Over two billion people across the globe still lack access to safely managed drinking water, according to a warning issued by the United Nations on Tuesday. The organization cautioned that the world is falling far behind in meeting its goal of universal access to clean water by 2030.
A joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that in 2024, one in four individuals globally did not have access to water that is safe to drink, handle, or store. Alarmingly, more than 100 million people remain dependent on surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, and canals for their daily needs.
The report underlined the public health dangers posed by inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, stating that billions are at increased risk of illness due to unsafe conditions. Despite efforts made since 2015, the pace of progress is too slow to meet global targets.
“The goal of providing universal access to water and sanitation is slipping further out of reach,” the agencies warned. WHO’s Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health, Dr. Ruediger Krech, emphasized: “Access to clean water and sanitation is not a luxury — it’s a basic human right. Urgent action is needed, especially to support the world’s most vulnerable populations.”
The report categorized drinking water access across five service levels. The highest standard — safely managed — means water is available on-site, reliable when needed, and free of fecal or hazardous chemical contamination. Lower tiers include basic (improved sources within 30 minutes), limited (requiring more time), unimproved (e.g., unprotected wells), and surface water.
Since 2015, nearly 1 billion people have gained access to safely managed water, raising global coverage from 68% to 74%. Nevertheless, as of last year, 2.1 billion people remained without this level of service. Of those, 106 million still relied on untreated surface water — though that number has fallen by 61 million over the past decade.
Encouragingly, the number of countries that have phased out the use of surface water for drinking rose from 142 in 2015 to 154 in 2024. Furthermore, 89 countries now report universal access to at least basic drinking water, while 31 have achieved full coverage at the highest safety standard.
Yet challenges persist, particularly across Africa. In 28 countries, more than 25% of the population still lacks even basic water services.
In terms of sanitation, 1.2 billion people have gained access to safely managed facilities since 2015, bringing global coverage to 58%, up from 48%. These services include private, improved toilets with safe disposal or treatment of waste. Open defecation has declined significantly — from 783 million people in 2015 to 354 million today, representing just 4% of the world’s population.
Progress in hygiene has also been made: 1.6 billion more people now have access to basic handwashing facilities, increasing global coverage from 66% to 80%.
UNICEF’s Director of WASH, Cecilia Scharp, stressed the urgent need to bridge inequalities. “Without access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, children’s health, learning, and overall development are at serious risk,” she said. “Girls, in particular, face heightened challenges, often responsible for water collection and experiencing barriers to hygiene during menstruation.”
Scharp concluded with a sobering message: “At the current rate, the promise of safe water and sanitation for every child is moving further out of reach.”