Over Two Billion People Worldwide Lack Safely-Managed Drinking Water, UN Warns
A UN report warns that progress toward universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene is far too slow, leaving billions at risk of disease and threatening global targets for 2030.
More than two billion people globally still lack access to safely-managed drinking water, according to a joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, highlighting the widening gap toward universal coverage. The agencies said one in four people worldwide were without safely-managed water in 2024, with over 100 million still reliant on surface water from rivers, ponds, or canals.
Safely-managed drinking water is defined as water that is available on premises, when needed, and free from fecal and chemical contamination. Levels below this include basic, limited, unimproved, and surface water services. Since 2015, 961 million people have gained access to safely-managed water, increasing global coverage from 68% to 74%. However, the report notes that at the current pace, achieving universal access by 2030 “is increasingly out of reach.”
Progress has also been uneven across countries. In 2024, 89 countries had universal access to at least basic drinking water, and only 31 had universal access to safely-managed services. Nations where more than one in four people lacked basic services were predominantly in Africa.
Sanitation coverage has improved, with 1.2 billion people gaining access to safely-managed sanitation facilities since 2015, and the number of people practicing open defecation falling to 354 million, or 4% of the global population. Meanwhile, 1.6 billion people gained access to basic hygiene services, including handwashing with soap and water at home, increasing coverage from 66% to 80%.
UNICEF’s director for WASH, Cecilia Scharp, emphasized the human impact: “When children lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, their health, education, and futures are put at risk. These inequalities are especially stark for girls, who often bear the burden of water collection and face additional barriers during menstruation.”
WHO’s Ruediger Krech echoed the urgency, stating, “Water, sanitation, and hygiene are not privileges: they are basic human rights. We must accelerate action, especially for the most marginalized communities.” The report underscores the critical need for faster, equitable progress to protect billions from disease and ensure access to essential services.
