the globe still do not have access to safely managed drinking water, according to a recent report from the United Nations. The joint study, released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), expressed grave concerns about the slow pace of progress towards the goal of universal access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by 2030.
The report revealed that in 2024, one in every four people worldwide still lacked safely managed drinking water—defined as water that is available on-site when needed and free from contamination. Alarmingly, over 100 million people were still depending on untreated surface water sources like rivers, lakes, and canals for drinking, exposing them to serious health risks. Despite a global effort, the agencies warned that the 2030 targets are increasingly unattainable unless urgent action is taken.
Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO’s Director of Environment, Climate Change, and Health, emphasized that water and sanitation are fundamental human rights, not luxuries, and called for accelerated efforts to support vulnerable communities. The report categorized water service into five levels: from surface water at the lowest end to safely managed services at the top.
Since 2015, there has been progress. Around 961 million people have gained access to safe drinking water, raising global coverage from 68% to 74%. Furthermore, the number of countries that have completely phased out surface water usage rose from 142 to 154. Still, 2.1 billion people remain without safely managed water, with many countries—especially in Africa—still facing major challenges.
Sanitation and hygiene have also improved, though gaps remain. Since 2015, 1.2 billion more people have gained access to safe sanitation, and open defecation has decreased significantly—from 783 million to 354 million. Hygiene coverage has also grown, with 1.6 billion additional people now having access to basic handwashing facilities.
UNICEF’s WASH Director, Cecilia Scharp, highlighted the impact on children, particularly girls, who often shoulder the responsibility of collecting water and face additional hygiene-related challenges during menstruation. She stressed that at the current rate, the global promise of safe water and sanitation for all—especially children—is slipping further out of reach.